KIDS & TEENS AIKIDO · PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN
Kids & Teens Aikido Classes
A safe, non-competitive martial arts program for confidence, focus, and respect.
At Aikido of Park Slope, children and teens learn martial arts in a supportive dojo environment built around safety, cooperation, discipline, and confidence. Our youth classes help students move their bodies, practice focus, build coordination, learn respectful partner work, and develop practical self-defense skills without aggression or competition.
WHAT KIDS AND TEENS LEARN
Skills that carry beyond the mat.
Aikido helps children and teens build skills that carry beyond the mat. Students practice focus, listening, coordination, balance, safe movement, respectful partner work, and self-control.
They also learn practical self-defense through the peaceful philosophy of Aikido, where the goal is not to overpower someone, but to stay calm, aware, and in control. Classes are active and structured, but not harsh. Students are challenged to pay attention, try again, help their partners, and grow one class at a time.
WHY AIKIDO WORKS FOR KIDS
A different approach to martial arts.
Many martial arts programs focus on sparring, competition, or winning. Aikido takes a different approach. It is a nonviolent Japanese martial art that emphasizes cooperation, balance, and self-awareness. It is not just about defending against others; it is about developing a strong and peaceful relationship with oneself.
In Aikido, children learn how to move, fall safely, protect themselves, work with partners, and resolve conflict without aggression. The practice builds physical confidence, but it also teaches patience, awareness, cooperation, and respect. Aikido helps kids understand that true strength comes from calmness and control, not from overpowering others.
WHAT YOUR CHILD BUILDS
Skills that grow with them.
There are no tournaments and no sparring, so children grow at their own pace in a supportive environment. Parents tell us their kids are calmer, kinder, and more self-assured after just a few months of training.
WHY PARENTS TRUST APS
Brooklyn's oldest and largest Aikido dojo.
Aikido of Park Slope is Brooklyn's oldest and largest Aikido dojo, founded in 1981. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a member of the United States Aikido Federation.
Our head instructor, Hal Lehrman, 7th Dan Aikikai, Shihan, leads a dojo rooted in discipline, patience, respect, and community. We have been working with kids since 1981, and our instructors are patient, encouraging, and trained to meet children where they are. Classes are structured, supervised, and paced to support each child's development. APS offers over 20 martial arts classes per week for adults, kids, teens, and beginners at 630 Sackett Street, steps from the Union St R train.
MEET THE KIDS & TEENS INSTRUCTORS
The instructors who guide our young aikidoka.
Our children's program is led by instructors who are not only highly skilled martial artists, but also passionate educators. With years of training and teaching experience, they understand how to nurture confidence, discipline, and respect in every child.
TRY A CLASS
See if it is right for your child.
The best way to know whether Aikido is right for your child is to try a class. New students are welcome, and no prior martial arts experience is needed. We will help you choose the right class, explain what to expect, and make sure your child feels supported when they arrive. Classes are for ages 7 and up.