Why Martial Arts Can Be One of the Best School Holiday Activities for Kids
How Martial Arts Helps Children Build Real Confidence
Confidence isn’t built by talking about it.
It’s built through hundreds and thousands of repetitions.
Think about the first time you started a new job. On your first shift, you probably weren’t confident yet. You had to learn how things worked. Often you shadowed someone more experienced, watched how they did things, and slowly began to understand the why behind the process.
Through mentoring, guidance and repetition, confidence begins to grow.
Children learn in much the same way.
Confidence is not something that appears overnight. It develops gradually as children are given opportunities to practice skills, face manageable challenges and experience small successes over time.
This matters more than we often realise. Research consistently shows that confidence and perceived competence play an important role in a child’s social development, emotional well-being, and resilience.
What the Research Says
A study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine found that children participating in structured martial arts programs demonstrated higher levels of self-confidence, emotional regulation, perseverance, and self-discipline than children who did not train in martial arts.
Other research in child development and physical education has also shown that martial arts training can positively influence several areas of development.
Benefits Martial Arts Can Support
- Self-control and emotional regulation
- Goal-setting and persistence
- Respect for others and social behaviour
- Resilience when facing challenges
Why does martial arts training have this effect?
Why Martial Arts Training Works
Training environments like martial arts classes encourage children to:
- Try again after mistakes
- Understand that not everything comes instantly and learn about delayed gratification
- Use the tools they are taught to solve small challenges independently
- Develop life skills such as discipline, leadership and resilience
- Experience gradual improvement through consistent practice
Importantly, these lessons extend far beyond kicks and punches.
Martial arts training provides a structured environment where children learn that effort leads to progress and that challenges can be overcome step by step.
How This Applies to Krav Junior Holiday Camp
At our Krav Junior Holiday Camp, children experience these lessons through structured games, movement challenges, obstacle courses and beginner self-defence fundamentals designed specifically for their age group.
Each activity helps develop:
- Confidence
- Coordination
- Teamwork
- Decision-making skills
Children aren’t just learning techniques.
They’re learning how to trust themselves.
References
Lakes, K. D., & Hoyt, W. T. (2004). Promoting self-regulation through school-based martial arts training. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 25(3), 283–302.
Vertonghen, J., & Theeboom, M. (2010). The social-psychological outcomes of martial arts practice among youth: A review. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 9, 528–537.
Evert, J. (2014). Martial arts and youth development: Effects on self-concept and resilience. Journal of Physical Education and Sport.
