Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Programs

Toddlers / Kids / Teens

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a marathon martial art, not a sprint. It  can be trained well into old age, as co-founder Helio Gracie practiced regularly as a 94 year old. Equally, it’s an art that greatly benefits kids. As it prioritizes timing and technique over size and power, there’s no better martial art for children to train.

Jiu-Jitsu teaches children valuable self-defence skills, and is great for both health and confidence. BJJ is an effective anti-bullying system. Not only are little champions able to defend themselves, they learn to do so in the safest way possible. They’ll create new social circles outside of school while doing so. Friendships made on the mats tend to last a very long time!

Gracie Botany is a martial arts academy for all ages. We offer martial arts classes for kids of varying age brackets, broadly separated into three classes: Toddlers, Kids, and Teens.

Toddlers are for children aged between 3 and 5 years old. This doesn’t include any sparring, and instead hones coordination and teaches important skills through fun games and drills. These 30-minute classes are specifically designed for preschoolers. They keep things fun, safe and social.

The games and drills the tots run through lay a groundwork for athletics of any kind, and teach them the importance of discipline, confidence and teamwork. Toddler Jiu-Jitsu is a strong way to start a healthy and social lifestyle for any kid.

Kids martial arts classes are for children aged between 6-11 and also include similar games and drills. Here’s where we introduce more particular self-defence and BJJ skill development through technique demonstrations and light sparring.

Kids are divided into groups based on their size and skill level. This ensures the safety and comfort of all the kids in the class, which is always our priority. As children age and become more competent, the technique complexity grows. This is the perfect age group for kids to be introduced to BJJ’s fundamental principles.

Teen classes are for kids aged 12-15, and act as a bridge to get them into Fundamentals and Intermediate classes (depending on their experience level). Teenagers will learn BJJ competition and self-defence techniques in a safe environment that hones not just their physical skills, but their confidence too.

Once they reach 16, teenagers will be able to join the adult Fundamentals or Intermediate programs.

Regardless of age, all kids will begin as a white belt. From there, they’ll progress through gray, yellow, orange and green belts. These colours are for kids and teens only, as adult belts only come in white, blue, purple, brown and black. The purpose of this system is to allow kids to frequently feel their hard work pay off. They’ll learn that hard work is rewarded. This is one of many instances of BJJ teaching not just self-defence, but valuable life skills.

Note: Ages are set as a guide, as size, confidence and skills set are also considerations. Children will always be placed in a group best matched to them, agreed upon by both coach and parent.