Are you looking for physical activity for your child?

Karate is an excellent activity for children because it promotes confidence, discipline, perseverance, strength, and self-defense. A specific form of martial arts that originated in Okinawa, karate means “empty hand.”

It is often used as a generic term to describe kicking and punching. At Klotz Institute of Karate (KIK) in Columbia and Bowie, MD, students learn a Korean style of karate called Tang Soo Do, including basic motion, katas (forms), one-step, jujitsu, and Kumite (free sparring).

At KIK, students focus on their progress through the belt ranks, which can be very helpful for children who might not thrive on competition that is pervasive in other sports. Whether your child is interested or already enrolled in a program, books are a great way to introduce them to karate.

Below is a list of six karate books for children of all ages to enjoy.

1. Karate Kids by Holly Sterling is the ideal book for children under eight. It follows a young girl named Maya as she takes her karate class on a Saturday morning. She bows, stretches, blocks, and breathes calmly at the end of class. Holly gets help and support from her karate teacher along the way.
2. Karate Hour by Carol Nevius, for children ages 3-7, is an excellent book for children in the upper elementary school grades or middle school. In this book, a racially diverse group of children bow, stretch, kick, crouch, yell, roll, balance, and take turns in their karate class. A karate teacher is there to guide them through it all.
3. Black Belt Bunny by Jacky Davis, for children ages 3-5, invites children to join an adorable black belt bunny as he practices his karate moves. The bunny becomes disappointed because he has to make a salad. At first, the bunny is hesitant and does not want to make the salad, but then he realizes he can use his karate moves.
4. Karate Kid by Rosanne Kurstedt is for children ages 4-8.   This book does not have a storyline but is a dictionary or guide for different karate positions. Discover karate stances, such as kicks, punches, strikes, blocks, and katas. Karate Kid is a helpful guide for beginners to practice karate at home.
5. Little Kunoichi: The Ninja Girl by Sanae Ishida is a playful and gorgeously illustrated picture book for children 3-7. Follow Little Kunoichi, a young ninja-girl-in-training, as she learns all there is to know about becoming a ninja. She attends a secret school where she meets a friend named Chibi Samurai.
6. The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz, for children ages 5-8, is the karate version of the classic tale of The Three Little Pigs. The three pigs train at a ninja school where one learns aikido, one learns jujitsu, and one studies karate. The Three Ninja Pigs contains many karate-specific words and is a constructive way for readers to understand.

Read these recommended books with your karate kid!