Fun Summer Martial Arts Activities for Families

Create a Home Training Space

It doesn’t need to be fancy. A small clear area in the garden, garage, conservatory, or living room can become a mini Do Jang for summer practice. Children love feeling like they have their own training zone. Why not send up a picture of your setup?

Practise Patterns (Hyungs) Outdoors

Training in the garden or park adds a completely different challenge. Grass, uneven ground, and outdoor distractions help improve:

• Balance

• Focus

• Coordination

• Concentration

  
  

Send in your picture of you practicing in the park, up a mountain, or on a beach!

Family Kick Challenge

Choose one kick each week and see who can improve the most. Ideas include:

• Front kick

• Roundhouse kick

• Side kick

• Axe kick

• Jumping front kick

  
  

Children love getting parents involved, and parents quickly realise martial arts is harder than it looks! Try the side kick challenge—perform a side kick in the weirdest and most wonderful places, taking a picture as evidence.

In previous years, we have done a jump side kick challenge—the best one filmed jumping into a pool!

World Tour of Merch!

Get a picture of yourself in some of the world's most exotic locations while you're on holiday, wearing your FMAC merch. Grab a T-shirt and wear it up a mountain. Drink from your FMAC branded water bottle on a beach in Bali. Going to a wedding? Wear your FMAC branded socks with your suit!

Learn Martial Arts Terminology

Summer can be a great time to revise Korean terminology. Use the Red Leadership Handbook to turn it into a game with:

• Flashcards

• Quizzes

• Memory games

  
  

This is perfect for helping children feel more confident in class.

Watch Martial Arts Movies Together

Family-friendly martial arts films can inspire children and build excitement for training. Here are some ideas:

• The Karate Kid

• Kung Fu Panda

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

• Cobra Kai (older children/teens)

• Power Rangers

• Classic Jackie Chan films

  
  

It’s a fun way to keep martial arts part of the holidays.

Start a Summer Stretching Routine

Flexibility often improves fastest with small amounts of consistent practice. Even 10 minutes per day can help with:

• Kicking height

• Mobility

• Posture

• Injury prevention

  
  

Children can create their own stretching chart to track progress.

Create a Martial Arts Skills Bingo Card

Children love ticking off challenges. Ideas could include:

• Practise a pattern outside

• Stretch for 10 minutes

• Teach a parent a kick

• Complete 20 press-ups

• Watch a martial arts movie

• Learn 5 Korean terms

• Hold horse stance for 60 seconds

• Drink 2 litres of water

• Practise balance for 2 minutes

• Read about martial arts history

• Take a martial arts holiday photo

• Do 50 star jumps

• Revise terminology

• Help another student

  
  

Share your version on our social media pages for others to take up the same challenge.

Practise Respect and Discipline at Home

Martial arts isn’t just about kicking and punching. Summer holidays are a great time for children to practice:

• Responsibility

• Manners

• Helpfulness

• Self-control

• Perseverance

  
  

Some families even create “black belt chores” challenges!

Record a Training Video

Children love filming:

• Patterns

• Kick combinations

• Pad drills

• Fitness challenges

  
  

Watching themselves back often improves technique and confidence.

Create a Martial Arts Journal

Students can track:

• Goals

• New techniques

• Favourite classes

• Seminar notes

• Fitness improvements

  
  

This helps develop long-term motivation and commitment.

Design a Dream Do Jang

Creative children can draw:

• Their ideal training hall

• Custom uniforms

• Tournament arenas

• Martial arts logos

• Belt systems

  
  

This is a brilliant rainy-day activity!

Learn About Martial Arts History

Children often enjoy discovering:

• Where Tang Soo Do comes from

• Traditional meanings

• Famous martial artists

• Martial arts philosophy

  
  

It helps students appreciate that martial arts is bigger than just gradings. A lot of info is in the Red Leadership Handbook, but there's way more online!

Practise Basic Fitness Challenges

Simple fitness tasks can make a huge difference when students return to class. Try:

• Press-ups

• Squats

• Plank holds

• Skipping

• Shuttle runs

• Jumping drills

  
  

Children who stay active over summer usually return sharper and more confident.

Visit a New Place and Practise a Pattern There

Beach, forest, park, mountain, campsite—patterns in unusual locations create brilliant memories and photos. Many students love sending holiday training pictures to their instructors.

Build a Healthy “Black Belt” Routine

Summer can easily become all screens and snacks. Martial arts students can challenge themselves to build habits around:

• Hydration

• Sleep

• Exercise

• Stretching

• Healthy eating

  
  

These habits support both martial arts and overall wellbeing.

Create a Summer Goal

Goals give children purpose and motivation. Examples include:

• Improve flexibility

• Memorise terminology

• Perfect a pattern

• Improve fitness

• Practise daily for 10 minutes

• Prepare for next grading

  
  

Small goals often lead to huge improvements by September.

Most Importantly… Keep Training Fun

The best martial arts students are usually the ones who genuinely enjoy the process. Summer training doesn’t need to feel strict or intense. Sometimes the biggest benefits come simply from:

• Staying active

• Building confidence

• Spending time together

• Maintaining routine

• Enjoying martial arts outside the classroom

  
  

Because martial arts is not just something children do inside the Do Jang. It’s something that can positively shape confidence, discipline, fitness, and family life all year round.

So, let’s make this summer one to remember!