Taekwondo Classes in Cave Creek: What Your Child Actually Learns at KarateBuilt

They’re both right… KarateBuilt Martial Arts in Cave Creek teaches Songahm Taekwondo, the style of the American Taekwondo Association (ATA). Our kids program is called Karate for Kids, which is why the sign and the search results don’t always use the same word.

Is KarateBuilt karate or taekwondo?

KarateBuilt teaches Songahm Taekwondo, a Korean martial art, through the American Taekwondo Association. “Karate” is the word most families use, so our children’s program carries the name Karate for Kids.

For your child, the name matters a lot less than the teaching. Students learn kicks, strikes, blocks, forms and self-defense, and they learn them in a structured class with a clear path from White Belt to Black Belt.

What ages can start taekwondo in Cave Creek?

Children can start at age 3. Classes are grouped by age so a preschooler isn’t lined up next to a teenager:

Parents can train too. Adult classes run separately, so ask about a schedule that lets parents and kids train on the same visits.

What does a taekwondo class look like?

Most classes run 45 to 60 minutes. A typical class moves through a warm-up, basic kicks and blocks, forms, and self-defense or drills, and it ends with a short lesson your child can take home.

Forms are a set sequence of moves your child memorizes and performs. They’re also where the focus work happens. A kid who can hold a whole form in their head in front of a room full of people is practicing focus on purpose… and that can carry over into the classroom.

For the first few classes, comfortable athletic clothes are fine. The uniform, called a dobok, comes after enrollment.

Does taekwondo actually help kids focus?

Yes, and there’s a controlled study behind it. In a randomized trial of 240 children ages 7 to 11, kids who took two 45-minute taekwondo classes a week for 11 weeks showed better attentional control and fewer conduct problems than kids who took regular PE on the same schedule (Ng-Knight et al., 2022).

The same study found no change in impulsivity or inhibitory control. Taekwondo helped these kids pay attention. It did not fix everything, and I’d rather tell you that up front.

If attention is a big part of your child’s day, read our post on ADHD and martial arts.

Is taekwondo safe for young children?

Yes. Techniques are taught with control and at a pace that fits your child’s age. Our full-time certified instructors complete well over 300 hours of supervised training and are CPR and First Aid certified.

Self-defense for kids starts with awareness, boundaries and walking away. Physical technique is the LAST option, and that’s the order we teach it in. Our Bully Prevention Program teaches the same order.

What if my child is shy?

Shy kids often do really well here! The first class is low pressure, and we don’t put anyone on the spot in front of the room.

One mom wrote this about her daughter, who started with us at age 3: “My daughter was shy since birth. She rarely spoke in front of people she didn’t know extremely well.” By age 4 that same little girl was leading small groups in our leadership program… and at 6 she was preparing to test for her Black Belt.

We wrote a whole post on this: Is my child too shy for karate? What happens in the first three classes.

Something to try at home tonight

Ask your child to stand on one foot and count to ten out loud while you count backward from ten at the same time.

It’s harder than it sounds! That’s a small version of what we work on in class – staying steady when something is trying to distract you. If they lose their balance and laugh, that’s fine! Try it again tomorrow and see if they can make it all the way to ten.

How do we start?

New families get two weeks FREE plus a free uniform ($199 value)!

Call or text (602) 737-2098, or stop by KarateBuilt Martial Arts, 29850 N. Tatum Blvd., Suite 105, Cave Creek, AZ 85331. We’re at the southwest corner of Tatum and Cave Creek Road. Coming from Carefree? We’re right on Cave Creek Road at Tatum.

Frequently asked questions

Is KarateBuilt an ATA school?

Yes. KarateBuilt Cave Creek teaches Songahm Taekwondo as part of the American Taekwondo Association.

Does my child need experience?

No. Every program is built for beginners and taught step by step from the first class.

How often do kids train?

Most students attend two to three classes a week.

Do you serve Carefree, Anthem and North Phoenix?

Yes. Families drive in from Carefree, Anthem, Desert Hills and North Phoenix.

Can adults take taekwondo too?

Yes. Adults of any age and fitness level can start, and adult classes are separate from the kids classes.

References

• Ng-Knight, T., Gilligan-Lee, K. A., Massonnié, J., Gaspard, H., Gooch, D., Querstret, D., & Johnstone, N. (2022). Does Taekwondo improve children’s  self-regulation? If so, how? A randomized field experiment. Developmental Psychology, 58(3), 522–534. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001307