Thank you for your interest in our kids karate.
Your nearest club is at Thanington Neighbourhood Resource Centre in Canterbury
Classes start on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Gannon’s Martial Arts Canterbury turns kids into Karate champions!
We have been teaching children martial arts and karate to help them become more confident and healthy for over 20 years at our martial arts schools in Canterbury. This is achieved by teaching them the best in karate, kickboxing and mixed martial arts. We also specialise in teaching children how to STOP the bully with our unique anti bullying programme.
Your child will learn from genuine high ranking, award winning black belt instructors in Canterbury, who are not only experts in teaching children, but are also walk the talk and are great role models.
Teaching kids in Canterbury to become champions in life
Give your child a strong start in life!
Our children’s martial arts classes are fast paced, action packed, educational and motivational. Kids love Karate and parents love watching their children learn and grow in a positive, disciplined and encouraging environment.
Every class is filled with exciting fun, high energy martial arts exercises that are carefully designed to help children build important life skills. Classes start simple and gradually become more challenging based on each children’s individual pace and readiness for the new techniques. All lessons are based on positive recognition, reward and reinforcement for effort, skill, courtesy, sportsmanship and respectful treatment of others.
Self confidence and Self Esteem are built in a gradual step-by-step process. Martial Arts training builds a strong foundation that can easily be applied to a school work, sports, arts and social settings outside the martial arts class.
The benefits of Gannon’s Karate training for children
- Your child's self respect and self discipline will improve
- Learning the fundamentals of self defence will boost your child's self esteem and confidence
- Your child's ability to listen and follow instructions will improve with every class.
- We'll teach your child how to stop the bully in their tracks with a practical effective anti bullying lessons.
- Your child will feel strong and positive as they move through the belt levels.
School pressure, peer pressure, instilling proper values, demanding extra school curricular activities.
Sound familiar?
I understand what parents like you are having to deal with these days. I have met hundreds of parents just like you, and I have to say it can be challenging time being a child these days.
Many parents I speak to are dealing with these 21st Century demands as well as they can, but sometimes the signs of the pressure children feel are obvious. When new children come into our classes we often see:
- Inability to focus
It’s not usually malicious, they just have a really difficult time focusing. - Crippling shyness
Eyes looking down at the floor, shoulders forward, frozen in fear. - Difficulty engaging with peers or authority figures
Parents often see this as a lack of respect (it’s NOT it more a lack of confidence, but it’s’ still important to overcome) - Lack of follow through or perseverance
It’s really difficult for children to see past the “now” and keep at something consistent.
It can all change within a few months. Parents say they can see their children learn:
- Increased Confidence
Confidence, especially what they learn in our karate classes, is the difference between what a child can actually do vs what they think they can do. You will see them act more and more confident and you’ll see them take on new challenges both inside and outside of our martial arts schools with a sense of drive and purpose. - The Ability to Defend Themselves Mentally, Emotionally AND Physically
If your child is ever in a situation where they need to use self defence skills against a bully who is physically trying to push, punch or kick them. Then they will have the ability and confidence to apply these self defence techniques. Also, they will have the techniques, ability and confidence to deal with verbal abuse, this is much more common than physical bullying. - Soaring Self Esteem
The most important thing your child will get from our martial arts classes is a tremendous positive sense of self worth. They will be able to objectively look at things they need to improve such homework, family relations and physical effort. Without feeling useless, and they’ll take pride in the things they get correct without discounting or minimising their own achievements. - Building a Love for Exercise
If you want your children to not only stay but improve their health, they have to enjoy good hard physical exercise. Our classes are exciting and fun, your child will love coming to each class. They’ll actually love doing the press ups, star jumps and stretching exercises. They will take pride in their increased flexibility and endurance, and they will leave every class sweating, smiling and learning.
