“My son started with East Side Tae Kwon Do when he was five. He's now eight and takes class three times a week--and is always excited for it. His instructor never fails to challenge him, and the classes are friendly and, yes, fun. He can't wait to get his Black Belt!” - Mother of an 8-year-old boy

Tae Kwon Do for Children with Special Needs

“Most occupational therapists agree that Tae Kwon Do is helpful for children with motor planning & sequencing difficulties. We like it because its therapeutic benefits are delivered in the context of a fun activity, but we recommend finding a small group (no more than ten in a class) to minimize anxiety and maximize opportunities for socialization. Katie’s experience with Tae Kwon Do has, so far, resulted in better attending skills, improved self-regulation, and an increased ability for self-reflection.” -Parent of Katie, child with Asperger’s Syndrome

We at East Side Tae Kwon Do have a great deal of teaching kids with all sorts of Special Needs. Our instructors have worked extensively with OTs, PTs, Child Psychologists and Educators to tailor a traditional Tae Kwon Do curriculum to best help these special students.

We have two options for kids with Special Needs:

Private Lessons

We begin teaching kids with special needs twenty minute private lessons and then build up to thirty minutes as the child’s focus increases. These are tailored to the specific child and provide all of the physical benefits of Tae Kwon Do, but at a more manageable pace. Eventually we are able to mainstream most of these children into our Basic Tae Kwon Do classes.

Group Classes

This is our latest offering for Special Needs kids. Class size is small (maximum of 6 kids). We have to separate classes: one for kids with ADD/ADHD,/SI issues, and one for kids with PDD.