BJJ Games to play with your kids

[AJ Camacho]

Hey guys and coaches,

I was wondering if you had any suggestions on BJJ related games that you can play with your kids aged 3-4?

I already play a tackle game (where I am on my knees and they run at me; I only fall over if they drive their head and hit the double underhooks) as well as the Crazy Horse game from the Gracie Games curriculum but I was wondering what some sort of games you do with your own kids?

At this age, I don't want them approaching anything close to any submission related moves. It's all just position and control under the guise of horse play.

[John Alighieri]

Make them work on their shrimping. Just go on top of them don't crush them lol and let them figure out a way to not be stuck under you anymore.
I do that with my dog and he became a master at shrimping! I know kids are not dogs but the concept is there
The concept of pushing yourself away from someone instead of pushing them away from you is super important.

[Tony "The Goods" Garcia]

I've recently began coaching a kids class and have 20 of em age 3-8. I won't lie to you, I was lost! I walked in and 4 were choking each other, a handfull were playing dodgeball, 3 were literally climbing the wall. Anyways parents have found out that jj is cheaper than a babysitter lmfao. So, I bombed by trying to teach techniques and they hated me. By the next class I decided to learn how to get kids to fall in love with jiu jitsu. I watched bulleyproof and was amazed. I realized I've been doing this with my son since age 3. The games... Spiderkid, shark bite, steamroller, giant and crazy horse has made them all leave smiling now. Since they've already learned the techniques by playing games, I made the 10th planet moves into games as well. It's amazing to see them pop into "Gumby" or mission control with ny.

[Tony "The Goods" Garcia]

Btw, if I'm lucky enough to roll with Eddie at the Charlotte seminar, it's all "Carebear" until I go "Kid in the helmet". Hells yeah!

[Robert Sevigny]

I do that with my dog and he became a master at shrimping!

YES! i play BJJ with MY CAT haha sometimes i chase him around my house running room to room hiding and popping out and then he runs and i run back after him (my fat is gettin fat so doing this helps him lose weight he sleeps alot) then sometimes i get him on his back and make him "defend my guard pass"sometimes id spin him to north/south and say hes playing INVERTED GUARD haha just being silly and havin fun with him.

girls find HIM sexier than ME sometimes so i use him as girlbait

[AJ Camacho]

Haha.. that's great.

What game variations have you created with your kids and how did you introduce the concepts of the game rules to them?

[Tony "The Goods" Garcia]

I usually have my son who is 10 or my wife show the "game" along with myself. I do the drill from all angles just like a technique. It's usually together with a funny story. Say... So u guys are walking down the street to get some pizza. When a meteor hits your psp and the evil dude shoots out of the screen. He's so big he knocks you down. You look up and hit X guard sweep! Because X marks the spot. Just like treasure. For kids it's all about the story. For us it's a technique. Don't explain hand position or theory. Don't worry about them locking it. If it's wrong place their foot where you want it and say perfect lol. You will be surprised how fast children learn jiu jitsu.

[Landon DuMar]

What are all the games in the Gracie Bullyproof set?

[Tony "The Goods" Garcia]

1. Spider kid ( maintain mount)
2. Bulldozer (maintain top with rolling opponent)
3. Shark bite ( upa escape)
4. Crazy horse ( take and maintain back control)
5. Giant ( double leg takedown)
6. Crocodile ( side mount)
7. Base battle ( maintain standing base)
8. Snake bite ( upa while opponent chokes)
9. Guard monster ( closed guard and posture control)
10. Crazy legs ( pass guard to mount.

I'll post my 10th planet games when I get some more time.

[James Davis]

can't wait to get my kid doing jiu jitz...specially with all these amazing instructors...very inventive. Now if I can get my wife to accept that my lil dude will not start choking kids out and breaking arms and being a general nuiusance, I'll be alright.