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Awesome instructors and place to train for kids in the area If you live in the Saint Pete's area this is where to bring your kids for not just the best martial arts but life training Skillz!
We signed our 5 year old up for the free trial over the summer to try out something new and keep him active during the summer. He absolutely fell in love with it and asked if he could go every day! The curriculum is perfectly geared toward each particular age group. The instructors are so engaging and committed. The skills and confidence our son has gained just in a few short months are priceless. Our summer activity has quickly become part of our regular year round schedule and I foresee him continuing for years to come. OTM rocks!!
No better place than OTM for brinhing the best out of your child. The instructors are some of the best and the owner Melody Shuman is the most knowledgeable in child neuroscience. Many martial art facilities around the world look to her and use her Skillz methods for teaching children. AAA++++++
The best money that our family has invested in the development of our child! As an early childhood educator, I am very picky about extra curricular activities! On the Mat is the model for positive reinforcement! They treat everyone like family! We are so grateful that we are there and only wish we had found them sooner!
The best customer service ever, Melody Shuman and her staff go out of their way to over deliver
Just started but I can tell the school is amazing and the staff are very nice and attentive! My daughter seems to love it too!
Our family can't say enough about On The Mat! Master Melody and her awesome team of Ninjas are like a parent's secret weapon. Our son goes to practice Tae Kwon Do, he ends up learning about character, respect, self-control and other priceless virtues! The family environment and friendships fostered at this club have added a beautiful dimension to each of our lives. I have as much fun catching up with friends each week as Robert Paul has on the Dojo. We are grateful to be apart of such an amazing program.
Developing a Growth Mindset in a Competitive World In today’s world competition is everywhere and it often starts at a very young age. It begins as a fun, skill-developing event but can quickly become time-consuming and competitive. While some parents want their children pushed to help them learn the hard lessons of life, others […]
All parents want the same thing…for their child to be a positive member of society and experience success. And while these are important things, they often come through a push to achieve and be the best in everything. Unfortunately, this is frequently done through comparing their children to others. This, however, often leads to stress […]
How Near-Peer Mentoring Creates Tomorrow’s Leaders Mentoring has been around for many years and has shown to have many positive outcomes for all participants. In SKILLZ Martial Arts, the mentoring program that is implemented is called the STORM Team, or Special Team of Role Models. This is a “near-peer” type mentoring program that is […]
Childhood Brain Training The learning process is vital to healthy development of a child’s brain and their experiences and interactions largely influence how this happens. This process doesn’t just take place in the classroom but in all areas of the child’s life. Because of this, learning is better approached when it is an active process […]
Children between the ages of 3 and 4 are at a very unique growth period in their lives. They are growing at a rapid rate in all areas of development and are discovering new things daily, while also learning how to cope with new challenges.Additionally, they are in pursuit of autonomy, which can lead to […]
Realistic Behavioral Expectations What to Expect from 18-36 Months Children between the ages of 18 and 36 months are at an exciting growth period in their lives. Parents and caregivers observe leaps and bounds in the development of these children and are excited to see all their skills progress. However, as with any growth, […]
Martial Arts Cross-Training An athlete is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.” Athletes in specific sports train to be at the top of their game, but how much better of an athlete would they be if they had a […]
A Supplemental Resource for Families Coping with Oppositional Defiant Disorder All children act out from time to time. However, children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), as defined by the Child Mind Institute, “have a well-established pattern of behavior problems that are more extreme than their peers.” Children with ODD display aggressive behaviors and have a […]
Is It Rude, Is It Mean, Is It Bullying? As they say, kids will be kids. And yes, children and teens can be unkind to their peers and feelings get hurt. The problem is when these behaviors become common and target the same person repeatedly. This is when kids being kids begins to cross […]
Martial Arts – The Art of Peace For years, martial arts has gotten a bad reputation because people feel that it encourages violence, especially in children. And yes, it sounds like a paradox that something that teaches “fighting” can actually make people less aggressive. However, what most people don’t know is that martial arts is […]