How old should a child be before starting karate?

This depends on the child’s maturity and attention span, which can vary widely among individuals. We do not take children under the age of 8 for that reason. For most children, age 8 should be considered as a minimum and around age 10 as an optimum starting age. If your child expresses interest in karate, they should be told that karate practice is very serious and that only “big kids” who can be responsible are allowed to do it.