For several reasons:

1. Kids under age 8 lack the maturity to understand the concepts we teach as part of the art of karate. Note that this has nothing to do with their intelligence...all kids are smart! But because the class is structured, each child must be able to stand still, keep their hands to themselves, and pay attention for about 10 minutes at a time. All kids mature into these capabilities at different times, and in our experience age 8 is usually when this begins to happen.

2. There are lots of martial arts schools who offer programs for kids starting as young as age 3. But we contend that even with the uniforms and loud shouts, it's still just an activity class for little guys. There is no way a child can fully understand what they're doing, or the ramifications of what they're doing.

Our recommendation: If your child is younger than age 8, spend time with him or her yourself. Teach them patience and manners by doing things together. If this isn't possible, and in today's world it isn't always, then we recommend a tumbling or gymnastics class. It will help develop  their motor skills and give them a fun activity to do until they are ready for the structure of a karate class.