• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • About
  • Shop
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

teach mama logo

teach mama

helps families connect & build bridges between home & school, by amy mascott

  • early literacy
    • alphabet
    • beginning sounds
    • phonics
    • phonological awareness
    • read-aloud learning
    • rhyming
    • sight words
  • reading
    • books
    • comprehension
      • activating schema
      • connecting
      • inferring
      • predicting
      • questioning
      • retelling / summarizing
      • visualizing
    • concepts of print
    • environmental print
    • fluency
    • non-fiction
    • spelling
    • word building
    • word consciousness
    • vocabulary
  • writing
    • creative writing
    • grammar
    • informative writing
    • tripod grip
  • math
    • computation
    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
    • animals
    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
  • Activities
    • birthdays
    • cooking
      • new for us foods
    • crafts
    • foundations
      • colors
      • critical thinking
      • fine arts
      • listening
      • pretend play
      • sorting
      • speaking
    • holidays
      • new year’s
      • valentine’s day
      • president’s day
      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
      • father’s day
      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
      • christmas
    • family life
      • family fun
      • giving back
      • lunchbox love notes
      • school
    • indoor activities
    • outdoor activities
  • digital literacy
    • computer time
    • iPad for learning
  • early literacy
    • alphabet
    • beginning sounds
    • phonics
    • phonological awareness
    • read-aloud learning
    • rhyming
    • sight words
  • reading
    • books
    • comprehension
      • activating schema
      • connecting
      • inferring
      • predicting
      • questioning
      • retelling / summarizing
      • visualizing
    • concepts of print
    • environmental print
    • fluency
    • non-fiction
    • spelling
    • word building
    • word consciousness
    • vocabulary
  • writing
    • creative writing
    • grammar
    • informative writing
    • tripod grip
  • math
    • computation
    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
    • animals
    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
  • Activities
    • birthdays
    • cooking
      • new for us foods
    • crafts
    • foundations
      • colors
      • critical thinking
      • fine arts
      • listening
      • pretend play
      • sorting
      • speaking
    • holidays
      • new year’s
      • valentine’s day
      • president’s day
      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
      • father’s day
      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
      • christmas
    • family life
      • family fun
      • giving back
      • lunchbox love notes
      • school
    • indoor activities
    • outdoor activities
  • digital literacy
    • computer time
    • iPad for learning
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

what is a Kendama and why do your kids need one?

home / family life / what is a Kendama and why do your kids need one?
16 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

My son, Owen, has been pretty much obsessed with the Kendama for the past year.

And though I do stress that moderation is key for just about anything my kids do, I’m totally cool with him overdoing it with the Kendama. Why? A few reasons.

  • The Kendama has helped Owen increase his hand-eye coordination.
  • The Kendama has given Owen–and his buddies–a ton to do the past year.
  • The Kendama has boosted Owen’s confidence.
  • The Kendama has allowed Owen and his Maryland Kendama Club to meet new people, teach people, and become leaders in their community.

kendama why your kids need one | teachmama.co

Who would have thought?!

Here’s the skinny. . .

What is a Kendama and Why Do Your Kids Need One?

But first. . .

What even is a Kendama?

Here are a few of our Kendamas.

kendama why your kids need one | teachmama.co

Looks pretty simple, right? But don’t be silly.

This little thing can do quite a bit.

A Kendama is a wooden toy from Japan that strengthens hand-eye coordination. The Kendama consists of two parts–a wooden Ken (kind of looks like a T) connected to a Tama (ball) by a long string. The idea is that you use the Kendama to perform a million, trillion tricks.

Take a look at the Kendama diagram below, thanks to my friends at Sweets Kendama:

Now, to get to the bigger questions:

Why do your kids need a Kendama?

Your kids need a Kendama because using the Kendama strengthens concentration, coordination, and focus. And? It’s unplugged. So your kid will not be staring at a screen while using the Kendama.

Again, the Kendama will:

  • increase hand-eye coordination.
  • give your kids a ton to do and strive for.
  • boost confidence.
  • be a fun, new challenge.
  • allow kids to meet new people, teach people, and become leaders in their community. (More on this part later. . . )

Where do you get a Kendama?

You can buy a Kendama pretty much anywhere.

kendama why your kids need one | teachmama.co

Like most things, Kendamas range from very small and affordable to pretty fancy and more expensive. For right now, your kids probably only need a $10 Kendama.

That’s what I got Maddy, Owen, and Cora for Christmas two years ago.

In fact, I bought them these:

  • Kendama Co. standard size green Kendama
  • Kendama Co. standard size yellow
  • Kendama Co. standard size light blue

Maddy and Cora both enjoy playing with the Kendama, but Owen really took to it. And soon, he started to follow Kendama accounts on instagram, learning tricks from the pro’s. (Yes, there are Kendama pro’s out there. . . )

What do you do with a Kendama?

Ahhhh, the big money question. What do you even do with a Kendama?

You can do so many things, it’s not even to be believed.

Owen quickly learned that Sweets Kendamas is the top of the top brand for all things Kendama, and he became pretty reliant upon the Sweets website for tricks and information.

My boy loves Kendamas so much, he even taught the amazing author, Rick Riordan, how to use one! Check it out!

Here’s where you should go:

1.) Start here.

Visit the Sweets Kendamas site and click on ‘LEARN’.

 

kendama why your kids need one | teachmama.co

2.)ย  Then go here.

From LEARN, go to BEGINNER tutorial videos.

It’s amazing how much you will learn by watching these!

kendama why your kids need one | teachmama.co

3.)ย  Then, once your kids have a few friends to play Kendama with, go here and explore Game Guides.

Owen has loved playing these games with his friends.

kendama why your kids need one | teachmama.co

4.) Finally, learn a little about the cool kids of Kendama.ย 

Visit the Sweets Kendamas site and check out what is available.

See if there are any stores that carry Kendamas near you.

Check out the Kendama Team. Get to know the pro’s. Find out about Camp Kendama.

Now what?

Most likely, Kendamas will be kind of new for your area; if they’re not new, do tell! I would love to hear how your kids are playing with them and what they’re doing.

But if they are new, your child may want to start a Kendama Club–that’s what Owen did.

I’ll share everything he did, including all of his printables, meeting ideas, and information, in the next post: How to Start a Kendama Club.

Here’s a sneak peek:

kendama why your kids need one | teachmama.co

 

kendama why your kids need one | teachmama.co

So what do you think? What do you know about Kendamas?

Would your kids be interested in trying one? I’d love to know!

what is a Kendama and why do your kids need one? | teachmama.com

fyi: This is an unsponsored post, but I must thank my friends at Sweets Kendamas for working with us and sending the Maryland Kendama Club a few Kendamas to get them started and to use for learning and raffles.ย 

You May Also Like...

  • Virtual Summit for Educators: Navigating the Online Classroom & Beyond
    Virtual Summit for Educators: Navigating the Online Classroom & Beyond
  • Navigating Education in a Time of Uncertainty: A Virtual Summit for Educators
    Navigating Education in a Time of Uncertainty: A Virtual Summit for Educators
  • how to prepare your child for kindergarten -- summertime prep
    how to prepare your child for kindergarten -- summertime prep

About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro ยท http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

Previous Post:black history month: resources for kids and families | printables, videos, books, & more from teachmama.com #weteachblack history month: resources for kids and families
Next Post:secret message valentines: homemade, candy-free, totally coolsecret message valentines magic and totally cool teachmama.com

Sidebar

amy mascott profile blog

join the coolest club around:

  • About
  • Contact
  • disclaimer
  • terms of use
  • privacy policy
  • Site-Map

Instagram


our books

setting the stage for rock-star readers
raise a reader

Find Us On Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Helpful Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Us On Instagram

View
Open
UMD Womenโ€™s Basketball ROCKS!! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿ€

We absolutely love watching you play, @terpswbb !

We love watching you perform, @marylandcheer !

And @mightysoundofmd we love your music and your hilarious signs! ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜ณ

See you in Greenville! 

#terpsbasketball #terpswbb #umd #familyfun #marylandcheer #umdfamily
View
Open
Tomorrow is St. Patrickโ€™s Day!

Are you ready? 

https://shop.teachmama.com/

#saintpatricksfun #stpaddysforkids #familyfun #classroomactivities #teachmamashop
View
Open
This is how we use the St. Patrickโ€™s Day Brain Teaser Scavenger Hunt! ๐Ÿ€

Super easyโ€”and makes kids work a little for their golden chocolates! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Grab them here: https://shop.teachmama.com/product/st-patricks-day-scavenger-hunt-4-pack/

<< Tag a pal who needs to know about this and would LOVE to use it with kids or students! >>

#stpatricksdayfun #saintpaddysday #stpaddysforkids #stpatsfun #linkinbio
View
Open
and then there were six
๐Ÿฑ๐Ÿฆ๐ŸฆŠ๐Ÿฆ„๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฐ

thank you @thewoobles for giving my mind, heart, and hands something fun to do during a really challenging few months. 

#crochet #thewoobles #brainbreak #teachersanitysaver #shescrafty
View
Open
With great sadness, I'm writing to share that my brother-in-law, Jeff Mascott passed away from pancreatic cancer earlier this week--at home, surrounded by family and friends. 

The family is very grateful for the community's immeasurable help, encouragement, and prayers over the past several months since Jeff's diagnosis. 

Jeff's obituary will run this weekend in the Post: 
https://www.collinsfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Jeff-Mascott?obId=27420280&fbclid=IwAR2YTRooCyaLTikfjLeqF4gM-GaB1amZI2OmVl1VtKLUOjWj3Wo4URD8lC8#/obituaryInfo
View
Open
Flowers and a basket of @traderjoes faves are salve for a tired and weepy soul. ๐ŸŒท

Thankful for great, longtime friends ๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›

#itshardtobeahuman #thankfulheart #wlhs4evah #teacherbffs
View
Open
Almost 30 years of friendship!! I love these smart, beautiful, strong and creative women who walked with me through my early days of teaching. 

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š

Thank you, Wilde Lake High School, for bringing us together way back when. 

๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›

Missed you, jigofjoy ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š

#weareteachers #andoneprincipal #wildelake #wlhs4evah #teacherbffs #wildelakehs #teachersofinstagram #celebratewewill
View
Open
Today marks the 4th time in 3 weeks that I have had to hang new Kindness Reminders Tear-off Sheets! 

Makes my heart ๐Ÿฅฐ!! 

Some kids come by every day and give one to a new person. Others take a bunch for the week. One 2nd grade girl comes by evey morning to tell me who she gave hers to the day before. 

Every little bit helps, friend. And every interaction matters!

#kindnessrocks #adoormadeforme #teachersofinstagram #makeadifference
View
Open
Best crew for one of the best @terpswbb games weโ€™ve seen all season! 

And of course super job by @marylandcheer and @mightysoundofmd too! 

#terpswbb #terpsbasketball #familyfun #marylandcheer

Copyright © 2023 · teach mama media, llc · All Rights Reserved

  • 2
16 shares