So basically, I was asked to teach a yoyo class over the summer. My mom posted my latest yoyo video on Facebook, and she’s friends with the guy who runs all the recreational things over the summer and such, and he asked if I could teach a class. It’ll probably be like two weeks. And I know it’s a fairly long time before this even comes, but I wanted to ask a few questions just so I can be a little prepared.
First of all, I’ll probably be teaching kids that I’m assuming will be 12 and under. What do you think I should teach to the littler kids, or how do you think I should go about it? Do you think I should start everyone responsive, or no? The yoyos will be part in the fee to take the class, but I need to figure out what yoyo for them to get. At first I was thinking the Classic, but then I’d also need to get a ton of bearings and pads and stuff for unresponsive, and I was looking for something that’s all in one package. I was thinking maybe the Whip, but I’m not sure… What do you think?
You need some yoyos Grab some duncan bumble bees, yomega fireballs, or FAST 201.
Teach them how o throw
1.Make a muscel
2.Snap wrist
3.Tug to return
if it doesn’t work, make sure that the string goes over the top.
Teach them rock the baby, brain twister,loop the loop and more.
Make it fun, be like John Higby.
Start them off responsive because most of the tricks they want to know are on reoonsive so maybe go for a looping Yoyo or a responsive butterfly Yoyo probably some YYJ legacy 3’s or YYF ones if your on a little bit more of a budget.
The odds of the kids advancing quickly from scratch to unresponsive play is pretty slim so I think Classics will be fine. You can do some pretty basic unresponsive tricks on a stock Classic anyway. If some bright little prodigy does advance to full blown unresponsive play within two weeks, maybe bring a few of your cheaper plastics or beaters for them to learn on.
Oh, and don’t forget the string. You’re going to need a lot of string.
Nope just looked, Ones still have the extra bearing fo $2 extra. I think you should get that or maybe the flipside. I think the flip side just seems like the ideal choice but it’s $20, so the budget might not agree.
In my opinion, you should go with the YYF Velocity. It is a little pricey as a starter yoyo, but it can go from very responsive to dead unresponsive. Maybe teaching them how to use the dial on the side could be part of the class.
As for teaching tricks, start with the basics. Show the trick to the whole group slowly, and show it multiple times with explanations. Then walk around and help anyone who is having trouble. You should also ask them if any of them have prior experience with yoyos. If so, put them in a separate group or work with them individually on harder tricks. If you can, try to hold the class indoors to eliminate the humidity issue. Good luck!
I’m going to suggest unresponsive, and start with a surge. I forced my friend to learn to bind first. primarily because i traded away my last fixed axle at the time. But, it worked surprisingly well!
Try it out man. They’ll probably like it more because binding looks cool by itself to the uninitiated, and they’ll be allowed more slim time when learning.
I always approach a new group like ice. I meet the group in a solid fashion, teach basics, string length, stringing the yo, winding the yo, throw and then begin to melt. As my approach begins melting it conforms more to the participants needs and becomes more individualized. This means participants move forward at their own pace and I adjust instruction as I talk to smaller groups within the group or individuals.
The most important thing for kids is to have fun.
Choose a yoyo:
Based on price and availability
Takes a beating-It needs to be tough! You know it’s going to bounce off of floors and walls.
Loose parts-Younger participants will open a yoyo anywhere, including lawns, snow, over the toilet. They lose a part and then want help finding it, fewer parts for younger kids. (You never know what younger kids will do with small parts, noses, mouths, and ears, even when they are old enough to know better.)
Kids dissect everything. Don’t be surprised if pads get pulled out.
Most of the kids I’ve helped want the yo to come back. I usually work with 12 and under, under being around 8. I suggest a responsive bearing yoyo or a yoyo that can play both responsive and unresponsive.
Keep group size small! Especially as this is your first time. One knowlegable helper for every 5 students initially is what I’d recommend. My first time I tried 30 kids with imperials and butterflies! I don’t know how we all survived. :
Finish the day with a fun activity even if it isn’t yoyo related! This is so important. The kids will remember having had fun at the previous meeting even if the yoyoing was a bit frustrating, and want to return. I can’t over emphasize this.
Use the same yoyo they are. You have to make them believers in their own equipment.
Never show frustration, you are going to deal with a ton of knots, bearings, and misaligned yoyo halves. Be prepared.
Let them know that you love being with them and sharing what you do.
There’s more but…I know how hard it is for you yoyoers to sit still and read. In fact I think I need a yo break!
What I would do is to buy those Beginner Set-up Surges for $12 right here at Yoyoexpert, a bottle of thick lube, and a 100 strings. If a kid does advance enough to bind, you can always clean the bearing for him (perhaps even put in pads, but not absolutely necessary)
The reason I would do this over getting classics is that the surge has a more organic comfortable shape and I tend to like a larger gap with thick lube in the bearing for responsive play over the small gap with the thin bearing that comes standard with the Classic
The Pro-Z’s here a very cheap and I bet you could ask duncan for a bulk order. Anyway, the Pro-Z’s are very nice and with the mod spacers, they are semi unresponsive. However, the new, C-Bearing mod spacers with CBC pads are coming somepoint this year, as well with the weight rings. There are some fiddley bits, but there’s nothing to complicated.
As for string, pick up some Kitty String, they work great on any yoyo (except the One for me, I have no clue why) and they have a smooth feel to them. I’m pretty sure it’s what I learned on.
For teaching them, teach em how you learned. It’s much easier if you teach them a way your comfortable with.
Not sure what I’d recommend, but I’d recommend against the Velocity for a young age bracket. It doesn’t take well to being hit against the floor. As mentioned earlier in the thread, the fewer “pieces” to the yoyo, the better.
Thanks for all the advice everyone! It’s seeming like I should start responsive, but I will see if I can find something that can be easily made unresponsive if one of the kids advances fast. The Pro-Z is seeming like a good idea. Not too expensive, start out responsive, and come with the tools to make unresponsive. Seems like a good fit. And yeah, I was planning on doing some fun activities after. I was thinking of doing the thing YYF usually does on their tours with the “who can throw their yoyo and make it spin the longest” kind of deal. Not sure what else I can do, but… I’ll figure it out. Thanks everybody.
I’ve taught a yoyo class a couple of times. First of all, you need to get yourself some methods to teach by which to do basic tricks. Also, if you’re teaching under 12 year olds, play some yoyo games.
What methods do you find work well? And what kind of games? I know I should play some, and I’ve been trying to think of something, but I can’t seem to come up with something that makes too much sense…
Another game I’ve seen in videos of YYF classes is giving the kids a short list of pretty simple beginner tricks (walk the dog, rock the cradle, breakaway etc.) and the first to complete them all wins. This will probably have to be done in later lessons but it is a good bit of chaotic fun.
Another thing you might be able to do is to keep a collective class string ball. Start a small ball at home because the beginning can be a bit tricky and then every time a kid needs his/her string changed, have them add it to the string ball. Take a before and after pic. Not so much a game but it’s another little something to keep the kids busy and it gives the class as a whole an ‘achievement’ of sorts.
