I have a 9 year old son… and we have entered the world of Kendama. When he’s not busy with Lego activities, he’s tossing around his Kendama. His toy came without instructions and lends itself to some very creative play. YAY! But it’s also fun to get a few beginner Kendama tricks and tips under your belt to make getting creative easier.
There are a lot of Kendama trick tutorials out there. I chose to use videos made by kids. It’s very impressive that they can describe their take on the tricks so well. I specifically looked for videos that not only showed the tricks but that also share a tip or two. Enjoy!
5 Beginner Kendama Tricks (and Tips from Kids Like You!)
Big Cup, Small Cup, Base Cup, Spike – This video is a great introduction to beginner Kendama tricks. The tips he shares make the basic moves a lot easier.
Around the Block – This trick uses 3 of the basic beginner Kendama tricks from the first video. Once you’ve mastered the basic moves this one should be fun and easy! I love how the boy in this video shows how he likes to hold the Kendama, why he holds it that way and how to move the Kendama throughout the trick. Do you have a favorite way to hold the Kendama?
Frying Pan and Wingman (or Stall) – These two tricks are similar. The boy in this video does a really great job of showing the steps for both tricks. (I especially like how he tries again and again when the trick doesn’t happen right away. Some of the videos I found make the tricks look really easy, even though the truth is the person sharing the tip has practiced a lot!)
Candlestick – This one seems a little trickier. You’ll learn how to hold the Kendama in completely different way. Image all of the new tricks you can do from this position.
Airplane – Wow! Airplane looks really cool. Instead of holding the handle you’ll be holding the ball. Fun!
Check out the variety of Kendamas I found! Bamboo Kendama,
Do you have a favorite beginner Kendama trick? Tell us about it in the comments!
It’s really great to see kendama becoming so popular amongst kids, it is really great for improving hand eye coordination and gets them away from electronics!
my kids hit their fingers because they swing the bell.May I suggest popping it upward and move the handle thingy under it?