HT Games
Daggers
Giving young children real swords is unwise, and even equipping them with blunt-tipped fencing foils could result in injury. One way to avoid this is to start them without any physical equipment, and have them use their hands as "daggers," instead. Pair your children up one-on-one and have them dock their forefinger as though they were holding a make-believe gun. The goal is to touch the opponent between the shoulder and hip. After each touch, the competitors return to starting positions and wait for your signal. The first one to score three tags wins.
Noodle Fencing
Once your students have mastered the basic concepts of fencing, then you can advance them to fighting with noodles. Once again, noodles are largely harmless, unlike real swords. However, aggressive children might resort to simple hacking with their sword. Discourage this, not only because it could lead to minor injury, but because it&'s poor form and will translate to a worsening of their skills as an adult fencer. As with "Daggers," the goal is to strike the opponent in their chest or belly. First to achieve three strikes wins.
H.F.A. Desktop Fencing
Good reflexes are only part of what it takes to become a master fencer. Strategy is also an essential aspect of the sport. One popular computer program to help students learn strategy is "H.F.A. Desktop Fencing". This program can be actively controlled by the student, who can experiment to see when to parry and when to riposte. It&'s just as useful to observe the computer fight against itself, too; from its successes and failures, your student will see what works and what doesn&'t in the world of fencing.