Kids love parkour. It's high energy, playful, and creative. Kids learn to use natural human movements like jumping, crawling, and climbing to move creatively and play in the spaces around them. This gives them a sense of control over themselves and their environment. Watch the video below for a quick overview!
Parkour teaches the foundational human movements of jumping, balancing, vaulting, rolling, and quadrupedal movement (crawling). There is no more joyful way to practice such a wide range of skills! Additionally, each class includes warm-up, cool-down, falling safety, and skill applications such as games and obstacle courses.
At PKV, safety is the foundation of skill progression, for risk-averse and overconfident kids alike. While we fall a lot, we do it safely, practicing safe falling techniques at every session. That’s crucial for kids’ emotional development—kids learn they can fail and get back up.
Learning to dance with your fears and overcome challenges are central to parkour philosophy. When kids confront physical and mental challenges in a supportive environment, they can come up with extraordinary, creative solutions.
Leap to Lead is our play-based curriculum that teaches movement and leadership through games and challenges. Play takes the pressure off to achieve so kids can immerse themselves in the experience, learn teamwork, and collaborate on problem-solving.
A heart full of
stories
“My two boys had a great time at camp! The counselors were excellent. Every night, my kids returned home pooped, covered in dirt and paint, and with a heart full of stories.”
— Erica
I was skeptical at first…
“My 16yr old absolutely loves the class! I was skeptical at first because this was very much outside her comfort zone but she did so well with it that she is asking to do more classes!”
— Jennifer R.
Parkour is a movement art where we use obstacles to navigate space creatively and/or efficiently. We apply skills such as running, jumping, climbing, and crawling to go under, over, and through obstacles. Parkour teaches you to play and create challenges anywhere, in both built and natural environments.
Parkour can be practiced collaboratively, competitively, or independently. It is a lifelong practice with a supportive community that spans all generations and abilities.
The term “freerunning” usually describes the flips and acrobatics you may see in parkour.
Parkour is more than a collection of movements—it is a method and philosophy. Parkour teaches kids crucial physical, social, and emotional skills. Here are some of the things children can learn through parkour:
Collaborative play and teamwork
Creative movement and thinkin
Risk assessment and safety
Overcoming fears and challenges
Confidence-building, especially important for girls
Proper technique for running, jumping, climbing, and crawling
The most important thing in parkour is safety. We want to be able to train for the rest of our lives! We teach parkour in progressions, usually starting on the ground. Since we fall a lot in parkour, our coaches teach self preservation as a foundation. We practice ukemi (falling safety) skills such as bounce backs, breakfalls, and rolls every session. When a student is ready to progress to more difficult techniques, they first learn how to fail and fall safely for that technique.
Our coaches teach kids to work within their limits and progress gradually to avoid injury. The most common injuries are scrapes and bruises. Serious injuries are rare. Unlike in other sports, parkour is about your personal journey, and it requires no physical contact. Our coaches carry first aid kits to treat minor injuries.
Our high-energy, interactive classes will have your student jumping, climbing, swinging, rolling, and crawling around your local park! Through fun games, safe quality instruction, and supervised free play, we teach how to overcome fear, set goals, positively collaborate, and creatively problem-solve. Whether your student is a first-timer or a dedicated practitioner, these classes are perfect for improving movement and making friends.
Classes include a group warm up, falling safety instruction, skill technique practice, movement games, and obstacle coursing.
At a minimum, there will be at least one instructor assigned to your class or camp. Some classes/camps have an assistant coach attending the camp/class, depending upon availability. Groups will be limited to nine students per coach.
If there isn’t an assistant coach assigned to your camp/class, you may request a parent within your group to volunteer assist. Learn more about the parent volunteer position.
Youth classes use our “Leap to Lead” curriculum. Leap to Lead is a play-based parkour curriculum we use for our youth programs at Parkour Visions. We created this curriculum to help students develop strong minds, bodies, and communities of leadership using The Four Es and the Leap to Lead Challenge Map.
In their first season of parkour, students learn basic versions of parkour skills. Season one lays the foundations of safety, focus, and confidence your student needs to progress their parkour. Coaches develop rapport and trust with new students to support their growth.
By their second season, students are usually ready to accept harder skills and challenges. This deepens their understanding and application of skills they’ve learned. Returning students develop stronger friendships and often become role models for newer students.
While students will see improvement within their first season, we strongly encourage students to continue with the same coach for at least two seasons. Building foundations takes time.
As students enter their third season, they begin to express their parkour skills more fully. Experienced students become more creative, developing the ability to apply skills in a wide variety of environments and situations.
Students who especially love parkour may join our Youth Team (Seattle) or intermediate classes (Portland) after six months of parkour. Parkour has many dozens of skills and an infinite number of ways to combine them creatively. Students can enjoy perfecting parkour for years!
Chances are, your child already practices many of the skills we use in parkour: running, jumping, climbing, and crawling. As long as your child meets the age requirements for class, they are most likely ready.Item description
Your child does not need to be “fit” to do parkour. If they can already do a little bit of running, jumping, and crawling, we can help them learn the rest.
Make sure your child is dressed in comfortable clothes they can move in. For shoes, we suggest sneakers with flexible, rubber soles that aren’t too thick. Don’t forget to pack water! If your child is attending a longer class or camp, see program details for what to bring.
In rainy or cold weather, please make sure to provide your child with weather-appropriate clothing, such as:
rain jacket
hat, gloves, and scarf or neck gaiter for added warmth
umbrella in case the student wants to take a break from rain
waterproof or wool socks, plus extra socks
extra layers that can be added/removed as the student warms up and cools down
Coaches may bring some props and toys to assist in games and activities, but we will not be setting up our own obstacle course equipment.
Half-day camps and classes at local parks are designed to use the existing features for parkour practice. Parkour was originally practiced outdoors, repurposing existing features to become playspaces. Occasionally we may use playground equipment, but usually, we prefer curbs, walls, rails and accessibility ramps, boulders, and tree climbing.
After your camp/class, students will be equipped with new skills and games to practice in their local parks!
No, but they can if they want to! Parents are welcome to hang out nearby as long as they are further than 6 feet away from students.
In case of rain, class is still on! We adapt to wet conditions, which can provide new and interesting challenges. Train or shine, we say! If a student arrives at class without a rain jacket on a rainy day, we may contact the parent/guardian to come back to bring a rain jacket.
Please make sure to provide your child with weather-appropriate clothing, such as:
rain jacket
hat, gloves, and scarf or neck gaiter for added warmth
umbrella in case the student wants to take a break from rain
waterproof or wool socks, plus extra socks
extra layers that can be added/removed as the student warms up and cools down
If conditions become unsafe for outdoor activity, class will be canceled without reimbursement. Examples include heavy snow, poor air quality (e.g. AQI 100+), excessive heat (e.g. 100º+), or another condition that makes it unsafe to be outdoors. Your registration fee continues to fund our ongoing expenses so we can keep offering classes. Your support is much appreciated!
Suggested reading:
Full refunds are available up to one week prior to class start date. No refunds will be issued after class starts. Credit may be issued on a case-by-case basis.
We highly encourage your child to practice on their own or with friends. Our YouTube and Instagram have training resources, or check out Leap to Lead online to see our growing catalog of videos, articles, and more.
Read the Orientation Packet for what to bring, class rules, policies, and more.
“The coach was an AMAZING teacher!
She was so patient, and she let the kids lead things at their pace while still encouraging them to do even better. The difference literally ONE WEEK made on my son was amazing. He's more confident and gained 1d4+1 Dex points. He now 'parkour walks' just about everywhere. Every sidewalk crack is a tightrope, every tree is a jungle gym, yeah, it's fantastic. Thank you so much!”
—Mark S.
Select a location to learn more about our classes, camps, workshops, and events:
Still have questions? Email classes@parkourvisions.org. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
