Is there such a thing as a mainly defensive martial art?

[sphil]

DS1 (8) has been doing a Matt Fiddes Martial Arts class (mixture of karate and kick boxing) for the last two years. He's dyspraxic and the whole process of sequencing moves etc has been really good for him - his coordination has improved hugely. So although it costs an arm and a leg and I don't always agree with their ethos, we've continued to let him go. The problem is that now he's progressed into the jumior class, the emphasis is much more on sparring, which DS hates. He is just not aggressive at all and hates to be hurt or cause hurt to someone else. However he loves all the defensive stuff (which is the karate rather then the kick boxing I guess?)

Is there such a thing as a mainly defensive martial art? Or one that doesn't involve sparring? Or, failing that, can anyone suggest another sport/activity that would provide a similar 'coordination work out'?

[shinyshoes]

My children do JuJitSu that's mainly defense I would say. (only watched them a few times)

[BornToFolk]

Funny you should ask that now, because DP is currently out at his new hobby - Krav Maga. It is a defensive martial art but it does come from street fighting so it seems to me a bit more violent in some ways than other martial arts.
Here's a link to the wiki page

DP has taken it up mainly as a good workout.

He says that they do do classes for children but I'm not sure how widespread they'd be as it seems like a fairly new thing.