Teaching Tennis to Young Children

Tennis can offer kids a fun way to stay healthy and get involved in athletics. It can also be a tough sport to teach to young children, because of the strength and coordination required. Kids may become frustrated when they can't hit the ball hard enough or in the right direction. But with the right adjustments, even young beginners can have a good time on the court while getting some exercise. Here are some pointers for teaching tennis to young children.

Use the right equipment to avoid frustration

The child should be able to hold their tennis racket upright and swing it without much effort. Children under 5 usually do well with a starter racket that measures about 19 inches long. Purchase one in any sporting goods store; they are often designed with colors and logos that appeal to younger kids. You can also purchase starter balls which are bigger than standard tennis balls and made of a foam material which allows for more control and requires less strength to hit over the net.

Make tennis fun

If you jump right into teaching forehands and lob shots to young kids, they may respond with frustration and boredom. Instead, forget the fundamentals (for now) and focus on having a good time on the tennis court. Set up some targets for the kids to aim at, and teach them to hit the ball over the net to knock em' down. After every couple of minutes spent teaching, come up with some fun mini-games to play. Younger children might enjoy "Popcorn": Balance 3 tennis balls on the head of your racket, have the child yell "one, two, three, popcorn!" and fling the balls high up in the air. When they drop, the pop pop pop sound sounds like popping corn, hence the name of the game. A simple game, but it doesn't always take a heck of a lot to entertain the kids at that age! You can find a list of other tennis games for kids here.

Start with the basics

Once you are ready to begin some teaching, start by explaining the basics of the game. Try a few very simple drills, such as lobbing the ball over the net for the child to return. Since the size of the tennis court can be overwhelming to a young player, shrink it by using cones or other types of markers to box off an area. Choose one swing, generally the forehand, to work on first, before introducing all of the others. Finally, remember to pair everything with rewards and positive reinforcement. Show enthusiasm towards the effort and small successes of the child so that they are motivated to keep at it. Make sessions brief early on to maintain their attention and avoid burnout and boredom.

Teaching kids tennis while they are still young can open the door to a lifelong hobby. Have fun with it now, because one day they just might be beating the socks off of you!

Sources: Teach Your Child How to Play Tennis, teachkidshow.com
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