There is a starting point for every child who is introduced to tennis. The first time could be with a parent, at school, with friends or possibly at a tennis lesson.
However it happens, once your child has that first experience and develops a perceived competence, the thought that, “Hey, I can do this,” it is important to identify opportunities for your child to participate. Listed below are several possibilities that are all great for kids.
Spontaneous Play
An opportunity often overlooked in our highly scheduled society is spontaneous play. This is where kids can learn and play either by themselves or with other kids. It could be hitting balls against a wall or garage door, or by setting up modified courts that fit into smaller or more restricted spaces.
Kids in other youth sports shoot baskets, kick or throw balls in the backyard or skateboard down the sidewalk and off the curb. Playing tennis with foam balls on a modified court can provide endless hours of activity and fun. It is interesting to note that champions in many other sports spent most of their developmental years learning from others and playing spontaneously.
Previously this was difficult because kids only had options of playing on the same-sized court and with the same ball that the pros use. The QuickStart Tennis Play format uses equipment that is scaled to the size of the child. Racquets are shorter, lighter and have smaller handles. Balls are softer, lighter, bounce lower and move slower through the air. Courts are smaller and the net is lower. This makes it possible for kids to learn by playing rather than having to learn all the strokes before they even play the game.
Driveway Tennis
Smaller courts can be set up on driveways, parking lots, playgrounds, activity rooms, gymnasiums and even on tennis courts using sidewalk chalk for lines and a rope or “caution tape” as a net. Several manufacturers make pop-up nets that are portable and can easily be set up and disassembled.
The court will be much smaller than a regulation-sized court, so make the net lower and use a foam ball that has a restricted flight distance even when taking a full swing. This is an excellent way to get kids started, and players of all ages and abilities can have fun playing a scaled down version of tennis by using a soft and slow ball. Kids can play with their friends and parents will enjoy hitting balls with their children in this realistic yet modified tennis experience.
Wall Tennis
Hitting balls against a wall or garage door has a rich tradition in our sport. Many champions have grooved their strokes by hitting balls against a wall. With the balls modified so they are lighter, slower and lower bouncing (red and orange balls), hitting against a wall is easier, safer and allows a child to take a full swing at the ball and still have time to recover and prepare for the next shot.
Almost any wall will work. To make things more challenging and realistic, make a net line 3 feet from the ground so your child learns to hit above the net. A second line can be drawn on the ground a certain distance from the wall so that your child will have to hit with some degree of power to make the ball rebound off the wall and back to the line.
Kids can play a variety of games either with a partner or individually. For example, try for the longest forehand rally or alternating between forehands and backhands. Try moving closer to the wall and hit volleys before the ball bounces. Count how many shots hit in a row that go over the net line without moving inside the line on the ground.
Hitting balls against a wall or garage door has a rich tradition in our sport.
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TEACHING TENNIS TO CHILDREN 10 UNDER
You will be pleasantly surprised by how your child will learn to love tennis and at the skills your kids will develop through spontaneous play. In fact, developing skills through repetition and spontaneous play is the one of the best ways to get lots of hitting, movement and activity.
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