How to Teach a Child Tennis
Tennis truly is a sport for all ages. Children can develop great hand-and-eye coordination by using the skills learned from the enjoyment of a sport like tennis. To teach a child tennis, you need to have patience, creativity and a love for the game. In spite of the time involved, there are few activities that can bond a family better than the mutual love and practice of a sport. Here are the basics for teaching younger children (ages 3 to 8).
Things You'll Need
- Child's tennis racket Tennis balls Balloons Water
Instructions
How to Teach a Child Tennis
Take the child out on the tennis court. Let the child run around freely for a while. This lets the child know that the court is a place for play and that it's OK to have fun there. Don't try to structure this time, but if the child is inclined to simply sit on the sideline, start a game of tag with one special rule: You have to stay within the boundaries of the tennis lines. This can be an enjoyable way to help the child learn the dimensions of the court. After a quick game of tag, get a drink of water. Drink water yourself, showing by example that it is important to always stay hydrated. Kids can get cranky, but if they are uncharacteristically so, they probably need more water. After your water break, blow up a balloon. Let the child swat at it freely around the court with a racket. Keep plenty of balloons on on hand in the event one pops. This game gives children a large object they can learn to use their racket on. As the child learns to swing, provide an objective, such as keeping it off the ground or getting it from one end of the court to the other. If you have more than one child, you can make this a race. Take another water break. Then take a ball and show the child how to dribble the ball with the racket. Bounce the ball on the ground and then continue to do so while using the racket. Let the child do this and see if the child can get to five, then ten bounces. The younger the child, the more difficult this will be. Offer lots of encouragement for every little success. After another water break, place the child at the net. Show the child how the racket can make a "high five." This is a volley. Stand on the other side of the net and gently toss the ball to the racket face. As the child learns to make contact with the ball, have the child bring the racket to the ready position in front. Then toss the ball and say, "Give the ball a high five." Give the child a lot of chances to succeed. After another water break, take the child to the service line and show how the racket can create lift just like an airplane in the forehand stroke. Don't worry about perfect technique. Instead, give the child the idea that the racket is the wind and the ball is the airplane. It is the wind's job to send the airplane into flight. Offer lots of encouragement. Once the child understands the forehand, do the same on the backhand. As the child becomes more proficient, you can alternate forehand and backhand. Work slowly to the back of the court to allow the child to have success before mastering a further distance. Keep lessons similar until you no longer need to bat the ball or do a dribbling exercise. As the child advances, you will be able to add more dynamic drills to the practice sessions.
