Tennis Games for Kids

Children need tennis games that are stimulating while building skills. The games must be simple enough to prevent young, developing players from becoming discouraged. In many cases the net is avoided for instructional games as a way to eliminate interruptions in play that are directly attributed to one of the players. Strategies used for practice can be made into fun games of competition between two players. Children can learn tennis techniques while they're busy playing games.

  1. Half Court

    • Children often become discouraged by shots that hit the net, especially when it happens repeatedly. Let new players enjoy hitting balls to each other on a short court without a net between them. Use two service boxes on the same side of the net to mark the court of play. Include the doubles alleys as part of the court for 9- to 12-year-old beginners. Let the children play sideways on the court with the center line between the right and left service boxes representing the net. Make the server stand in the doubles alley on his side. Stand between the service boxes and the baseline to call the game. This provides an opportunity to teach a player scoring as she acclimates to swinging a racket and hitting balls. The absence of a net gives new players a chance to experience the thrill of a long running volley.

    Target Serve

    • Make a game out of serving practice to keep children interested and to prevent frustration. Serving the ball is difficult for beginners and hitting the service box is often overwhelming. Eliminate this stress while working on toss, swing and follow-through techniques. Give point values to every subsection of the court. Count the area between the base line and service boxes for 10 points. Award 20 points for hitting a doubles lane. Score 30 points for hitting the service box directly over the net, and 40 points for hitting the correct service box across the court. Position a player on either side of the center line to take turns.

    Wall Doubles

    • Teach doubles play using a tennis wall marked with a net line. Some clubs make tennis walls on the sides of racquetball courts. Position one player 12 feet from the wall with another 20 feet back. Instruct the kids to keep a six-foot lane between themselves. Let the two enjoy keeping the ball in play against the wall as you coach shot responsibility for the net and back positions. Have the children take turns playing both positions. Ask the players to make shots that put the ball in the other player's court section. Get the kids to play using backhand shots only. Allow plenty of free time for pairs to play against a wall. Children unwittingly practice swing techniques and improve shot location by playing these games.