Fun Tennis Drills for Kids

While athletic drills help kids develop and fine-tune their skills for competition, kids might see some drills as unnecessary or lacking in the fun department. If you're a parent or coach looking for tennis exercises that your kids simultaneously will benefit from and enjoy, try some drills after some warm-up stretching.

  1. Speed Drill

    • With all the running back and forth on the court, speed plays a large role in tennis. Have kids stand on the baseline where it meets either the singles or doubles sideline, and jump forward and sideways, with one leg across the doubles alley. Once their feet hit the ground, have them jump forward and sideways back across the alley, and repeat the process until they reach the net. From the starting point, have kids try to reach the net with 12 contacts. Have them repeat the drill three times, with one- or two-minute breaks between each attempt.

      When kids jump during this drill, their feet should have as little contact with the ground as possible upon landing. To inspire quick and immediate rebounds, tell them to act as if they're not wearing footwear and that the ground is on fire.

    Hit and Run

    • Perform a hit-and-run drill with kids to help them move quickly and return to position. One at a time, have kids stand in the middle of the court at the service line, as you stand on the other side of the net.

      Upon sending a ball to one side of the opposite court, have the kid run over, hit the ball and immediately return to her initial position. Once she returns, send another ball to one side of the court again. When you see a kid start to tire, move on to the next child.

    Group Drills

    • Have at least three kids form a circle around you for Ring Around the Rosie. When you lightly hit the ball to one kid, she must wait for the ball to bounce before hitting it back to you. Once the ball bounces in front of you, hit it to another kid. If the ball bounces behind you or out of the circle, the kid who hit it sits down. Continue the drill until one kid remains standing.

      To help develop accuracy, hand-eye coordination and movement, engage kids in a "Go to Bed" drill. Toss a ball to one kid at a time. If he hits the ball into the singles court, he proceeds back to the line. If he misses, he yawns; when he reaches his fourth miss, he "falls asleep." After four misses, send him to "bed" on the opposite side of the court. If he catches another kid's ball in the air or on first bounce, he "wakes up" and returns to the other side to hit.

      Have the kids form a line across the court from sideline to sideline for a hangman drill. Choose a target area and throw the ball to the first kid, who must hit the target. If she misses the shot, she "loses" a body part for each successive turn. On the first miss, she stands on one leg; on the second miss, she also puts one arm behind her back; on the third miss, she puts one knee to the ground and one arm behind her back; on the fourth miss, she kneels on the ground and puts one arm behind her back; on the fifth miss, she lays on the ground; and on the sixth miss, she's out.