Whether you are passionate about tennis and want to expose your child to the sport you love, or you have never played and are looking for a great activity to get your kid involved with, tennis is the perfect sport! It is excellent for a child’s development both physically, mentally, and socially, and is a very safe sport that they can enjoy for the rest of their lives. What is not to love? There are a few ways that you can introduce them to the game that will ensure you give them the best chance to fall in love with tennis. Here are 3 ways to introduce kids to tennis:
Keep it fun!
Let’s be honest, kids aren’t going to earn a college scholarship the first day they pick up a racket, so make sure that their exposure is about fun above all else when you are getting them involved in the game. Their first experience, in fact, doesn’t even need to happen on a tennis court! For a child, the simple act of making contact with the ball can be very exciting, and you want to foster that sentiment. So, even if you child is taking joy in swinging the racket like a baseball bat and trying to hit it as far as they can: that’s ok! They are having a good time and that feeling will eventually (hopefully) translate into them wanting to learn the game how it is actually played. Children’s rackets are smaller and lighter so they are easy for them to hold and swing, and you can purchase soft, light, foam balls that are easier to hit and don’t go as far for when you have to chase them all over the court (or yard/driveway.) There is no wrong way to get your child into tennis for the first time unless you are doing it an environment where the emphasis is placed on anything other than fun. Make it enjoyable for them, and you’re giving them a chance to fall in love with the game. Maybe one day that will turn into a scholarship and save you a ton of money 🙂
Play with them!
You are the ultimate role model in your child’s life. They are watching you constantly, and learning from everything that you do. So, no matter what your experience with tennis is, get out there and play with them! Even if you have never touched a racket in your life, if you want your child to enjoy the game, there is nothing that will get them interested faster than being able to go out and wack the ball around with you. They will see you having a good time, not how good you are at the game, so get out there and hit the ball with your kids! You may even enjoy it as much as them!
Get them involved in organized lessons with a certified coach
Even in you are a world-class player in your own right, there is nothing that can replace the instruction and experience of a certified teaching professional in a child’s tennis development. After your child is showing interest in tennis, consider signing them up for private lessons. PlayYourCourt has certified, experienced teaching professionals all over the country who will come and meet you at a convenient local court at a time that fits into your busy schedule. Having someone who is not their parent teach them the fundamentals of the game will allow them to build the foundation with which their game can build upon, but it is also critical to have an outsider teaching them as it will help keep them focused on the game and not the rest of what is going on in their lives. You spend a lot of time with your child, but when they take the court with a teaching professional, it creates a very helpful disconnect between the task at hand and anything else that they associate with their mother or father. Tennis is also a very social sport, and PlayYourCourt offers semi-private lessons that are fantastic for a child after they have gotten the hang of the fundamentals of the game. You can add some of your child’s friends to the lessons for little extra cost, giving them the social development that a child craves while they are getting the exercise and tennis experience that you are seeking for them simultaneously. It’s a win-win!
Tennis is an amazing sport for all ages, and the earlier your child gets started, the more they can get out of it! So, what are you waiting for! Take your child outside and put a racket in their hand, follow these simple steps, and before you know it, you could be cheering them on at Wimbledon!
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