The best tennis drills for young kids at home are short games that build racket control, catching, footwork and balance, such as balancing a ball on the racket, bumping it up, and catching after one bounce. Five to ten minutes of three or four of these is plenty for a 5 to 8 year old.
Which drills should my child try?
Start with the ten below. When your child wants more, each skill has its own page with six drills, a moving picture of each, and an easier and a harder version.
Hold the racket flat like a tray, balance the ball on the strings and walk to a marker and back without dropping it. Start with 20 seconds. It teaches a steady wrist and soft hands, and it is one of the first home skills most federations give red ball players. For more games at this stage, see red ball tennis drills and games.
2. Bump-ups
Racket and ball
Racket flat, tap the ball gently up a little way, over and over. Count the taps in a row and try to beat the record. Keep the taps small: eyes on the ball, not the racket.
3. Tap downs
Racket and ball
Turn the racket face down and push the ball into the floor so it keeps bouncing, like dribbling a basketball. Aim for 10 in a row, then try moving slowly while you do it.
4. Balloon keepy-up
Racket and a balloon
Tap a balloon up with the racket and don't let it touch the floor. Balloons move slowly, so this is perfect for 4 and 5 year olds and for tight indoor spaces.
Which drills build catching and hand-eye?
5. Drop and catch
A ball
Hold the ball out at shoulder height, let go, let it bounce once and catch it. Then try with the other hand. Seven in a row on each side is a good goal for young players. It is also one of the federation games behind the RallySteps cards: see where RallySteps drills come from.
6. Wall ball
A ball and a wall
Throw the ball gently at a wall, let it bounce once, and catch it with two hands. This builds the timing of reading a bounce, which is the core of rallying later. For rallies and games against a wall, see wall practice for kids.
7. Clap catch
A ball
Toss the ball up, clap once, let it bounce and catch. Add claps as it gets easy.
Put two markers a few steps apart. Stay low and side-step between them without crossing your feet, touching each marker. Twenty seconds is enough.
9. Split-step pop
Nothing needed
Stand ready, do a tiny hop and land with feet wide and knees bent. This is the move every tennis player makes just before the opponent hits. Keep it to a few sets and land softly.
10. Flamingo
Nothing needed
Stand on one leg with arms out and eyes on one spot. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, then switch. Balance underpins every shot.
How do I put a session together?
Warm up with one footwork game, about a minute.
One racket drill, two short rounds.
One catching drill, two short rounds.
Finish with a balance hold or a favourite game.
Keep it playful. Count records and celebrate effort rather than correcting technique, and stop while your child still wants more. Rotate the drills across the week so the same one does not come up every day. For how many days a week, see how much should a young child practise tennis?, and for older players, orange ball tennis drills and games.
