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Orange ball tennis drills and games for kids
Orange ball is the stage most children reach at about 8 or 9. The ball is the same size as a yellow ball but about 50% slower, and the court is longer, so children now have to hit on the move. The best orange ball drills train exactly that: split steps and sidesteps, rallies over a line, aiming left and right, simple serves and volleys. Three or four games make a good short session.
What changes at orange?
The ITF's guide to tennis for players aged 10 and under sets out how the game changes when children move up from red:
- A faster ball and a bigger court. The orange ball is about 50% slower than a yellow ball and bounces lower, but it is quicker than red. The court is 18 metres long, with a net 80 cm high.
- Hitting on the move. There is often no time to stop and set up, so children hit while moving, sometimes off either foot.
- More sideways and forward movement, with more shots hit from a semi-open stance.
- A wider range of contact heights, from low balls up to about shoulder height.
- Aiming with purpose: directing the ball left or right to move an opponent, serving to either side of the box, and starting to volley.
Every game below trains one of these.
What you need
- Orange balls. They need more room than red balls, so a driveway, garden or park works better than indoors.
- A racket that fits. The ITF suggests 23 to 25 inches at orange. See what size tennis racket does my child need?
- A line to rally over, such as chalk, a rope or a skipping rope on the ground.
- Two markers, such as cones, shoes or water bottles.
- A grown-up to feed, tossing the ball underarm. A wall works for some games too.
Moving games
- Split step and catch. Stand facing your child, a few big steps away. Just as you toss the ball to their left or right, they do a small hop with both feet (the split step), then move and catch it after one bounce. The split step before every shot is one of the habits the ITF looks for at this stage.
- Sidestep shadow. Put two markers about three big steps apart. Your child shadows a forehand at one marker, sidesteps across without crossing their feet, and shadows a backhand at the other. Count how many they can do in 30 seconds, with good balance on each one.
- Hit on the move. Toss the ball gently a few steps to one side. Your child moves, hits it back after one bounce, and returns to the middle before the next toss. Mix forehand and backhand sides, and keep the tosses easy enough that they arrive in time.
Rally games
- Over the line. Stand either side of the line and rally after one bounce. Count the hits in a row and write down the best score. Start close together and step back as the rallies get longer.
- Left or right. Put a marker on each side of your end. Call "left" or "right" before each feed, and your child aims for that side. This is the first step towards moving an opponent around the court.
- High and low. Feed some balls that bounce to knee height and some that bounce higher, up to about shoulder height. Your child adjusts their swing to each one. Keep anything higher than the shoulders for later stages.
Serve and volley games
- Serve to a box. Mark a box on the ground with chalk or markers. Your child serves with a simple overarm throwing action, always in twos, the way a first and second serve work. Once they can land it, split the box in half and serve to the left half, then the right.
- Volley catch, then volley. Stand a couple of steps away. Your child split steps as you toss, then catches the ball in front of them before it bounces. When that is easy, they volley it back with a short, firm push and the racket face kept steady.
For volleys and solo rallies, see wall practice for kids.
How to run a session
Pick three or four games: one moving game, one rally game and one serve or volley game. A few minutes on each is plenty. End with the game your child likes best, so they finish on a high, and keep score where you can, since keeping score is part of the game at this stage. For how often to practise, see how much should a young child practise tennis?
Is my child ready for orange?
The ITF suggests most children move from red to orange at about 8 or 9, and that some children who start later play orange until 10 or 11. Ages overlap on purpose, so it also lists skills to look for at the current stage first, including:
- serving consistently into the right service box
- rallying consistently, with a split step between shots
- volleying into the court
- keeping score and making simple line calls
- playing with confidence, and wanting to move up
Your child's coach will usually make the call. The ITF warns that moving players up before they are ready can lead to bad habits as they try to cope with a faster, higher bouncing ball. If orange feels too hard, going back to red ball for a while is fine. See red, orange and green ball tennis explained.
Staying safe
- Play somewhere with room to move, away from roads, cars and windows.
- Keep anyone feeding or waiting well out of swinging range.
- Check the ground is dry and even, especially for the moving games.
More guides
Sources
This guide is general information for parents, not medical advice. Check with your child's coach or doctor about their own situation.