As children develop various skills, they also start taking an interest in several hobbies. As their parents, it’s our responsibility that they could adequately be prepared for these activities.
So, if your kid told you that they want to dive into the IPTL World, there’s a lot of things that you first must know about to let them have a great experience.
At what age can they partake?
In general, children at the age of 4 are well-developed, making it easier for them to follow instructions and have a longer attention spanboth valuable skills to ensure the success of tennis lessons.
Since not all kids have the same pace of development, you may want to take a look at their skill set before letting them join any tennis club.
Some kids have developed the necessary qualities for the sport, while others might be late bloomers. In this case, you may want to postpone the idea of tennis for your child.
Essential preparations
It’s not a wise move to immediately put the child in a sport they’re not familiar with. Doing so would lead to unfavorable situations, like your kid having to suffer from tendon ruptures and elbow injuries.
To prevent this from happening, there are essential steps to follow.
Identify the type of lesson.
Just like how children differ in development, they also don’t learn the same way.
There are two categories of tennis lesson programs, and it’s divided between group lessons and private lessons.
What’s the difference?
As its name suggests, a group lesson is a program where other kids who display interest in tennis get together to play as a team and learn how scoring works in the sport.
Registering your child in this type of lesson could be relatively cheaper because you could invite other interested parents who also want to enter their child into the game. Then share the cost of the lesson while your kids bond over their shared interest.
This is an ideal setup if you think your kid needs a bit of push from others since group lessons typically follow a pace that everyone is comfortable with.
Meanwhile, private tennis lessons are much higher in cost yet offer the child the opportunity to learn all the basics from a seasoned coach.
This kind of program is perfect if you think that your kid would consider pursuing a professional career in the same sports someday. It’s also ideal if you’re looking for a reliable person that’ll foster great habits for your kid and teach them in-depth knowledge regarding the fundamentals of tennis.
Buy proper gears
Before hitting the court, your child should be equipped with the right gears that’ll make it easier for them to play and protect them from harm.
Some equipment includes, but is not limited to:
- Racquet
- Tennis balls
- Rubber shoes
- Elbow or knee pads
It’s not necessary, but you might want to bring along a hydro flask to keep your child’s water so that they could hydrate during breaks or after the game. Plus, a hat and sunscreen to keep them from being sunburned.
Remember that your kid’s safety should be the priority, and not preparing the gears firsthand could bring out the worst of situations.
Get involved in each step.
Coaches are not solely responsible for the improvement of your child’s tennis skills. You’ll also have to do your part by exercising tennis drills with your kid to accelerate the learning process, build confidence, promote consistency in developing correct techniques.
A few examples of tennis drills you could do are:
- Hit and Catch
- Forward and Back Groundstrokes
- Serve Toss
- Dribble
- Running the Lines
- The Frying Pan
- Simple Service
- Split Step Volleys
- Toss and Block Volleys
Introducing your child to tennis could be quite demanding, but learning how to play such a sport could benefit your kid in several ways in terms of physical health and physiological needs.
What’s important is that you’re by their side every step of the way, supporting them even after they learn how to play on their own.
