What’s the Best Age to Start Playing Tennis?
By Dennis GarciaDelgado
Children develop at different levels, but it’s safe to say their eye-hand coordination is starting to progress between the ages of 3 and 5. If a toddler sees other family members playing tennis, then the tyke might have a natural interest in the game. If that’s the case, you can actually pick up a 17” racket starter kit and foam tennis balls for kids on Amazon! For toddlers, it’s just plain fun, starting with simple exercises that develop coordination and agility.
A better time to start taking formal tennis lessons is from the ages of 6-8. At this point, children’s bones and muscles are more developed. They also have a longer attention span, more developed motor skills, and more advanced decision-making capability.
For kids in this age group, it’s still important to use beginner’s equipment and only use a portion of the court. This ensures a safe, fun experience.
The Benefits of Tennis Lessons for Kids
Tennis is a great way to nurture valuable life-long skills and abilities, while establishing a conscientious approach to maintaining good physical and mental health.
For children, the benefits of playing tennis are:
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Strengthen muscles and develop visual-motor coordination
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Stimulate concentration and tactical thinking
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Learn fair-play while developing a winning mindset
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Learn teamwork
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Learn respect and tolerance for other people
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Develop social skills
All these attributes lead to increased physical and psychological development, and hopefully a life-long appreciation for the game!
Mission Hills Tennis offers private and group classes for juniors. If you’re interested in enrolling your child in our program, please give us a call at 619-610-8146 or click here to get started with a free evaluation.