Tennis is one of the most followed and practiced sports throughout the world, and every day there are more children who want to follow the footsteps of great players like Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer and become the new number 1 on the ATP.
But this sport has not only achieved its reputation thanks to its great players, but it has also achieved it due to the myriad of physical and psychological benefits that its practice brings. Training regularly improves the physical condition, develops musculature, the capacity for attention, motor coordination and even encourages socialization.
Parents know all these benefits but ask themselves what is the best age for children who enjoy this sport to begin practicing it.
As is the case of most sports, there is no exact age at which the practice of tennis should begin. Whether a child is prepared or not to receive tennis classes depends more on their skills, abilities, and capabilities rather than their age.
Many children at the age of 4 already show quite an advanced motor coordination capacity enables them to begin to play tennis, but it is necessary to take into account that their capacity for attention is not yet very developed.
At this age the constant distractions turn tennis lessons into a mere game with rackets and balls.
Although these classes do not serve to improve their technique, they will make the child become familiarized with the equipment and with the basic ideas of the game. What is most recommended is for the child to use during his/her “training” rackets, nets, and balls that adapt to his/her physical conditions
Most experts say that the best age to begin practicing tennis in a more formal manner is at 5 or 6 years of age. When the children reach this age, they have already quite developed their psycho motor skills, their coordination and attention, adapting themselves much better to the demands of the game.
This is the perfect age to let children experiment with the racket shots, balancing the ball and coming into contact with the basic technique of this sport. The intent is to help children become accustomed to the court, to its dimensions, to the handles and weight of the rackets and balls.
In addition, thanks to this sport the little ones will begin to strengthen their speed, agility and reflexes, toning at the same time all the muscles in their body. To avoid injury and discomfort it is best to use junior tennis rackets from age 5 to 12 years approximately. These rackets are more ergonomic and lighter than adult ones and allow the child to perform the movements and shots in a way that is more comfortable.
Whatever the age of the child both parents and their form of training must be flexible and be able to adapt to their wishes and their capabilities, leaving aside any type of psychological pressure or physical overload. At that age the parents simply must have as objective that their child have fun and start socializing outside of the family environment.
Tennis camps for children
If you want your child to start playing tennis but don’t know how to do it, a summer camp can be a good starting point to get them started with the racket. Spain or England can be good destinations to combine sport with language learning, although there are also other options in the United States or France for more experienced children.
Spain
Spain is a country with a great tradition in racket sports and has produced some of the best tennis players in the world. Here your child can learn the basics of tennis and start his or her career with very experienced technicians in teaching children. Here are two different options:
- Bruguera High Performance – Barcelona
- Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy
United Kingdom
How about mixing tennis with learning English in the UK itself? This is one of the possibilities that most appeal to parents, as it can be a great start for children to get a good grounding in English. The different tennis and Spanish camps that you can find in Ertheo are:
- Nike Tennis Camp
- Exsportise
Other countries
For those who prefer other destinations, there are camps in France and the United States, but the two academies we have in these countries are for students with a higher level, and are more advisable for boys and girls who have been playing tennis for some time. In France you will find one of the best schools in Europe, that of the famous coach Patrick Mouratoglou, coach of Serena Williams in her best years. The academy bears his name and its facilities were renovated a few months ago.
On the other hand, for those who prefer to get closer to the world of sports in the United States, the IMG Academy offers a comprehensive language and sports programme, with facilities of a magnitude that almost no other school can match.
If you are looking for exercises for children who are just starting to play tennis, you don’t need to look any further, in our blog you have a post with fun games for the little ones who have only had a racket in their hands for a short time, so they will find this sport much more fun.
