Junior Tennis: Hitting The Ball

Step 1: Racket strings

Firstly, help the children hold their tennis rackets out with the strings facing the sky.

Then, show them what to do. Just throw the ball in the air and catch it on the strings of your racket.

Now it's their turn to try.

You can stand behind your child to help them. You can either throw the ball up and catch it on the face of the racket, or bounce it on the ground and then catch it on the racket face.

This game helps children concentrate and control the ball.

Give plenty of praise when they do manage to catch the ball on the racket strings.

Step 2: Forehands

Ask the children to line up. You can give them something to stand behind, like a target.

Stand in front of them where they can see you, and demonstrate the movement of the forehand stroke while they watch.

Then help them with the movement.

The racket starts low before hitting the ball and swings up through the ball, ending up with the elbow high.

The child should stand with their feet side on to the ball.

And before you feed them balls, remind them to start with the racket down, wait for the ball to bounce, and then hit it.

They can practice the movement again. They have to remember to hit up through the ball.

TIP: As children are likely to forget to stay side on to the ball, you can shout "sideways".

Now all they have to do is try to get two balls each over the net.

Step 3: Pick Up Balls

Even a boring task like picking up tennis balls can be made into a game.

Simply give the children one minute to pick up as many balls as they can.

Then, with the balls they've collected on their rackets, they count them one by one into the basket.

Whoever has picked up the most tennis balls is the winner!

And that's all there is to it! Now you're ready to play games that will help your children's tennis the VideoJug way!