Parents play a crucial role in both the introduction to tennis and the earlier stages of development.  Research indicates that most children get their first tennis experience from a parent. 

Parents can play an introductory role even with young children (ages 3-6).  These children should be introduced to striking and receiving skills, and objects such as balloons, bean bags and foam balls are ideal for throwing, bouncing, balancing and catching.

After throwing and catching skills are acquired, children can learn to rally.  Start with foam balls and short racquets; children can learn to rally with a parent in a driveway or parking lot.  Simply rallying a foam ball over a line and graduating to a low net (using a string or caution tape) is great fun for both children and parents.

As the child develops rallying skills, a tennis court could be used so the rally goes over the net with the service line serving at the baseline.

Moving from a foam ball to a low compression tennis ball is the next step.  It is relatively easy to keep the ball in play using a ¾ sized court and the low compression ball. (Click here to purchase a low compression tennis ball.)

The USTA is developing a video to demonstrate the steps that parents can use to teach children using foam and low compression balls, short racquets, low nets and short courts and will be available soon. (Click here to purchase junior racquets and foam or low compression tennis balls.)