What age can children normally hit a tennis ball?

[mymumsweats]

For little ones round here the focus, rightly, in lessons is on ball skills and general fun. What age can they normally actually hit a ball over the net though (with mini tennis balls)?

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

hmm 5?

possibly younger if they were partic co-ordinated

[LadyBlaBlah]

DS2 is 4 and can do a pretty good rally with orange balls / red spot decathlon balls .

Slightly gloaty. Sorry.

[mymumsweats]

Quite right to gloat about that ladybla!

It's nice for them when it comes together.

[Strix]

Somewhere between 3 and 5. Also depends on when they are ready to listen to and instructor and participate in a group activity. My DS could swing a racquet at the ball long before he was prepared to pay an attention to the instructor.

[thirtyfivepence]

Ds's friend was 3 - she could also ride a 2 wheel bike at 3. Ds more like 6/7.

[NoahAndTheWhale]

Couldn't imagine DD or DS being able to do that. They are 4 and 6. Possibly DS could.

[ZZZenAgain]

the beginners I see are around 5-6

[ZZZenAgain]

at 5 I don't think my dd could have though

[gleegeekgleek]

But is that if the ball is fed directly to them zzz?

Ds (not quite 5) can hit both forehands and backhands now but only if the ball is thrown to him and he doesn't have to move to it.

[EvilTwins]

My niece is just 4 and she can hit one very well and very reliably. I am nearly 35 and I still can't

[Shaz10]

I teach 6 and 7 year olds and very few of them can do it. Although that might be because they were never taught before.

[BexJ78]

was just going to say same as EvilTwins; I still can't hit a tennis ball and i am 31. my tennis lessons at school were a hoot! ha ha ha!

[ZZZenAgain]

I think some dc have better timing than others and are therefore going to profit more from starting at 5-6 because they will actually hit the ball occasionally and won't be too frustrated.

I watch my dd playing baseball for instance and some of the little 5 year olds can hit a ball, my dd who is much older but also a beginner mostly misses bedause she strikes too soon. I think with a year or two of practice, she'll get it though.

Yes, the 5-6 year old tennis beginners have the ball fed directly to them. It is a matter of timing their swing, not moving to get the ball. What is good at that age is they can so easily acquire the right hold and follow-through movement whihc makes it IMO worthwhile beginning early, though not essential.

I think if it is going to be frustrating and they are never going to actually hit the ball, it may not be a load of fun for them.

[NoahAndTheWhale]

Have discovered DS is pretty good at hitting a badminton shuttlecock. And he was naturally serving overarm (well the opposite of underarm anyway). He us definitely better than I am at 34 .

[gleegeekgleek]

Hmmm sounds like ds (not 5 til summer) is doing rather well being able to hit the ball (if fed to him) then.