What should group tennis lessons for a five-year-old usually involve?

[RoseDaisypoppies]

Hi all

My DD ( turned 5 a couple of months ago) has been in tennis lessons past year.

I don't know if this is common but they seem to be playing among themselves ( eg one child serves, the other hits. 2/ 3 adults around but they are hardly playing with the kids themselves just telling them what to do.

I mean this isn't expected surely? There are soem parts where their is more guidance but not much. She seems to have fun though as she has a friend there...if your child is in a group lesson at 5 what do they do?

At only 5? I would be happy if they were having fun.
The aim is for them to enjoy it and socialise.

Yes only 5 so understand it's young! But time is limited and I'm balancing work with taking her to lessons and having playdates etc..And it's not cheap. So would be good if she learning tennis!

I don't understand what you want? Why would the adults play against the children? If it was ONLY a game of serve and return then maybe I'd complain but you've said that's an example so I assume there are other games and tasks. The adults are "telling them what to do". Isn't that what teaching is?

Do you feel your child is progressing in her skills? Can the teacher point out what she's learned and where her ability has improved?

How many people in the class? My DS is older but plays in a class with three others, including one who is 5. They generally start off with a warm up, then do some drills with the coach correcting their form. They’re then divided into two and the two better players will try and rally with the coach keeping an eye on them and stepping in from time to time while he hits with the two less good players, mainly working on ground strokes. They might practice serving or racket skills at the end and normally finish with a game.

When my DD did tennis lessons (from about age 8 to 12), her coaches mainly played tennis games with the kids in two groups. I’m not sure of all the names of the games (one was Around the World) but there would be a group of maybe 5 in each team, on each side of the net, all participating in the exercise. They would do some work on learning to serve and specific strokes, and some actual single/double rallies too, but I mostly remember the games. It was fun.

My 5 year old goes to a group tennis lesson for 5-7 year olds. The whole thing is very structured. They do some warm ups,
running around the court to various different lines, usually play ‘tennis golf’, then get into two groups and practice a particular shot (eg forehand) with adults feeding the balls, then play another game all together with the teacher feeding the balls. The coach is constantly giving feedback and encouragement to the kids. I wouldn’t be happy with the lessons you’re describing.

In the nicest possible way... SHE'S FIVE!!

Stop thinking of your child's progress as a return on your investment, and start thinking of it as a fun hobby she does once a week. She might turn out to have natural ability, but it is far more likely that she will have the same lack of natural talent for tennis as the rest of us. But she will be enjoying herself and at five, that is the main thing.

Why does she need to learn tennis?
If you want her to win Wimbledon she needs to do tennis full-time.
If you don't want her to win Wimbledon she's not under pressure to learn tennis properly just yet.

You're being too intense about this. She's five.

Everyone repeating to me that she is five, of course I know she is five! Duh. But it's an expense and time taken off that she could be doing other things like going to the park, having playdates etc which would be free! So if I am paying for tennis lessons, I would be expecting some structure at the very least? She's in a group of about 10 kids, there is no check on her grip, her serve or anything. She is paired with another child similar to her age and all they is play around, They throw balls hut they ate both 5 so it's all over the place, she hardly gets to hit a ball. There isn't a rally, as they would rather just mess around which can be done at home rather than a paid lesson. I would expect at least part of the lesson, it's the adult throwing the ball or an older better player so that she can learn to hit properly but this isn't the case.

I don't know if everyone who commented also have children aged 5 in group tennis lessons but the intention of my thread is to understand what is the norm. If this is the norm then I might as well just pull her out and use the time for something else!

@blacksax I don't think of the tennis lessons as an investment but I do think if she was having to spend an hour with me taking time off work and paying for those lessons, I would be expecting a class that doesn't look very similar to a play date. That isnt too much to ask surely! If that is the norm I might as well just pull her out, and use the time and expense for something else. She already does other activities where she gets the social element.

My daughter is 4 and has been in lessons since she was 3 and it’s a lot more structured than this! They play games and practice different techniques and the coaches Are very hands on. I can see why you’re asking I don’t get the previous comments tbh it is expensive and she could be doing other things!