Tennis Practice Plans for Ages 5–6
Age-appropriate tennis practices for 5–6 year olds (U6) — built to keep every kid active and having fun. Racquet on ball constantly — rallying, not waiting.
At 5 and 6, practice is really structured play. Attention spans are short — think 5-to-8-minute activities, constant movement, and zero standing in line. Every kid needs their own ball (or their own turn) because sharing and waiting is where you lose them. Skip the tactics entirely; the win is that they had fun, touched the ball a hundred times, and want to come back next week.
What a great 5–6 practice looks like
What to work on in tennis
Groundstroke fundamentals fed rapidly so kids get real reps, not one ball a minute.
Movement and tracking games that make contact easy and fun.
Simple serves and cooperative rallies to keep the ball in play.
Mini-court games and points so skills show up in real competition.
Gear: A racquet per kid, a big basket of balls (low-compression for young kids), and cones.
A sample 5–6 tennis practice plan
Here's a real 45-minute plan Coach Coach generated for a 5–6 tennis team. Yours is customized to your kids and ready in under 30 seconds.
🏆 Tennis Practice — Ages 5-6 — 45 min
⏱️ Warmup (10 min)
- Silly Moves Relay — Set up two lines of cones (5-6 cones per line) about 10 feet apart. Kids line up in two teams. Each child takes turns running to the end cone and back, using silly movements (e.g., hopping, skipping, bear crawl). High energy to start practice with smiles and giggles.
🎯 Skill Work (20 min)
- Balloon Tennis — Divide kids into pairs. Give each pair a balloon and a racquet. They practice hitting the balloon back and forth. Focus on making contact and keeping the balloon in the air. Coaching cue: "Watch the balloon and tap it gently." Success is lots of balloon taps with smiles.
- Toss and Catch with Racquets — In pairs, one kid tosses a soft tennis ball underhand, and the other tries to catch it with the racquet. Swap roles after a few tries. Coaching cue: "Hold your racquet steady like a pancake." Success is catching the ball a few times.
🏃 Game Time (10 min)
- Mini Tennis Matches — Set up mini courts with cones for boundaries. Play 1v1 or 2v2 depending on space and numbers. Use foam or low-compression balls. Keep games short and rotate kids so everyone gets lots of play. Coaching cue: "Keep your eye on the ball." Look for kids having fun and getting lots of touches.
🧊 Wrap Up (5 min)
- Racquet Stack High-Fives — Gather everyone in a circle. Stack all the racquets in the middle. Quick group high-five over the stack. Ask: "What's one fun thing you did today?" End with a cheer for tennis.
🎒 What to Bring
- 10 racquets
- 10 soft tennis balls
- 2-3 balloons
- 10 cones
Setup Note: Arrange cones for warmup and mini courts before practice.
📋 Coach's Cheat Sheet
- "Watch the balloon and tap it gently."
- "Hold your racquet steady like a pancake."
- Common mistake: Kids swinging too hard — remind them to use soft taps.
- Praise loudly when a kid makes contact with the ball, even if it doesn't go far.
✅ Coach Coach Check
- Every kid gets touches in every drill
- No standing in long lines
- At least one small-sided game
- Age-appropriate intensity and fun
Coach your best practice tonight
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Build your tennis planTennis practice questions
What should a tennis practice for 5–6 year olds look like?
At 5 and 6, practice is really structured play. Attention spans are short — think 5-to-8-minute activities, constant movement, and zero standing in line. Every kid needs their own ball (or their own turn) because sharing and waiting is where you lose them. Skip the tactics entirely; the win is that they had fun, touched the ball a hundred times, and want to come back next week.
How do I run a group tennis lesson for kids?
Use lots of balls and a rapid feed so nobody stands waiting. Set up mini-courts and stations so multiple kids hit at once, then finish with point play.
Should young kids use smaller courts and softer balls?
Absolutely — red, orange, and green low-compression balls and smaller courts (the Net Generation / 10-and-under setup) let kids rally and succeed from day one.
What should beginner tennis players focus on?
Contact and rallying first — forehands, backhands, and keeping the ball in play. Fancy technique matters less than lots of successful hits.