✕ Close Setup
Before you start
  • Check the space and the kit.
  • Get your child's attention first.
  • Show it from two sides.
  • Say one thing only.
  • End on one that works.

Put the phone down where you can see it. Tap Next with your thumb, or use the arrow keys.

Setup · 1 minute

Is the space marked?

  • A net line
  • The wide corners of the table
  • A target (a paper square) on the far half

A line 2 m away on the floor; a cone.

Warm up · 3 minutes

Three minutes to get warm.

Easy jogging on the spot, then arms and legs. How to warm up well is explained at workonfitness.com.

3:00
Show it · 1 minute
  1. On the floor, brush under the ball with the bat so it rolls out and spins back toward you.
  2. Brush it sideways so it curves.
  3. At the table, slice under the ball with an open face so it stays low and checks back after the bounce.

Show it once from the front and once from the side, slowly. Then let your child try.

The skill · 12 minutes
  1. On the floor, brush under the ball so it rolls out and spins back toward you.
  2. Brush it sideways so it curves.
  3. At the table, slice under the ball with an open face so it stays low and checks back after the bounce.
  4. Then you serve and the player calls "spin" or "no spin" before hitting.

How much: 10 tries of each

Brush under, do not hit

12:00
The game · 5 minutes

Short serves

The rules

A serve that would bounce twice on the receiver's side scores.

  1. Serve short with backspin
  2. The receiver lets it go; if it bounces twice on their side, the server scores
  3. Then the receiver calls "spin" or "no spin" on each of your serves
  4. 10 serves each

Fair play: A grown-up must change the spin without changing the swing.

Points
1 point for each serve that bounces twice; 1 point for each spin called right.
Fouls
No point: a serve that goes off the end of the table; an illegal toss; calling after the ball has bounced
Win
More points after 10 serves each.
Score
0
  1. 6
  2. 11
  3. 16

5:00
Finish · 2 minutes

5 of 10 balls spin back toward the line; 8 of 10 correct calls.

0/5

End on one that works. If it was hard today, finish with the easier version.

Finished

Well played.

Saved in this browser only. Next time, "What should we practise today?" picks up from here.