✕ 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 (knee height for beginners)
  • A service box
  • A target square on the wall
  • A baseline

A soft ball; a target square or a line on the wall.

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. Drop the ball, let it bounce and hit it gently to the wall; catch it after one bounce.
  2. Take the racket back a little, swing up through the ball and finish pointing at the target square.
  3. Keep hitting, one bounce each time, taking turns with a partner.

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

The skill · 12 minutes
  1. Drop the ball and hit it to the wall; catch after one bounce.
  2. Then hit at a taped target square.
  3. Then rally against the wall, taking turns with a partner.
  4. Short backswing, swing low to high, follow through to the target.

How much: 30 hits

Turn your shoulders

12:00
The game · 5 minutes

Wall rally

The rules

Take turns hitting the wall; count the hits in a row; beat your last count.

  1. Hit the ball to the wall
  2. Let it bounce once and hit again (or let your partner hit next)
  3. Count until a miss
  4. 5 rallies

Fair play: A grown-up hits backhands only.

Points
1 point for each hit in your best rally; 2 points for each hit inside the target square.
Fouls
The count stops: two bounces before the hit; the ball hits the wall below the line; hitting out of turn with a partner
Win
Beat your last count.
Child
0
Grown-up
0
  1. 8
  2. 15
  3. 25

5:00
Finish · 2 minutes

8 hits in a row against the wall within a 1 m target; later 10 forehands then 10 backhands in a row, one bounce each.

0/8

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.