Unlike many sports, tennis is not down-sized for children. Kids learn to play on the same size court and with the same size net as adults. Even the balls are the same size. There is, however, a big difference in the type of rackets on the market. Take your children shopping with you so they can try out a number of rackets to determine the best fit for their games.
Racket Head
Players who are new to the game should look for a basic, pre-strung racket, according to the Dick’s Sporting Goods buying guide. It notes that an oversized racket offers the most versatility and has the largest sweet spot. Dick’s adds that a larger racket head helps “finesse” players — those who have a slow-to-moderate swing speed and short, compact strokes. Larger racket heads yield more power, but can be harder to control.
Racket Length
Retailer Golfsmith recommends a junior racket for children who are new to the game, and that you purchase rackets based on the child’s size, not age. For instance, Golfsmith recommends a 21-inch frame for children up to 47 inches tall. Children ranging from 47 to 54 inches might do best with a 23-inch frame. Golfsmith suggests 25- and 26-inch frames for children 54 to 60 inches in height. Once kids hit the 5-foot mark, they’re probably ready for an adult-size, 27-inch racket. Golfsmith does note that these are just guidelines, and experts agree that children who can use a larger racket should do so.
Grip Size
If you buy a racket with a grip that’s too small, the racket can twist around in your child’s hand. A racket with too large a grip can make it hard to get a good snap of the wrist. To find just the right size, Dick’s Sporting Goods recommends getting a ruler and having your child open his hand with fingers extended and close together. Place the end of the ruler in the middle of his palm, in line with the bottom lateral crease of the palm. Measure from the middle of the palm to the tip of the ring finger to find the ideal grip size. The number of grip sizes in some junior rackets can be limited.
Tennis Balls
The Kidzworld website suggests that most beginning players won’t notice much difference among various brands of tennis balls. It does recommend buying balls that come in a pressurized can, rather than cheaper balls that come in a bag, because the pressurized tennis balls have more bounce and will last longer. Once a ball loses its bounce, Kidzworld suggests giving it to the family dog for a chew toy.
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