Why I Think Tennis is Terrific for Kids


My girl's started taking tennis lessons this year and they love them, and I could not be happier with all the amazing benefits that I have noticed from their lessons.







Their coach is THE most patient human on the planet, and I fully believe that with everything in life the teacher makes all the difference. Vanna (my four year old) strongly distrusts most humans but she is besotted with her tennis coach! 
If you live in the Hartebeespoort region I cannot recommend Greg de Chaves enough, the kids respond so well to him and as I said he is so good with them. 
Drop me a comment and I'll send contact details.

I thought I would post a little breakdown of their lessons and all the benefits of what they do. Who knows it could inspire you to send your kids to tennis, start up tennis yourself or even give you some ideas for exercises to try with your kids. 



 


At the start of the lesson the kids do a warm up consisting of running and an assortment of aerobic exercises, like skipping, lunging, hopping, knee ups and bum kicks. They also run through cones, hop over them with both feet and then each foot on it's own. Vanna is always very cross if they skip the bum kicks.

There are obvious health benefits in getting outdoors for some fresh air and exercise (especially in winter when there is a definite increase in movie watching in our home) like the development of muscular and bone strength. Also the feel-good factor that comes with exercise, it is such a positive way to kick off the day!

They then move on to some throwing and catching exercises, developing their ball skills and hand eye coordination. Followed by balance exercises in trying to keep the ball on the racket during a number of maneuvers. Definite gross motor development involved, but also the fine motor skills required in the hand to control the racket.



  

We have been instructed to practice throwing and catching at home, and with any kind of at-home practice this builds a sense of responsibility and disciple that is so good for kids to foster at a young age. (It is one of the main reasons that my kids are also learning to play an instrument!)

The lesson then turns to the rackets, the girls have been working on forehand and backhand swings. These require hand control, eye hand co-ordination, visio-spatial judgement and of course all the muscles involved in the swing and attempting to connect with the ball. In learning to move toward the ball, they also improve their agility, balance and coordination.

I have found that since taking up tennis Kesia's visual tracking issues have improved.






What I find so great about their coach is that he is very positive and uplifting at all times, never any negative criticism about missing the ball. It is always "one more" and "almost there" and I love that, my children respond much better to encouragement. How amazing for their self esteem as well. 

They normally end off the lesson with a game. The games require listening skills from the kids and even more patience from the coach. Their coach is very good about teaching them all the tennis lingo and court etiquette as well.

Another plus is the all important socialization benefit (that so many people are concerned with when they find out that you are homeschooling), in the opportunity to connect with other people and to make friends.





So that's it, all the wonderful reasons why we send our girls to tennis lessons. Hope it inspires someone.

With love,
Chelsea.









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