What age did your DC start tennis lessons? Is just turning 4 YO too young?

[sewarsh]

My DD will turn 4 in July. We'd like to start her off on some tennis, but wondering if its just too young. Clearly, she'd have fun, but does a newly 4 YO have the coordination skills to actually learn tennis or are they just running aorund randomly (which they could do for free at a park!)?

[K-Bear]

My daughter took some lessons last summer and she was a few months from turning 4. Depends on the kid, but I think that's a good age to start.

[almostmom]

My DS has taken a couple of series of lessons. He's very coordinated when it comes to sports, so I gave him some lessons when he was just about 5. Although he had fun, I think it was kind of a waste of money. But he liked it. They did a bunch of coordination and running drills. Not too much tennis. I waited until now to sign him up again (we also don't have much time for after-school activities), and again, I think it was kind of a waste! This was at a pretty reputable place that has special courts and balls for kids. But I don't think he learned anything really. So I'll wait a couple years before doing it again. He is 6 now.

DD is 4, and less athetically coordinated, though not terrible. I think she is way to young to get much out of the class, besides having some fun.

So if you just want her to like being on a court and prepare her for later lessons, no problem. But if you want her to learn to play, I personally think it's kind of young.

[jenmcadams]

We belong to a small pool & tennis club in our neighborhood and they start group lessons at 5. They also have a youth team, but kids have to be 9 to join. From talking to some parents who play tennis who have kids who have done the team, they say that with the exception of the prodigy type kids, you can't tell the difference on the team between kids who started at 5 or 6 and kids who started at 7 or 8. Having said that, I'm hoping my DS will do a session of tennis lessons this summer just for the exercise and fun.

[egoldber]

I started my older DD at 6 and it was a mistake. She is not particularly athletic and she had a terrible time. Plus, in group lessons there is a lot of standing around and waiting your turn and not much actual playing. After that we found a high school girl who gave private lessons and that was much better. She still didn't get a lot out of it, but it was more fun for her and better exercise since there was no standing around and waiting.

[AnnieW625]

I think I would wait, but if either you or your DH like tennis I'd start taking her to the courts with you to just hit some balls. DH's grandfather did this with him at a very young age and although DH never played much tennis he says he really remembers it and has fond memories.

My brother started playing tennis at 5 with me and my dad. I was 8 and the little guy was better than me. I think he was 6 or so when he first started taking lessons. It was a summer thing for years for us; just recreation, no competition till high school. My brother ended up playing four years of varsity tennis (both doubles and singles). I played two years of JV tennis (10th, and 12th grade) so not nearly as good, but I did really enjoy my tennis experience. We haven't introduced tennis to DD yet, but might when she is around 5 or 6.

[plusbellelavie]

Both my kids started to play at age 4. DS1 in the States and it went really well because it was a low key class for 4 to 6 year olds and the instuctors were fun there was one main coach and two teenage "helpers". He was not and still isn't the most coordinated but tennis has helped him with hand eye coordination IMO. He learned to hit the soft ball that year that they use over the net so I thought he had made great progress even at 4 yrs old!

When we moved to France he continued playing he had just turned 6 and his sister who just turned 4 started she is more coordinated the her brother and made more progress in the first year then he did in skill wise.

They have both played for the last 4 years that we have lived here and have made great progress. The two have been in the same group lessons for the past 2 years. My DD is the youngest at 7.5 and there is a 10 or 11 yr old but there is a total of 8 kids and 2 instructors.

That said I think it depends on the coach/instructor, his or her background, the age of the other kids in the class, the number of kids in the class too (too many and they end up standing around a lot waiting for their turn and accidents happen with those rackets when the kids are just in the line waiting!), plus if you DD enjoys it or not. I would say give it a try and see how she likes it.