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At-home tennis drills for 7 to 10 year olds

This is a free sample week of at-home tennis training for 7 to 10 year olds: 3 of the 7 plans SSTracker has for this group, each 11 to 12 minutes, with every step and minute. Nothing here is written for this page alone; it is what the app gives a family.

Everything here can be done in a room, garage or yard. Drills that need a team are left out; a parent can be the partner in a pair drill.

A free sample week of tennis for 7 to 10 year olds

Session 1

Red ball wall rally 12 minutes

  1. Bounce-ups on the racket · 3 min
    Flat strings, small taps
  2. Drop and hit forehands to a wall · 5 min
    Turn sideways, swing low to high
  3. Rally streak · 4 min
    Beat your own best count

Session 2

Two hands, backhand side 12 minutes

  1. Shadow backhand swings · 3 min
    Turn the shoulders, finish high
  2. Drop and hit backhands · 5 min
    Both hands on the grip
  3. Toss-and-hit from a parent · 4 min
    Soft foam or red ball

Session 3

Split step game 11 minutes

  1. Split step on a clap · 3 min
    Small hop, land ready
  2. Shuffle to cones and shadow swing · 5 min
    Side steps, then swing
  3. Ball pickup relay · 3 min
    Quick feet, have fun

Want the rest of the plan?

This sample is 3 of the 7 tennis plans SSTracker has for this group. In SSTracker every step is on the screen, your child logs the work, and you see it. No club needed: the family plan is $7.50 a month per player, or $12 a month for the whole household, and the first 14 days are free.

Get the full plan free for 14 days Coach or club director? Set up your team free Print a free week for another sport or age

The drills in this week

Shadow Backhand Swings

Ages 7 and up · 6 min

Swing your backhand slowly in front of a mirror to see the turn, swing and finish.

  1. Stand side-on to a mirror in your ready position.
  2. Turn, swing slowly and freeze at the finish.
  3. Check your racket ends high over your shoulder.
  4. Do 25 slow swings.

Coach's cue: Slow and smooth.

Bring: racket, mirror or window

Safety: Use the ball and court for your age: red ball on a short court under 8, orange at 9 to 10, green at 10 to 12.

Safety for ages 7 to 10

  • Plans for this age group use beginner drills only. Advanced drills open from age 13 in the app.
  • Home plans use only drills for a room, garage or yard. Stop if anything hurts.

Before you start: tennis

  • A ball and court sized for age: red ball under 8, orange at 9-10, green at about 10-12.
  • Hat, sunscreen and water for outdoor courts.
  • Keep serve sets short; stop if your shoulder, elbow or low back hurts.
  • Kick or topspin serves wait until about 13; low-back pain when arching needs a doctor.
  • At the net, keep your racquet up in front of your face; feeds are gentle.
  • Fewer hours a week than your age, and other sports in the mix.
For every sport and age (7)
  • Head knock or concussion signs (headache, dizziness, confusion, feeling "off"): when in doubt, sit them out. See a doctor, and no return the same day.
  • Back to sport only with a doctor's written OK, after a step-by-step return. Every U.S. state has a youth concussion law.
  • Heat: drink water before, during and after. Take shade breaks, ease into hot weather over about two weeks, and stop if dizzy, sick or headachy.
  • Lightning: if you hear thunder or see lightning, go inside a building or a closed car. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder (the 30-30 rule).
  • Pain is a stop sign, not something to push through. Stop and tell a grown-up; pain that lasts or comes back each session needs a doctor.
  • Water and rest are part of training: 1-2 rest days a week, plenty of sleep, a meal or snack before and after, and other sports welcome.
  • Know where the nearest AED (heart defibrillator) is, and who calls for help in an emergency.

The research behind these plans

Which drills are shown at which age, and the safety notes, follow the 28 sources below: national governing bodies, medical associations and studies on youth sport (last reviewed October 2026). Where no study gives an exact number, the plans use cautious defaults, and we change them as the research does.

Tennis: governing bodies, safety and development (8)
Youth athletic development and safety (20)

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