Before your child steps on a court, here's exactly what they need — and just as importantly, what they don't.

The essentials

Racket, sized correctly. Junior rackets are sized by age, not by "growing into it." A racket that's too long or heavy will wreck your child's swing mechanics before they even start. General guide:

●      Ages 4–5: 19–21 inch racket

●      Ages 6–8: 23 inch racket

●      Ages 8–10: 25 inch racket

Low-compression balls. Standard tennis balls bounce too high and fast for young beginners. Red, orange, or green dot balls (depending on age/level) bounce lower and slower, making it dramatically easier for kids to track and hit them.

Court shoes. Any supportive athletic shoe works fine at this stage — you don't need tennis-specific shoes for a 6-year-old just starting out.

A ball hopper or bucket. Not glamorous, but it saves your sanity during practice. Chasing balls one at a time gets old fast.

What you don't need yet

●      Expensive rackets ($100+) — completely unnecessary for beginners

●      Tennis-specific apparel

●      A ball machine

●      Overgrips, vibration dampeners, or other pro-level accessories

The one thing most gear lists forget

Gear gets your kid *onto* the court. It doesn't teach them what to do once they're there. The most overlooked "equipment" is actually a simple plan for what to practice.

Once you've got the gear sorted, 25 Tennis Drills for Parents and Kids gives you the plan.

25 progressive, age-appropriate drills you can run with just a racket, some balls, and a few minutes a day.