Getting children involved in sport at a young age is a great way to help aid their development, both physically and mentally. Tennis is the perfect sport for kids as its a sport that can be picked up at any age and teaches them valuable life lessons such as teamwork, confidence, and discipline. Below we’ve highlighted a few of the key mental and physical benefits of playing tennis.
Physical benefits of playing tennis for children
We’ve previously spoken about the physical benefits of playing tennis throughout adulthood. A lot of the physical benefits are the same in children, however, as their bodies are still developing they will likely benefit more from participating.
Cardiovascular exercise
The most obvious benefit of getting children involved in tennis, and sport in general, is the fact that they are up and moving. Without realizing your kids will be running around the court chasing balls and keeping their energy levels high. This all helps to develop a strong and healthy heart.
Improved speed, agility, balance
As previously mentioned tennis gets you up and moving. It’s a sport full of short sprints, sudden stops, and quick direction changes. When combined this all helps to develop a child’s overall mobility while improving key physical attributes such as speed, agility, and balance.
Muscular and skeletal development
Tennis is a relatively high-intensity exercise that works your whole body at the same time. As a result of this is a great way to improve muscular and skeletal strength in all players, no matter the age. However, as children’s bodies are still developing the benefits are greater. Additionally, by participating in tennis at an early age and strengthening their bodies it can help to prevent health issues in the future.
Mental benefits of playing tennis for children
Again, the mental benefits of playing tennis are something that we have covered in great detail on the Tennisletics blog. However, as a child’s mind is likely still developing learning these skills at a young age will further aid mental development as they grow up.
Hand-eye coordination
Good hand-eye coordination is vital for anyone looking to take part in tennis. Players need to be able to judge the timing between an approaching ball and the right time to make contact to return the shot. This is a crucial skill for kids to learn and develop at a young age which can help them when participating in other sports later in life.
Problem-solving and planning
Throughout a tennis match, you are presented with a number of problems and obstacles that you need to overcome in order to increase your chances of success. Learning the ability to quickly solve problems and overcome any barrier that stands in the way of achieving your overall goal is a great skill to understand at a young age. Problem-solving is a skill that is not only required in sport but it almost all aspects of everyday life.
It’s a social sport
Even though it isn’t a ‘team’ sport in the standard sense tennis is a very social sport that encourages players to work together, especially in doubles. Playing doubles requires great communication between both players in order to work out how to overcome certain scenarios. Additionally singles also require a certain level of communication between a player and their opposition and helps to teach children how to respect their opponent. Furthermore, if a young player wants to take their training to the next level then they will likely join a local tennis club. This gives them the chance to socialize with people of a similar age who share the same passion for the sport.
Tennis is the perfect sport for people of all ages who are looking to improve both their physical and mental fitness. However, it particularly beneficial for younger children as their bodies and minds are still developing.
