Play Smart

Tennis Awareness & Smart Decisions

This is the children's introduction to tennis intelligence. They learn to look at the ball, their own position and their opponent before deciding what to do.

Key question:

How can I make the point easier for me and harder for my opponent?

Core framework:

Move → Create → Attack → Finish

What Children Learn

• How to move an opponent

• How to find open space

• Why hitting deep can help

• How to use different directions

• When a short ball is an opportunity

• When to attack

• How to get ready for the next ball

• How to finish a point

• Why points are built rather than won with one magic shot

Main Activity Concept: “Open the Court”

Children play games where they score points for:

• moving their opponent

• hitting into open space

• creating a short ball

• recognising an opportunity

• finishing after creating an advantage

Our Motto: Move them. Find the space. Create the chance. Play it.

09:00–09:10 | Welcome & Open the Court Introduction

• Introduce the idea that points are built, not magically won.

• Demonstrate a point where the player tries to hit a winner immediately.

• Demonstrate a point where the player moves the opponent first and creates an opportunity.

• Ask: Which player made the point easier for themselves?

09:15–09:50 | Game 1: Move

MOVE

Children learn how their shots can move the opponent.

Activities:

• Move Me: players score points by making their opponent move from one side to the other.

• Two Corners: target games requiring players to use both sides of the court.

• Catch the Space: players identify where the opponent has moved from.

Key questions:

• Where is your opponent?

• Where can you move them?

• What happens when they move?

10:00–10:40 | Game 2: Create

CREATE

Children learn that moving an opponent can create space.

Activities:

• Open the Court: score bonus points for creating an open area.

• Two Shots Ahead: player hits one shot to move the opponent and then looks for the next opportunity.

• Make the Space: players deliberately use direction and depth to create an opening.

Introduce a simple concept: Your shot changes the court.

After each sequence: What did your shot create?

10:50–11:30 | Game 3: Attack & Finish

ATTACK → FINISH

Children learn to recognise when an opportunity appears.

Explore:

• short ball

• opponent out of position

• open court

• weaker ball

• opportunity to move forward

Activities:

• Attack the Short Ball

• Find the Open Court

• Attack or Wait?

• Three-Shot Challenge: build the point and attack when the opportunity appears.

• The key is teaching children not to attack every ball.

Ask: “Is this really your chance?”

If not: “Can you build the point again?”

11:30–11:50 | Build the Point Challenge

Children play competitive mini-points with bonus scoring:

• +1 for moving the opponent

• +1 for creating space

• +1 for recognising an attacking opportunity

• +1 for finishing successfully

Group Discussion:

• How can you make your opponent move?

• What happens when they move?

• How do you create space?

• When is it time to attack?

• What do you do if the opportunity isn't there?

*** Including lunch and breaks