Kids learn to play pickleball by playing pickleball! No amount of listening to coaches or watching instructional videos is going to substitute for actually getting out there and doing things with their bodies. NO guide won’t teach them to play — the game(s) will and of course some patient guidance from you 🙂.

These mini-games are meant to make your life easier. They will provide you with ideas for safe, effective and fun things you can do that help kids get the hang of pickleball and develop the skills needed to play competently. And don’t worry, you don’t have to be a coach or expert player to teach them to the kids.

Each mini-game and activity can be used and modified depending on age and skill level, to help kids learn and play. Games like Sneaky Chipmunk, Hit the Target and Dinky, Dinky, Do! will help to develop valuable skills in a way that is so fun, they won’t even notice their learning. It is the pickleball equivalent of sneaking veggies into pasta sauce!

 

Guiding Principles

Experiential Learning. Understanding pickleball theory is great, but there is no substitute for going out there and doing it!

These mini-games are all about getting kids on the court and giving them a chance to try things out for themselves.

Practical Application. While the activities should be fun and interesting, we also wanted them to be useful. That means making sure that what the kids are learning to do connects with the real game of pickleball.

Dragons and Knights helps kids learn to volley. High, High, Low helps establish the serve, return and third shot pattern. Sneaky Chipmunk and Beat the Bounce are all about becoming a great mover. Each mini-game focuses on skills kids will need to play great pickleball.

Maximizing Fun. Like the parent who ‘hides’ vegetables in a kid’s favourite sauce, the drills hide the learning inside games.

Feel free to improvise with the activities and modify them as you see it, so that the kids love it. If they are having fun and getting better, you’re doing great!

 

SNEAKY CHIPMUNK 

How to Play:

  • Each player is a chipmunk who is trying to collect as many nuts as possible. A nut is collected when the ball is tossed over the net and is caught using two hands.
  • Players should have their ‘chipmunk feet’ moving before the ball is tossed, demonstrating an active, athletic look.

Purpose: It is important that players develop strong co-ordination and movement skills. This fun game of pretend is a good way to give them practice tracking a ball and to focus on moving quickly.

Make it Fun: e.g. have a race to 10.

Modifications:

Make the throws higher or lower to give more or less reaction time.

Make the players move more or less to add or reduce challenge.

Allow ‘fakes’ to try to confuse your partner.

Have the chipmunk with their back to the net. When the thrower says ‘go’ then the chipmunk turns around and tries to locate the ball.

Increase or decrease the number of bounces allowed.

This activity can be done with a paddle where players hit the ball over the net to collect a nut.

DON’T DROP THE DINNER

How to Play

  • Each player pretends that they are a server at a restaurant who must deliver their meal (the ball) without dropping it on the floor.
  • Players place the ball on their tray (paddle) and walk around the restaurant (court) trying to keep the food from falling.

Purpose: It is important for kids to develop paddle control as well as a sense of the relationship between the paddle angle and where the ball ends up. This pre-rallying activity gives them a fun way to learn important skills that will lead to sending the ball where they want.

Modifications:

Create an obstacle course the player(s) must navigate.

Set a time limit.

Stand on one foot.

Hit the Target

How to Play

  • The player(s) stand on one side of the net. On the other side of the net, there is a selection of targets.
  • The player receives the ball from adult or friend and must hit the ball over the net to try to ‘land’ the ball inside the target.

Purpose: It is important for kids to learn to control the distance and direction they send the ball. Having targets to aim for is a great way for them to learn to send the ball with a plan.

Modifications:

Make it harder or easier by adjusting the difficulty of the ball being sent to the players.

Add more targets for a better chance for success, or fewer to increase the level of difficulty.

For players who can rally, make it a continuous exchange between the adults and the kids.
Have a race with other players to see who can hit the most targets. Or make it a team competition.

Note: this game can be used for groundstrokes, volleys and even serves.

 

GIRAFFES AND SNAKES

How to Play

  • One player is the Zookeeper and the other acts as the animal. Zookeeper sends the ball and calls out “snake”” or “Giraffe”.
  • If Snake is called, player sends a low ball (less than 3 feet over the net). If Giraffe is called, player sends ball much higher, about 6 feet over the net.

Purpose: Height control is a key skill in pickleball, as is the ability to react to a changing situation. This game allows players to practice sending balls at different heights as well as making decisions on the fly.

Modifications:

Add targets (bigger or smaller) to adjust the challenge.

Send the ball faster or slower to make it easier or harder.

Instead of catching the ball after it is sent, do the activity with a continuous rally, calling Giraffe or Snake as the ball is travelling to the other player.

 

DRAGONS AND KNIGHTS

How to Play

  • Players on opposite sides of the net or another barrier, about 7-8 feet apart.
  • The Dragon (Player 1) tosses a ‘fireball’ underhand toward The Knight (Player 2).
  • The Knight blocks the fireball with their shield (paddle) using a small, blocking movement and hitting the ball before it bounces, as a volley.

Purpose: The kids must learn how to volley using a compact swing. This activity gives them practice receiving the ball before it bounces and sending it back with control.

Modifications:

Make the throws faster or slower…

Have a knight call “forehand” or “backhand” before they hit.

Have players back up to make it harder, or get closer to make it easier.

See how many points the knight can earn in a given period of time.

 

SOFTY AND SMASHY

How to Play

  • Partners on opposite sides of the net, NVL or closer.
  • One player sends the ball gently to another and the receiving player will say either “Softy” or “Smashy” before they hit the ball.
  • If the ball received is low (contact is below the net) Softy should be called and a slow and low ball sent. If the ball received is high (above net) player should say Smashy and hit it hard.

Purpose: Kids must learn what ball is ‘attackable’ and what is not. This is largely dependent on how high it is when they receive it. This activity teaches kids to identify the ball they received as well as make good shot selection decisions.

Modifications:

Make the balls sent more obvious or less to adjust the challenge.

Require players to make a decision before the ball crosses the net to increase the degree of difficulty.

This could be done as a continuous rally.

 

BEAT THE BOUNCE

How to Play

  • Have partners toss a ball underhand back and forth over a net or other barrier. The ball should bounce just once before being caught with two hands.
  • Players must move to the ball quickly and be set before the ball lands (i.e. they must ‘beat the bounce’ and be in a balanced position before the ball hits the ground).

Purpose: The kids must learn to identify where a ball will end up and to move to that spot before the ball gets there. You can have the nicest swing in the world but if you can’t get to the ball, you can’t hit it!

Modifications:

Send the ball higher or lower to give more or less time to set up.

Increase or limit movement to adjust the challenge.

Allow ‘fakes’ to try to confuse the partner.

Have 3 players as a group and allow the person with the ball to throw to whomever they choose.

Do the drill with a paddle. Hit the ball after beating the bounce.

 

POPCORN

How to Play

  • Players work together to keep the popcorn popping by hitting the ball straight up in the air after it bounces.

Purpose: This learning-to-rally activity is a good way for kids to get used to the idea of maintaining a rally and hitting the ball with control. The limited movement required is ideal for beginning players who are just developing their paddle and ball control skills. This is a great opportunity for kids to get used to the idea of hitting forehands and backhands as well as the relationship between the height of the ball and time to prepare.

Modifications:

Hit higher or lower to give more or less time to prepare.

Require that players alternate between hitting forehands and backhands.

Add movement (e.g. paddle under the leg or around the body; touch a nearby pylon, etc.) between hits.

 

DINKY, DINKY, DO! 

How to Play

  • Standing on the same side of the net and with paddles, players send the ball twice to themselves (i.e. hit the ball gently straight up in the air, let it bounce and hit it up again) and then once to their partner.
  • Each time the player hits the ball to themselves they say “dinky” and when they send it to their partner they say “do”.

Purpose: The kids must learn to send and receive the ball with control, as opposed to just swatting it away. This learning-to-rally activity helps them develop paddle and ball control skills.

Modifications:

As their skills improve, add space between the players and a small barrier (e.g. a pylon, skipping rope, etc.)

Increase the challenge by playing the game over the net.

Turn the game into “Dinky, Do” by removing one of the self-rallies. This will make it harder.

Make it easier by having an adult assist with the rally.

 

SURF’S UP

How to Play

  • Players toss a ball back and forth, bouncing in front of their partner. The player catching must get on their surfboard (i.e. set-up in a sideways position) before they catch it.
  • The players earn a point each time they set-up sideways. They earn a bonus point if they also catch the fish.

Purpose. It is important that kids learn to prepare in a sideways position when playing groundstrokes (i.e. return of serve, third shot drop or drive) and Surf’s Up is a great way to practice developing a great set-up for forehand and backhand strokes.

 

Modifications:

Throw the ball lower or higher to adjust set-up time.

Try to trick the surfer to get them to face the wrong way.

Introduce the terms FOREHAND and BACKHAND that correspond to the way the player is turning. Have them call out the correct term as they turn.

Instead of catching the ‘fish’, have the player hit it back with their paddle using a forehand or backhand.

 

HIGH, HIGH, LOW 

How to Play

  • Two players (or a player and adult) on opposite sides of the net, close enough they can comfortably send the ball with control.
  • The pair tries to hit a series of shots that follow the pattern HIGH, HIGH, LOW. The first two hits should be ‘high balls’ (5-6 feet above net) and the third should be a low ball (3 feet or less above net).
  • Score a point whenever the pattern is accomplished.

Purpose: In pickleball, it is important that the serve and return are deep. This is typically accomplished with slower, arcing balls. It is also important that the third shot in the exchange be low to the net. This game starts to establish the high-high-low pattern that will be so vital down the road.

Modifications:

Make the activity harder by playing from farther back in the court. Make it easier by standing closer to the net.

Use forehands and backhands.

 

BUCKET BALL 

How to Play

  • Players stand on opposite sides of the net, from the NVL or closer. There is a bucket on the court about 3 feet from the net, in front of one of the players.
  • One player sends the ball cooperatively and the receiving player must send a slow and short ball to try to land the ball in the bucket.

Purpose: Kids must learn how to hit gentle shots with control from around the kitchen. This activity teaches them to receive a ball from close to the net and to send one of their own in reply.

Modifications:

Use multiple buckets to make it easier.

Send more challenging balls to the player to make it harder.

Have each player with a bucket on their side of the net and make it a continuous rally where both players have the same goal.