Tennis Camps for Kids: Things to Consider When Making Your Pick

Choosing a tennis camp for your child is an exciting experience. Since tennis is such a popular sport, kids tennis camp possibilities are almost endless. Because of this, the process of picking a great camp can be overwhelming for some parents. The great news is that, with a little consideration and focus on what you and your child want from a kid’s tennis camp, it is possible to narrow down the options to a select few tennis camps that are guaranteed to provide a fun and educational time for your little athlete.

Skill Level at Kid’s Tennis Camps

There are many different kinds of tennis camps that cater to different skill levels (beginner through advanced with special camps for high school and tournament players) and different tennis goals, such as match play and college prep. Determining where your child falls on this scale is an important part of determining which tennis camp would best fit his or her needs and skill level.

If you have a young tennis player who is just getting started in the game, it is obvious that you do not need to send him or her to an advanced tennis camp designed to prepare kids for competitive college teams driven by scholarships and incredible skill. A beginning player would be much better suited for a beginner camp that would cater to his or her need to learn the basics of the game and decide whether or not it is something he or she would truly like to pursue competitively in the long-term.

On the other hand, if you have an extremely talented high school player who is looking at colleges based upon their tennis teams, it would be wise to send that child to a tennis camp that is designed to hone skills and provide tough competition, such as a match play or college prep camp.

Location

Many of the best tennis camps in the world are located in Florida. For families who live in Florida, this is great news. Families that do not live in Florida need not despair, however, because high-quality tennis camps are located all over the country. Families on the West Coast can look into the Adidas Tennis Camp at the University of California Davis while families in the Midwest can explore options like the NIKE Junior Camp at the University of Minnesota or The Wilson Collegiate Tennis Camp at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio.  If these options aren’t close enough to home, it certainly will not be difficult to find one that is. Quality kid’s tennis camps are literally spread across the country and it’s only a matter of finding one that matches your family’s geographical needs.

Age Requirements

If you have a very young tennis prodigy, you might need to carefully check the age limits on the tennis camp that interests you. Most camps accept children ages eight to eighteen, with some accepting children slightly younger or older. College tennis camps are great options for older players who are in their first few years of college or have just left high school and many summer day  camps offer tennis programs for children younger than eight.

Cost

The cost of a kid’s tennis camp will vary depending upon the time of year during which the camp is held (peak season between June-August is typically more expensive)  its length and location as well as the camp’s level of prestige and quality of instruction. Most tennis camps run in the range of $500-$1,000 for a typical four-day to one-week affair. These prices often include dormitory-style lodging for kids, meals and supervised off-court activities. Prices will generally be lower if lodging is not required. Some camps offer partial or full scholarships to qualified children or may accept payments.

Bonus Activities

Many camps, such as Windridge Tennis Camp at Teela-Wooket in Roxbury, Vermont are located in idyllic nature settings and offer many additional activities to tennis camp attendees. These activities may include mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, nature trips, fishing, archery, arts and crafts or ropes courses. Typically, these perks are only offered at longer camps (Windridge, for example, is a two- to three-week long camp) but families may be able to find them in shorter camps as well. If you want your child to experience recreational activities besides tennis while he or she is at camp, look for a tennis camp that offers bonus activities in addition to a large daily block of on-court tennis time.

Owing largely to the popularity of tennis as a sport among adults and children alike, there are dozens of high-quality tennis camps strewn across the country. The process of narrowing down the choices in order to determine the best tennis camp for your child is a matter of deciding what sort of cost, length and distance the family and child are comfortable with. Additionally, a family must be careful to match a tennis camp appropriately with the child’s actual skill level, since levels of instruction, competitiveness and expertise will vary hugely depending upon the focus of the kid’s tennis camp.  The vast majority of kid’s tennis camps are held during the peak summer months – between June and August – and take place over the course of four days. In order to ensure you are choosing a high-quality camp, be sure to read the references left by previous campers and their families. Additionally, if you want a camp that provides additional recreational opportunities for your child during the summer months, look for a camp that offers fun, extra activities such as horseback riding and fishing.

Kid’s tennis camps are a wonderful way to teach children a love for the game while also helping them to master the basics, improve their skills, make new friends and build self-confidence. Families looking for a tennis camp for their child will be surprised by the quality and quantity of camps available throughout the summer months and, with a little research and thought, should have no trouble finding a camp that is a perfect match for their child’s desires and skills.