If you’re one of the millions of adults trekking to the pickleball court every weekend (or who are we kidding, every single day), it might be time to bring your children along.
Pickleball is still relatively new to the sports scene, so it isn’t most people’s choice for a family activity. In fact, you might be wondering if pickleball is a good sport for kids or if it’s better left to the grownups.
Our answer is a resounding yes – pickleball is a great sport for kids and an excellent way to bond as a family. Here’s why.
It will help them stay active
Kids and teens ages 6 through 17 should engage in 60 minutes of moderate to high-intensity activity every day, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Pickleball fits that criteria. From chasing down balls to sprinting to the kitchen, an hour of pickleball will keep your kids active for hours.
It’s also a total-body workout for your growing kids. As they learn different strokes and spins and practice their footwork, they’ll be working muscles they don’t use while they’re in a classroom. A quick afternoon game after school or on the weekend will be a welcome break from sitting at their desk or computer all day.
It’s starting to pop up in schools
Has your child’s school added a pickleball unit to the physical education curriculum? If they have, they’re not alone. It’s becoming popular in school physical education programs, according to USA Pickleball’s 2023 USA Pickleball Fact Sheet.
If your kids are learning about pickleball in school, playing as a family is a great way to continue to stoke their interest in the game and build upon what they are learning.
The best part? You don’t have to head to a pickleball court to get a quick game in with your kids after dinner. If you invest in a driveway pickleball set, you’ll be able to have your kids show you what they learned from their P.E. teacher – after the dishes are clean and homework is done, of course.
It’s easy to learn
Adults love pickleball because it’s easy to learn the rules and jump right into a game. Kids will love it for those reasons, too!
If you want to teach your kids pickleball, it’s best to start small. You can start by dinking the ball back and forth at the net or having them be your partner for a game.
Keep the first lesson short, sweet, and positive. After a great first lesson, your kids will be asking when they’ll get to play again before you even get back to the car.
It will teach them life lessons
There are some things you just can’t learn in a classroom. Sports provide valuable lessons kids will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Playing pickleball will help your child learn to win humbly and lose gracefully. It will also teach them to be a member of a team since they’ll be playing with a partner.
It will also make them mentally tough. Pickleball, like tennis or golf, is a mental game. Your child will have to work with their partner to strategize and stay focused. They’ll have to learn how to move on when they make a bad shot or a point doesn’t go their way.
These lessons are best learned through experience. By playing pickleball together as a family, you’ll be able to model these behaviors for your children and help them build skills they’ll use throughout their lives.
It will help you bond as a family
The average family spends just thirty-seven minutes together, according to a 2018 study from Visit Anaheim. That number is jarring, but it makes sense. Between work schedules, extracurricular activities, and other social commitments, it can be hard to get an entire family together every single day.
Playing pickleball as a family can help. From the car rides to the court to partnering up with your child during a game, it provides plenty of opportunities to connect in big and small ways.
It’s time for some on-court family fun
Picture this: Twenty years from now, your son and daughter are in their late twenties. They’re happy and healthy with growing families of their own. You don’t get to see each other as often as you’d like, but there’s one monthly commitment you never miss – your family pickleball game. After all this time, your kids still play. In fact, they’re ready to introduce their own children to the game.
Pickleball is a game you can play for life. Your kids can be playing right alongside you. Now’s the time to grab your paddles, round up your kids, and head to the pickleball courts. By introducing your kids to pickleball when they’re young, you’ll be laying the foundation for family fun for years to come.
