Padel for Kids: A Beginner’s Guide to Rules, Equipment and First Sessions

Padel can be an approachable first racket sport for children. It is normally played in pairs on a compact enclosed court, every point begins with an underarm serve, and beginner sessions can use lighter rackets and slower balls.

Children do not need previous tennis experience. The most important considerations are whether the session suits their age and confidence, whether the equipment is manageable, and whether the venue provides appropriate coaching and safeguarding.

This guide follows the International Padel Federation’s rules reviewed for application from 1 January 2026, together with current LTA Padel and NHS guidance.

“Padel is brilliant for kids because they can enjoy the game before they have mastered it. The serve is simple, the court feels manageable, and playing in pairs teaches them to communicate, share space and solve problems together. It gives children the confidence of rallying quickly, while still leaving them plenty to learn as they improve.”

Padel for children at a glance

Question	Quick answer
What age can children start?	LTA Padel says children as young as four can take part, but venues set their own age limits.
Do they need tennis experience?	No.
Is padel singles or doubles?	It is normally played as doubles.
Do children need a special racket?	A lighter junior racket with a shorter grip can be easier to control.
What ball should a beginner use?	Slower orange or green tennis balls can help children learn.
Must they use full scoring?	No. Coaches can begin with simple point or rally games.
Can padel be adapted?	Yes. Some venues offer inclusive or adapted sessions.

What is padel?

Padel is a racket sport normally played by four people in two teams. The official court measures 20 metres by 10 metres, with a net in the middle and walls and metal fencing around the playing area.

Every point starts with an underarm serve after the ball has bounced. During the rally, players can volley or allow the ball to bounce once. The surrounding walls can also be used after the ball has bounced on the court.

A useful explanation for a child is:

Padel is a little like tennis on a smaller court, except the glass can help you keep the ball in play.

What age can children start playing padel?

LTA Padel says children as young as four can participate. That is not a universal minimum age: individual venues decide which ages their sessions accept, and readiness differs from one child to another.

A young beginner may be ready when they can:

• Follow simple instructions about rackets and personal space.
• Stay engaged in a short, game-based activity.
• Hold and swing a suitable racket comfortably.
• Enjoy throwing, catching or tracking a moving ball.
• Take part without feeling pressured to compete.

Children do not need to begin with full-court matches. Younger beginners may spend more time rolling, catching, balancing and gently tapping the ball. Older or more confident children can progress to serves, rallies, wall rebounds and scoring.

Why can padel work well for beginners?

The serve is underarm rather than overhead, two players share each side of the court, and slower balls can give children more time to move and prepare. These features can make the basic game easier to introduce, although no sport is equally easy for every child.

“Padel is more about accuracy and ball placement than it is about power.”

LTA Padel

That principle is particularly helpful for junior players. Early sessions should reward controlled contact, movement, communication and enjoyment, not how hard a child can hit the ball.

Padel can also contribute to a child’s wider physical activity. NHS recommendations differ by age: children aged three to four should complete at least 180 minutes of varied activity across the day, including at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, while children aged five to eighteen should average at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity a day across the week. A padel session can form part of that total rather than being treated as the whole target.

What equipment does a child need?

For a first session, a child normally needs:

• A manageable padel racket.
• An appropriate ball.
• Comfortable sports clothing.
• Trainers suitable for the court surface.
• Water and any weather-appropriate layers.

Many venues lend or hire equipment, so parents do not usually need to buy a racket before the child has tried the sport.

Junior padel racket

Junior rackets are generally lighter than adult models and have shorter grips. That can make them easier for smaller hands to control. Racket choice should be based on comfort and manageable weight rather than age alone.

Ask the coach or venue to check the racket if the child struggles to prepare, swing or stop it comfortably.

Every padel racket must have a safety cord attached to the handle. Under the official rules, the cord must be worn around the wrist while playing.

Slower beginner ball

LTA Padel recommends orange or green tennis balls for children starting out. These balls are less pressurised and travel more slowly than a regular padel ball, giving beginners more time to judge the bounce and make contact. Standard padel balls can be introduced as control improves.

Six padel rules children should learn first

Children do not need the complete FIP rulebook during their first lesson. These six rules are enough to understand a basic point.

1. Serve underarm after one bounce

The server stands behind the service line, bounces the ball and strikes it at or below waist height. The ball must travel diagonally into the opposite service box. The server normally has two attempts.

2. Let the serve bounce

The receiver must allow the serve to bounce inside the correct service box and return it before its second bounce. The serve cannot be volleyed.

3. Return the ball before its second bounce

During a rally, each team may allow one floor bounce. If the ball bounces twice before it is returned, the other pair wins the point.

4. The court must come before the enclosure

A shot sent towards the opponents must normally bounce in their court before touching their wall or metal fence. If it hits the enclosure first, the shot is out.

On the child’s own side, a ball can bounce and then rebound from the wall or fence before being returned. It must still be struck before its second floor bounce.

5. Know the special service details

A serve landing on the service-box line is in. If it lands correctly and then hits the wall, play continues. If it lands correctly but touches the metal fence before its second bounce, it is a fault.

6. One player hits the ball—and nobody touches the net

Only one partner may strike the ball during a return. A pair also loses the point if a player, racket or anything they are wearing touches the net while the ball is live.

A simple memory phrase is:

Bounce, hit, over the net—then get ready again.

Do children need to use full padel scoring?

Not immediately.

Official advantage scoring follows tennis:

• First point: 15
• Second point: 30
• Third point: 40
• Fourth point: game, provided the required margin has been reached

At deuce, a pair normally needs two consecutive points to win the game. The FIP rules also recognise alternative competition formats, but beginners do not need to learn all of them at once.

During introductory coaching, children may instead play:

• First pair to five points.
• One point for a successful serve.
• A shared target of three or five rally shots.
• A short timed game.
• Bonus points for control or communication.

These are learning activities rather than changes to the official rules. Full scoring can be introduced once children can start a point, sustain a short rally and remember whose turn it is to serve.

What happens during a first padel session?

Every venue will organise lessons differently, but a junior beginner session may include:

• Court and safety introduction. The coach explains the net, glass, service lines, doors and safe racket spacing.
• Movement and ball activities. Children may begin by rolling, throwing and catching to learn how the ball moves.
• Racket control. Balancing or gently tapping the ball helps children understand the racket face.
• Forehand and backhand contact. The emphasis should be on short swings and control.
• Underarm serving. Children bounce the ball and aim towards a large diagonal target.
• Partner rallies. The first goal may be two or three successful shots rather than winning a point.
• A short game. A team challenge allows children to experience playing without spending the entire lesson in technical drills.

A successful first session is not one in which the child wins. It is one in which they feel safe, make several controlled contacts, understand a basic rule and leave interested in playing again.

Three easy padel games for young beginners

Bounce and balance

The child balances the ball on the racket, lets it bounce once and catches it again on the racket or in their hand.

Purpose: racket awareness and control.

Partner gates

Place two markers about 1.5 to 2 metres apart. One child rolls or gently strikes the ball through the gate to a partner.

Purpose: direction and controlled contact.

Catch, drop and hit

One child sends the ball gently. Their partner catches it after one bounce, drops it and strikes it back.

Purpose: learning the rhythm of preparation, bounce and contact before attempting a continuous rally.

These activities should be supervised and adapted to the children’s space, age and coordination.

How parents can help

Parents do not need to coach from the side. Support is often more useful when it focuses on the experience rather than the result.

Praise listening, effort and cooperation. Allow the coach to provide technical corrections. Keep early family games gentle and cooperative, and avoid analysing every missed shot afterwards.

A useful question is:

“Which part would you like to try again next time?”

That invites the child to reflect without turning the journey home into a performance review.

Safety, inclusion and adapted sessions

Children should take part in activities suited to their age, ability and experience. NHS guidance recommends starting new exercise gradually and seeking medical advice where a health condition may affect participation.

On court:

• Keep the racket cord around the wrist.
• Leave space before swinging.
• Stop play while balls are being collected.
• Keep spare balls away from the playing area.
• Include drink and rest breaks.
• Tell the coach about relevant health, communication or access needs.
• Allow the child to stop if they become distressed, unwell or overwhelmed.

Padel activities can be adapted for disabled players and children with additional needs. Adaptations may include different equipment, additional time, changes to the activity or modified rules. LTA Padel’s disability programme notes, for example, that wheelchair padel can allow two bounces. Parents should ask the venue what accessible or adaptive provision it can offer rather than assuming every session has the same facilities or expertise.

How to choose a coach and venue

Ask the venue:

• Which ages and experience levels the session serves.
• Whether junior rackets and slower balls are provided.
• How many children will be in the group.
• Who supervises arrival and collection.
• How medical and accessibility information should be shared.
• Who handles safeguarding concerns.
• Whether parents can observe the first session.

For a coach, check for an appropriate padel qualification, current accreditation and experience with the child’s age group. The LTA coach finder allows parents to filter by padel qualification and by whether a coach works with U10, U14 or U18 players.

The LTA Padel Instructor qualification is designed for coaches delivering group lessons to adults and juniors and includes safeguarding and inclusion within its training.

At LTA Registered Venues, safeguarding standards apply according to the venue type. The LTA also requires Level 2–5 coaches delivering activity at registered venues to be LTA Accredited.

A parent with a safeguarding concern can contact the venue’s Welfare Officer or use the LTA’s secure reporting form. The LTA advises calling the police on 999 where someone is in immediate danger.

When is a child ready for matches?

A child may be ready for beginner match play when they can:

• Start a point with a basic serve.
• Remember that the return of serve must bounce.
• Sustain a short rally.
• Move safely around a partner.
• Keep a simple score with limited help.
• Handle both winning and losing reasonably well.
• Say that they want to compete.

There is no reason to rush. Cooperative rallies and team challenges remain worthwhile even after formal matches become available.

In Great Britain, current LTA youth padel competitions are available for players aged 9 to 18 and include entry points for different levels of experience.

How to find junior padel near you

In Great Britain, families can use the LTA Padel court finder to search for local venues and the LTA coach finder to look for accredited padel coaches. Contact the venue before booking to confirm age limits, beginner provision, equipment hire, accessibility and safeguarding arrangements.

Parent’s first-session checklist

Before booking

Confirm the age range, coaching level, group size, equipment provision and collection procedure. Share relevant medical, communication or access information in advance.

Bring

Comfortable sports clothing, suitable trainers, water, weather-appropriate layers and any medication required under the venue’s procedures.

Afterwards

Ask what the child enjoyed. Do not judge the session by how many points they won. The clearest sign of a positive introduction is that they would like to play again.