Padel is one of the easiest racket sports for children to pick up. Within minutes of their first lesson, most kids are rallying, laughing, and asking when they can come back. Here is everything you need to know before your child steps onto a court for the first time.
What is Padel?
Padel is a doubles racket sport played on an enclosed 20 m × 10 m court — roughly a third of the size of a tennis court. The court is surrounded by glass walls and metal mesh, and the walls are a live part of the game. After the ball bounces once on the floor it can rebound off the glass and remain in play, which is what makes rallies so exciting and accessible for beginners.
Scoring is identical to tennis: 15, 30, 40, game — with sets won by reaching six games with at least a two-game lead. The serve is hit underhand, at or below waist height, after a bounce, directed diagonally into the opponent's service box. Players get two attempts, just like tennis.
Why is it so easy for kids to learn?
The smaller court means less running and fewer missed balls. The solid padel racket (no strings) gives much more control than a tennis or squash racket. The underhand serve removes one of the biggest barriers beginners face in tennis. Most children aged 4–17 are hitting sustained rallies within their very first session.
Research from the University of Murcia found that children aged 8–10 who trained with modified padel equipment (lighter rackets, slower balls, smaller court sections) showed significantly faster skill acquisition than those using standard adult equipment. At NextGen Padel Academy we follow these evidence-based modifications for our youngest players.
What equipment does my child need?
- Padel racket — we provide rackets at all sessions, so you do not need to buy one straight away.
- Padel balls — supplied by the academy.
- Non-marking court shoes — any clean indoor or multi-sport trainers will do for the first few lessons.
- Comfortable sports clothing — anything your child already trains in is fine.
- Water bottle — sessions are active and Pretoria can be warm!
What happens in a first lesson?
Our coaches start with a fun warm-up game before introducing the basic forehand and backhand strokes. Children play mini-games against each other from the very first session — we believe kids learn best by playing, not by drilling. By the end of 45 minutes most first-timers have had a proper rally, scored a point, and are already excited for next week.
Which age groups do you cater for?
NextGen Padel Academy runs structured programmes for three age groups: Mini Padel (4–8 years), Junior Padel (9–13 years), and Advanced Junior (14–17 years). Each group is coached at the right pace with appropriate equipment so every child is challenged but never frustrated.
Ready to book your child's first lesson?
Enrol at NextGen Padel Academy