With a particularly light ball that flies slowly and “cool” through the air, the serve movement is practiced in a playful way.
The children throw the ball up like a real serve, hit it upwards with their hand and run directly after it, ideally catching it again in the air. The whole thing combines movement, timing and lots of fun.
This is how it works:
The children are given a light ball (e.g. air ball, softball, beach ball). From a stance, the ball is thrown up like a tennis serve. The ball is “hit” upwards with the hand – important: not forwards, but upwards. Immediately after the stroke, the children run and try to catch the ball in the air again. The goal is to perform the movement smoothly and rhythmically.
Learning objectives:
- Serve preparation: The children practise the throwing and hitting movement for the tennis serve.
- Coordination & timing: The right moment to run and catch is trained.
- Spatial awareness: The game promotes orientation to the ball in the air.
- Joy of movement: The light ball allows children to experience moments of success without any pressure to perform.
Coaching Keys:
- Use particularly light and slow balls – the slower the flight, the better.
- Pay attention to a clean throwing motion – the ball should rise vertically.
- Encourage the children to keep moving and follow the ball with eye contact.
Show the movement beforehand in slow motion – as a flowing chain of throw, stroke, run, catch.
Variation: Team up with a partner-serve the ball and watch it soar to the other player.