Racket Soldiers 🪖
🎤 Coach Script / Setup
“Okay troops! Your mission today is to take down the enemy soldiers — but not with swords or water balloons… with your best tennis shots! These rackets have lined up and they're daring you to knock them down! Let’s see if you’ve got the accuracy and the power!”
🧱 Game Setup
Soldiers = Spare rackets placed upright (handle/butt on ground, strings facing forward)
Place 3–6 rackets across from each child
If short on rackets, stack traffic cones and round cones into tall unstable towers to simulate soldiers
Hitting Zone = Tees or Drop Feeds
Children take turns hitting balls low to high from a hitting tee or drop feed
Distance between hitter and soldier wall depends on age/ability
Parents can help pick up and reset soldiers between turns
🔁 Gameplay
1. Children line up at their hitting station (tee or feeder).
2. One ball at a time – aim to knock over a “soldier” (racket or cone tower).
3. Hitters use forehand technique (low to high) first.
4. When soldiers fall, parents/coaches reset them quickly.
5. After a few rounds, progress to backhand or self-feed.
🪶 Feathers (Simplify for Younger Children)
Let them throw the ball underarm to start
Reduce distance to soldiers
Use larger balls for more success
Place ball in child’s hand and guide their swing together
Let parents support hand placement and help reset soldiers
⚡ Progressions (Older or Confident Children)
Drop Feed: Children toss the ball and hit it themselves instead of from a tee
Backhand Challenge: Have children switch to backhand side and adjust footwork
Hit from movement: Add a side step or small shuffle before contact
Scoring: 1 point per soldier knocked down, track team scores for competition
Timed Challenge: Knock down all soldiers in 30 seconds
🎾 Technical Coaching Tips
Emphasise low-to-high swing
Sideways stance for both forehand and backhand
Encourage early preparation – racket back and eyes on the ball
Use “split step then hit” cue if child is rushing
Praise accuracy over power – “aim not smash!”
Seasonal variations for the "Racket Soldiers" game — keeping the same gameplay (children hitting down upright rackets or cone towers), but changing the theme and props slightly to match the season:
🎄 Christmas – Knock Down the Naughty Elves
Santa’s workshop is under siege from mischievous elves who are standing upright (rackets or cone towers). Children must use their tennis balls to knock them down before they cause more trouble! Parents can help set the elves back up quickly. Optional: place little elf hats (paper cut-outs or visuals) on the top of cones/rackets for effect. 🎅🎄🎁
🎃 Halloween – Smash the Skeletons
Skeleton soldiers (white rackets or cone towers) are guarding the haunted tennis court! Kids must smash them down using tennis balls. Spooky music and “BOO!” sounds encouraged. For added fun, use glow sticks or spooky stickers on the targets. 👻🕸️💀
🐣 Easter – Topple the Chocolate Bunnies
Giant chocolate bunnies (cone towers with round cones as ears or decorated rackets) have popped up on court! Kids must gently knock them down to collect their Easter treats. Optional: place a chocolate wrapper or Easter sticker on each “bunny” to collect after it’s hit. 🐰🍫🌸
💘 Valentine’s – Cupid’s Target Practice
Cupid has lined up heart-shaped towers (use pink/red rackets or cones with heart stickers). Children aim their balls to knock them down as practice for spreading love across the land! Add red or pink beanbags as “love letters” to deliver after each successful hit. 💘🎾💌
💐 Mother’s Day – Knock Down the Flower Pots
Beautiful flower displays (cone towers or upright rackets) are blocking the tennis garden — children must gently knock them over so the flowers can be rearranged. Use round cones in pink, purple, and yellow to resemble petals. 🪻🌼🌷
👔 Father’s Day – Tip Over the Toolboxes
The tennis court has been turned into Dad’s workshop! The upright rackets or cones are now “toolboxes” standing in the way. Knock them down with tennis balls and rebuild them quickly! Add fun stickers of tools (spanners, screwdrivers) to the towers. 🧰🔧🎾