What you actually need
A racket is the main purchase. Size by age: 21 inches for under-9, 23 inches for ages 10-12, and full size (27 inches) at 13 and up. Don’t buy an adult racket for a small child, improper size leads to bad habits and injuries.
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HEAD Speed junior racquet
HEAD's aluminum junior line, pre-strung, in 19 through 25 inch lengths. Light enough for a real swing, cheap enough to outgrow without guilt.
Our take: Buy the length that matches your kid's height today, not next year. An oversized racket builds a swing they'll have to unlearn.
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Tennis shoes matter more than most parents realize. Court shoes have soles designed to grip clay, hard courts, and grass without sliding. Running shoes on a tennis court are slippery and dangerous.
Youth tennis court shoes
Court-specific shoes with a herringbone or hard-court outsole pattern. Designed to grip and release on hard courts without sliding or catching. Not running shoes — different sole construction.
Our take: Running shoes on a tennis court create ankle roll risk during lateral cuts. Court shoes are the one place not to cut corners in this sport.
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A tube of balls is standard. Use orange dot (slower) for younger kids under 12, and regular yellow balls for older players. Stringing tension matters: a factory-strung racket loses tension within three months, and a loose-strung racket plays dead. Plan on a restringing every two to three months.
Penn QST 60 orange tennis balls (12 pack)
The slower 60-foot-court ball USTA youth programs actually use. Lower bounce that a kid can rally with instead of chase.
Our take: The orange ball is the difference between a rally and a fetch drill. Twelve is the right count; half will end up over the fence.
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Penn Championship tennis balls
Standard yellow pressurized balls for full-size court play. The ball used in most middle and high school programs and adult recreational leagues.
Our take: Buy a case, not a single can. They go dead fast with regular play. At 12 and up, yellow balls are the standard — if your kid is playing on the full court, these are the ones to use.
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Sizing notes
Need to know what size? See our Tennis sizing guide.
Used gear notes
Play It Again Sports stocks used rackets. For used shoes, check the soles for uneven wear, heavy wear on one spot means the shoe is compensating for a swing flaw. Facebook Marketplace works too. Make sure any used racket has been recently restrung or is due for it.
What you can skip
Skip designer tennis outfits. Plain athletic clothes work. Skip string savers and expensive dampeners, gimmicks. Skip premium ball pressurization cans. Balls are cheap enough to replace when they go dead.