Best Kids Racquets For 2023 – A Parent’s Guide

The most important thing when it comes to choosing a kids’ tennis racquet is picking the right size racquet relative to the kid’s height.

A racquet that is too big can be difficult to play with and slows down the kid’s progress.  On the other hand, a racquet that is too small can cause too much wrist and elbow action.

In this guide, I will help you choose the right size tennis racquet for your kids. I also have a few recommendations on the best tennis racquets on the market. 

Our Top Racquet Recommendation For Kids

Here is a quick table to find out the right size for your child based on age and height.

Wilson US Open Racquet

This is one of the most popular kids racquets on the market.  The racquet comes in 4 sizes – 19 inches, 21 inches, 23 inches, and 25 inches.

With the prominent Wilson logo on the strings of the racquet and “US Open” printed along the top of the racquet’s head, your kid will look like a pro when practicing.

Prince Attack Junior Tennis Racquet

Like the Wilson US Open racquet, the Prince Attach Junior racquet also comes in 4 sizes and colors.

Though Prince is not a popular brand anymore, it is still a good racquet for kids.

Street Tennis Racquet for Kids

The Street racquet starts at 17″, which is ideal for kids 4 and under.  There are two additional sizes – 19 inches and 21 inches.

The racquet has a smiley face printed on the strings and multi-colored paint on the frame.

Hello Kitty Pink Junior Tennis Racquet

This is a racquet girls are sure to love. With a pink grip and a hello kitty logo printed on the strings, the racquet stands out.

It comes in 4 sizes – 19 inches, 21 inches, 23 inches, and 25 inches.

Marvel Spider-Man Junior Tennis Racquet

If your kid is a Spider-man fan, this racquet is for him or her. It has red, black, and blue paint on the frame with Spider-man print on the strings. It also comes with a red grip to please the young Spider-man fan in your family.

It comes in four sizes – 19 inches, 21 inches, 23 inches, and 25 inches.

Babolat Aero Nadal Junior Tennis Racquet

This junior racquet made with aluminum is a replica of Rafael Nadal’s Pure Aero racquet. With its distinct yellow and black paint and black grip, the racquet stands out among the junior racquets.

The racquet comes in 4 different sizes 21, 23, 25, and 26 inches. So you will be able to find a racquet for kids of all ages.

Head Instinct Kids Tennis Racquet 

This is a great racquet for kids starting with the game. The racquet has a head light balance.  This helps reduce vibration in the arms and wrist and provides stability, allowing kids to hit the ball freely.

The Instinct racquets come in three sizes age ranges, 21, 23, and 25 inches.

Wilson Burn Junior Tennis Racquet

Wilson is one of the most iconic racquet brands.  The junior racquet looks sleek and is easy on the arm.

This is a quality racquet from a big name brand. A pink version of this racquet is also available. It comes in three sizes – 19, 21, and 23 inches.

Gamma Junior Tennis Racquet

Though Gamma is a well-known brand in tennis, it is not as well known as Wilson, Head, or Babolat.

This lightweight racquet is made of aluminum that allows kids to hit the ball freely from the get-go. The racquets are color-coded by size.

The racquet comes in four sizes – 19, 21, 23, and 25-inch.  The racquets are colored blue, red, orange, and green, respectively by size.

HEAD Speed Junior Tennis Racquet

Is your kid a Novak Djokovic fan?  Then he or she is certain to appreciate this racquet.

The racquet comes in 4 sizes – 19, 21, 23, 25 inches, each in a different color.

What is the right age for kids to start tennis classes?

Parents can start enrolling kids in group classes when they are 4 to 5 years old. Group classes are a great way to learn the game and have fun with other kids of the same age.

When kids are younger than 4 years old, parents can introduce tennis with fun games at home, in the backyard, and if they show interest, even on a tennis court. Watching tennis on TV with kids can also spark kids’ interest in the game.

Racquet Sizing By Age

The table earlier in the article showed the appropriate racquet length by the age and height of the kid. The table above works well in most cases but it is not perfect.

Another way to find out what racquet size your kid needs is to have the kid stand tall, then measure the length from the floor to the kid’s hand.

If your kids fall between two sizes, it is best to size down rather than size up.  Smaller racquets are easier to handle and your kid will progress faster.

Grip Sizes

Grip size is the circumference of the racquet handle and is expressed in inches.  Almost all kids racquets have a 4″ grip size. If you feel that the grip size is too small, you can add an overgrip to increase the grip size.

Strings

Kids’ racquet will come pre-strung and the strings that come with the racquet will work fine.  In the early years of learning the game, the racquet string is not that critical.

When kids become teenagers and move to the adult size racquet, strings and string tension become more important.

Weight and Materials

The good news is that most kids racquets are lightweight and easy to play with.  They are usually made with aluminum and sometimes mixed with graphite.  These materials help make kids’ racquets more affordable compared to adult racquets.

The kids’ racquets listed in this article are all durable and will stand up to use kids are likely to subject them to.

Are there boys’ racquets and girls’ racquets?

Racquets are unisex – meaning both boys and girls can play with the same racquet.  But manufacturers sometimes paint them in different colors and styles to make them appealing to boys or girls. But if you bought a racquet for your son, your daughter should be able to use the same racquet.

Factors to consider when choosing a kid’s racquet

Once you have decided on the size of the racquet to buy, it then comes down to the preference of the child

Color and Theme – Do they want a certain color (eg. pink)?  Or do they want certain characters on their racquets?

Favorite player– Is your kid a Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal, or a Novak Djokovic fan?  You can help them pick a racquet that is a junior replica of their idol’s racquets.

Where can I buy kid’s racquets?

Kids racquets are available online and at most big box and specialty sports stores such as:

• Amazon
• Walmart
• Target
• Academy
• Dick’s Sporting Goods

At what age should kids switch to adult racquets?

Once kids reach age 13 and are about 5 feet tall, they can switch to the 27-inch adult racquet.  This is just a general guideline.  Your kid may progress slower or faster. Your kid’s tennis instructor will be able to tell you when it is time to move to an adult size racquet.

What are the differences between an adult racquet and a kids racquet?

Price: Kids’ racquets are more affordable compared to adult racquets.  Though there are affordable adult racquets, you will find that kids’ racquets are cheaper.

Demo options: Stores will allow you to demo an adult racquet but because of how affordable kids racquets are, you won’t have that option for the kids ‘ racquets.

Size: This one is obvious.  The adult racquet is 27 inches whereas kids racquets can be as small as 15 inches

Materials: Adult racquets are made of different materials for durability, reducing vibration, power, control, etc. But most kids racquets are made of aluminum to keep costs down.