Teaching kids how to play pickleball in Hawaii follows the same foundation as anywhere else in the world. It all starts with helping them build strong movement skills, hand-eye coordination, and good technique so they can fully enjoy the game.

Below, you’ll find a 10-week plan that we follow at Hawaii Pickleball Academy™, which is based in Hawaii and features our after-school pickleball programs. Each weekly session lasts one hour and is built around one core idea: make pickleball fun and active.

Every child should feel engaged, included, and challenged at their level. That means keeping things moving, using engaging games, and adjusting the difficulty level based on each child’s skill. More advanced kids can be challenged with more difficult drills, while beginners receive extra time to focus on the basics. This helps everyone thrive — even in a group setting.

🗓️ 10-Week Pickleball Lesson Plan

Length: 1 Hour/Week

Ages: Grades 2–5

Goal: Build movement, coordination, technique, and love for the game

Week 1: Introduction & Movement Basics

  • Warm up without paddles
  • Court Safety & Boundaries:
    • Respect personal space (don’t swing paddles too close)
    • Call “Mine!” when going for the ball
    • Don’t run backwards — turn and move safely
    • Stay within court lines
    • Be aware of paddle swings
  • What is Pickleball? (Simple game explanation)
  • Fun Activities:
    • Cone Catch
    • Paddle Carry Relay
    • Ball bounce drills
    • Paddle control games

Week 2: Forehand Groundstrokes & Serves

  • Basic warm-up
  • Forehand Technique:
    • Learn proper grip
    • Practice shadow swings
    • Hit forehands over the net
    • Different forehand drills
  • Serve Basics:
    • Learn underhand serve
    • Serve toward targets

Week 3: Backhand Groundstrokes

  • Warm-up and review
  • Backhand Technique:
    • Learn grip
    • Practice shadow swings
    • Hit backhands over the net
    • Different backhand drills

Week 4: Forehand & Backhand Practice

  • Review both strokes
  • Combine forehand/backhand in movement drills
  • Practice hitting on the run
  • Emphasize footwork and control

Week 5: Volleys

  • What is a volley? (How it’s different from a groundstroke)
  • Proper grip and ready position
  • Shadow volleys near net
  • Practice forehand/backhand volleys
  • Fun net control games

Week 6: Groundstrokes + Volleys

  • Review forehand, backhand, and volleys
  • Practice transitions from baseline to net
  • Drill: Hit a groundstroke, move forward, and volley
  • Rally games combining all strokes

Week 7: Dinking

  • What is a dink and why it matters
  • Paddle control drills
  • Kitchen line footwork
  • Dink rallies with a partner
  • Game: “Stay in the Kitchen”

Week 8: Small Games (No Scoring)

  • Review major strokes
  • Play short matches to 5 or 7 points (no score emphasis)
  • Rotate partners
  • Encourage teamwork, movement, and fun

Week 9: Fix Weak Spots

  • Review performance from Week 8
  • Target specific areas (forehand, backhand, volleys)
  • Individual feedback
  • End with short games to apply skills

Week 10: Skills Review & Fun Tournament

  • Quick warm-up and full stroke review
  • Competitions:
    • Target games
    • Mini-points
    • Serving contests
  • Hand out certificates or stickers
  • Optional: Take a group photo and invite parents to watch

The 10-week pickleball after-school program is a fun and effective way to introduce kids to the sport. It keeps them active, teaches fundamentals, and builds confidence — all while creating memories on the court with friends. Best of all, pickleball is a sport they can enjoy for life, with family or on their own.

Conclusion

At Hawaii Pickleball Academy™, our mission is to make the game of pickleball approachable, exciting, and rewarding for every child. While there’s no single “correct” way to teach the sport, our experience has shown that the most effective path is through consistent, simple, and engaging steps.

By focusing on small, digestible skills each week, children build confidence and see real progress—without feeling overwhelmed. Whether they’re beginners learning to grip a paddle or more advanced players working on dinks and volleys, every child deserves a fun and encouraging environment to grow.

In the end, it’s not just about hitting the ball—it’s about building movement, coordination, teamwork, and a lifelong love for the game. This 10-week plan is just the beginning of their pickleball journey, one filled with joy, laughter, and lasting memories on the court.