Bouncy Rocks

Z-Balls

I have a few 'bouncy rocks' in my ball cart. They come in handy when you are looking for a change from the usual tennis-centric warmup activities. The irregularly shaped solid rubber objects come in bright colors and patterns and are the right size for the smallest of hands. They aren't cheap, but they are sturdy and will last forever if you can keep track of them. They can be found online here and other places.

Rock Balls

Granted your youngest players will likely not be able to catch them on the first or even multiple bounces, but they get a kick out of the crazy bounces and chasing them all over the court. The older players will be challenged to use their agility, balance, and speed to keep up with these things. I don't have any uber-organized activity for them - just trying to catch them is difficult enough. For the younger kids who have trouble catching them, just toss the rocks and whomever comes up with it gets to toss it next.

Take some precautions as they are hard and dense for their size, and would definitely sting if you got hit with one. Underhand toss only! Also make sure they don't try to hit them with their tennis racquets - otherwise I hope you have a stringing machine at your club.