Using silly sounds and pretend tennis "bats", children build vocal confidence, projection and clarity, without even realising they're learning.
It's an ideal game to play before a performance, group presentation, musical activity or storytelling session, helping children get loud, loose and ready to express themselves.
1. Set the scene
Start by announcing to the group: "I wanted to play tennis today... but I forgot the rackets and balls!"
2. As a group, brainstorm solutions
Ask the children: "How can we play tennis with no equipment?"
Once the ideas have come in, suggest: "We can use our mouths as rackets and sounds as balls!"
3. Demonstrate the serve
Make a big gesture like you're serving a tennis ball and say sounds like "GAGAGAGAGOO!" and "MAMMA MIA!"
Ask them to throw the sound back by repeating it - using their voices like rackets.
4. Try a rally
Starting with the whole group, serve a sound, as the children echo it back.
Then go one-to-one: "Sofia! Catch this sound - CCCCCC!" and she throws it back with her voice.
5. Experiment with volume and pitch
Use soft, loud, high and low sounds. Playful variety keeps it fun and encourages a full vocal range.
This is one of my all-time favourite vocal warm-ups. It's simple, silly and wonderfully effective at getting even less confident children to use their voices with energy and joy.
Lucy Quick, Principal of Perform.
