Fun with dad: mini table tennis

I just found this gem of a toy the other day - a mini table tennis set. It is JUST BRILLIANT! You can use it with children from the age of 3 ... but you can also use it on a Friday afternoon in the office for a round of office Olympics (show your co-workers who's daddy! ... or at least who is good at mini table tennis). The sets typically come with two paddles, a little net and net poles and a table tennis ball. All you need is a table. The poles have got suction cups so should work on all smooth table surfaces. It's all about half the size of a normal table tennis table (except for the ball) so don't actually need a lot of space.

When playing with young children what you do at the beginning is actually use a balloon instead of a table tennis ball. It's a fantastic exercise for hand-eye coordination and they will almost certainly love the fun involved in hitting a balloon with a paddle. At the beginning you want to blow up the balloon a fair bit so it move slowly ... as your kids get better at it, use smaller balloons with less air (so they move more quickly). Eventually use a soft ball or the actual table tennis ball.

This is fantastic, cheap and clean fun at home! You can get most sets for less than $10! Apparently Andre Agassi's dad used to strap a paddle to Andre as a child and made him hit balls ... so you never know, this little game might help your offspring become the next tennis pro!

Enjoy

-Stef