Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Design Your Own Tennis Kit
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Design Your Own Tennis Kit is a free printable art activity inspired by the Wimbledon Championships. Children become kit designers and create their own tennis outfit, choosing the colours, patterns and details that make it theirs. It needs only a few pencils or pens, and there is no right or wrong answer.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company. Print both pages. Give page 1 to your child and keep page 2, which has notes for the grown up, help ideas and a stretch idea. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children design their own tennis kit, inspired by the excitement of Wimbledon. They decide on a colour scheme, think about patterns and add personal touches so the finished design looks like it belongs to a real player. It is an open task, so every sheet comes out different. Children can use pencils, crayons or felt tips, and they can talk about their choices as they work.
Ideas to build your design
Pick a colour palette
Choose two or three colours before you start. Fewer colours often look neater and more professional. Try them on scrap paper first to see how they look side by side.
Try a pattern
Stripes, spots, zigzags or checks can all work. Keep the pattern simple and repeat it so it looks planned. Draw it lightly in pencil before you colour.
Add a logo
Invent a small symbol that stands for you or your team. Keep it simple enough to draw again and again. A shape, an initial or a tiny animal all work well.
Think about the player
Ask who the kit is for. Is it for you, a friend or an imaginary champion? Knowing the player helps you make choices and explain them.
Why design a tennis kit?
The Wimbledon Championships is a famous tennis tournament held in London each summer. It is played on grass courts and is well known for its traditions, including a dress code where players wear almost entirely white. That makes it a good starting point for design, because designers often have to be creative within a set of rules.
Designing a kit asks children to think about purpose as well as looks. Sports clothes need to let players move freely, and teams and players like to look distinctive. Children practise choosing colour, pattern and shape on purpose, then explaining why they chose them. This builds confidence in art and in talking about ideas.
Fun facts about tennis and Wimbledon
- Wimbledon is played on grass courts.
- At Wimbledon, players are expected to wear almost entirely white.
- An ace is a serve that lands in the right area and the receiver cannot touch with their racket.
- A double fault is when a player misses with both of their serves, so the other player wins the point.
- In tennis scoring, a score of zero is called love.
Skills and curriculum link
- Creative design
- Colour choice
- Pattern making
- Fine motor control
- Explaining ideas
Tennis words to know
- AceA serve that lands in the right area and the receiver cannot touch with their racket.
- Double faultTwo serves in a row that miss the right area. The server loses the point.
- ServeThe shot that starts each point. The server hits the ball over the net into the opposite court.
- KitThe clothes a player wears to play a sport, which can be designed in team or personal colours.
Key words
- DesignTo plan how something will look before you make it.
- KitThe clothes worn to play a sport.
- PatternA shape or colour that repeats, such as stripes or spots.
- Colour paletteThe small group of colours you choose to use together.
- LogoA simple symbol that stands for a person, team or brand.
- TournamentA series of matches played to find a winner.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes and ideas for you.
- Talk about tennis first. Ask your child what players wear and why they might need clothes that are easy to move in.
- Let your child plan their colours and patterns in pencil before using bold pens or crayons.
- Encourage them to add personal touches, such as a logo or a team name, and to work at their own pace.
- Finish by asking your child to describe their design. Ask, "Why did you choose those colours?" Display it somewhere special.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start small. Pick just two colours and one simple pattern, such as stripes or spots. Draw lightly in pencil first, then colour in. Talk through one choice at a time, such as what colour a tennis player might wear and why. Add extra details later.
To stretch confident children
Design a matching set for a doubles pair, so the two players look like a team but are still easy to tell apart. Then write a short sentence explaining why you chose each colour and pattern. Share it with someone and ask what they notice first.
Make it a game
Play design swap. Draw a simple kit outline on paper. Each player adds one feature, such as a colour block or stripe, then passes the paper on. After three turns, give the finished kit a team name. Everyone then votes for their favourite.
Talk about it
- What colours would you choose for a champion, and why?
- Why do you think some tournaments have rules about what players wear?
- How would you make your kit different from everyone else's?
- What would your logo look like, and what does it stand for?
- Which would you rather design, a team kit or a kit just for you?
- What would a player need from their clothes when they run and stretch?
Take it off the page
Kit swap parade
Draw several kit designs on separate pieces of paper. Lay them out like a shop window and ask someone to pick a favourite. Ask them to explain why they chose it.
Paper racket and ball game
Make a simple racket from card and a ball from scrunched paper. Gently tap the ball back and forth in a safe space indoors. Talk about serving and rallies.
Colour hunt
Look around your home or garden and collect five colours that work well together. Draw them as a palette and imagine a kit made from them.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first few minutes, then let them take the lead. Praise their choices rather than the neatness. Ask open questions about their design, and remember there is no right or wrong answer.
Teachers
Use it during Wimbledon fortnight, as a plenary in an art or design lesson, or as a calm early finisher task. Pupils can present their designs and explain their colour and pattern choices, which supports speaking skills.
Home educators
This works well as a relaxed afternoon activity, alongside watching a match or looking at photographs of tennis. Let your child choose their materials and take their time. Mixed age children can work side by side and share ideas.
Where this fits in
Before this sheet, children benefit from simple drawing and colouring practice, and from noticing colours and patterns around them. They may already have tried making patterns with stripes, spots and repeating shapes.
After this sheet, children can design for other purposes, such as a team flag, a badge or a poster. They can start to plan and make products and to explain how their design suits its purpose. In the National Curriculum for England, this links to the art and design strands on using drawing, colour and pattern creatively, and to the design strand of design and technology.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What is Design Your Own Tennis Kit?
It is a free printable art activity where children design their own tennis kit, inspired by the Wimbledon Championships. They choose colours, patterns and details, so every finished sheet is different. It needs only simple colouring tools.
- What age is it suitable for?
It suits any child who enjoys drawing and colouring. Younger children can use bold colours and simple shapes, while older children can add detailed patterns, logos and written explanations. The open task adapts easily to different abilities.
- How long does it take?
There is no set time. Some children finish quickly, while others enjoy adding lots of detail. Let your child decide when their design is finished, and come back to it another day if they want to add more.
- Does my child need to know about tennis?
No. The sheet works without any tennis knowledge. A short chat about what players wear, or a look at photographs of a match, is plenty. The tennis words on this page can help if your child is curious.
- Are there answers on page 2?
No. This is an open design task, so there are no right or wrong answers. Page 2 gives notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, and a stretch idea.
- Can I use it in the classroom?
Yes. It works for an art lesson, a sports themed topic, a summer term activity or an early finisher task. Pupils can display their kits and explain their design choices to a partner or the class.
- Do I need to colour it in?
Colour is a big part of the fun, but it is not essential. Black and white printing works well. Children can use pencils, crayons or felt tips, and can also add patterns with shading or line drawings.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.