Here's a surprising fact: badminton is actually the second most popular sport in the world right behind soccer. On top of all of the scholarships that your child can get from playing badminton, badminton will also help them refine important motor skills and improve their hand-eye coordination. To help your child get started, it's important to choose the right type of racquet. Here are 3 features that will really make a difference.

Shorter Arm Length

Think about it this way. The badminton racquet is basically like an extension of the arm. It can take time to get used to where the surface of the racquet is. As a shorter arm length is easier to control, it can improve your child's hand-eye coordination until they finally get used to the racquet. Generally speaking, a racquet length of 19 inches is recommended for children up to 4 years of age, and a racquet length of 21 inches is recommended for children that are 4 to 5 years old. You'll want to monitor your child's progress. Once they become accustomed to a certain length, you can consider getting a longer racquet. Note that your child will need time to adjust to the different lengths.

If your child is going to compete, you'll have to check the competition rules to determine whether there is a maximum racquet length set for your child's age group.

Low String Tension

Regardless of the type of badminton string that you'll choose for your child, the important thing that you should consider is the tension of the string on the racquet. Each badminton racquet has a "sweet spot". If the shuttle hits the sweet spot, it'll be bounced off the racquet more forcefully. This will give your child more control over the shuttle.

A racquet with low string tension will have a larger sweet spot, which means that your child will have a better chance at hitting the spot; however, the racquet won't be as powerful as one that has high string tension. When starting your child off with badminton lessons, go for a racquet with low string tension to ease your child into the game. As your child becomes more skilled, you can get the strings tightened. Racquets with low string tension also tend to be more durable, which is an important trait for beginners.

Light Frames

While heavy frames will give your child more control over the racquet, you always want to start off light with a racquet that does not exceed 100 grams. As your child is still a beginner, they likely haven't developed their arm muscles yet. If you go with a heavy racquet, your child will have a tendency to use their arm to move the racquet and hit the shuttle, rather than their wrist. This is poor form and can even result in muscle injuries.

Before purchasing the racquet, let your child walk around swinging it for some time. If your child gets tired quickly, the racquet is simply too heavy for now.

Conclusion

As your child's skills improve, you'll want to get them different types of racquets. However, if you are just easing them into the sport, it's important that you spend some time choosing badminton rec sets that will not take a huge physical toll on their body.