Junior & Kids Pickleball Paddles
If you're shopping a paddle, you're looking for one of three things: a controlled feel for the kitchen, a powerful drive for the third shot, or honest forgiveness for everyday club games. This collection has all three lanes covered, with the reviews and weight specs to help you pick.
- UK Warehouse
- Free UK Returns
- Customs-Free
- From £29
The line-up
We rank paddles by three signals: what the manufacturer claims, what tour players are actually using, and what UK clubs are buying based on our own sell-through data. The top of the page reflects all three. We don't run pay-to-rank — paddle position is earned, not sold.
The UK pickleball scene moved past wooden bats two summers ago, and the standard at club level is now a £80–£140 carbon-faced paddle from a real brand. This collection is curated against that bar — every paddle here would be a defensible upgrade for an improving club player. The bottom of the price range starts around £30 (entry-tier polypropylene); the top sits north of £250 for tour-grade thermoformed flagships.
The paddle category has consolidated quickly. Five years ago dozens of small brands competed; today the top tier is a half-dozen well-funded brands (JOOLA, Selkirk, Head, Franklin, CRBN, Six Zero) plus a credible direct-to-consumer challenger (Vatic Pro). This collection reflects that consolidation — we stock the brands serious players are actually buying, not the long tail of also-rans.
If you're searching for pickleball for kids specifically, you're in the right place — every paddle, ball, or piece of kit on this page is matched to that intent and stocked here in the UK.
What to look for in junior gear
Junior paddles run 7.0–7.5oz with thinner grip circumferences (3.75"–4.0"). Sized for 8–14 year olds. Avoid heavy adult paddles — the weight slows hand speed, encourages bad form, and is a real injury risk for young players.
Pickleball scales well to younger players because the court is small and the ball is slow. Most kids can play full-court with a regulation paddle by age 9–10. Group lessons (£10–£15/hour for clubs that offer them) are the fastest path from interest to competent play.
What this collection covers
Carbon vs fibreglass split
Carbon for spin and stiffness, fibreglass for soft hands. We list both because they're different tools.
UK warehouse, no customs
Every paddle in stock here ships from a UK address. No customs delays, no surprise import VAT.
Three core thicknesses
13mm for power, 14mm middle ground, 16mm for control. Filter by thickness to skip the rest.
Specialist shop, specialist support.
We play this sport. We've broken paddles in our own play. Our recommendations are the kind you'd get from a club captain, not a marketing department.
Picking the right one
- Match weight to your stroke. 7.5–8.0oz for hand-speed-first; 8.0–8.3oz for balanced; 8.3+oz for power-first or with-lead-tape adjustments.
- Choose the shape. Standard 16" for forgiveness, elongated 16.5" for reach, widebody for the biggest sweet spot.
- Set a price ceiling. £80–£150 covers 95% of what most players actually need. Above £150, returns diminish and brand premium starts to dominate.
- Start with skill level. Beginners benefit from widebody, 16mm, fibreglass faces. Intermediate and above can pick by style preference.
Step sideways
Frequently asked
Are junior pickleball lessons worth it?
If you have access to coaches who teach kids, yes. The sport's mechanics differ enough from tennis that early bad habits are hard to unwind later. Group lessons are cheap and effective at the £10–£15/hour range.
What size paddle for a 10-year-old?
A 7.0–7.5oz paddle with a thinner grip (3.75–4.0" circumference). Most major brands now offer junior-sized models. Avoid heavy adult paddles — the weight slows hand speed and is a real injury risk for kids.
What age can a child start playing pickleball?
5–7 with a smaller paddle and short court setups. By 9–10, most kids can play full-court with a regulation paddle. The sport scales well to younger players because the court is small and the ball is slow.
What size pickleball paddle should I buy?
Standard pickleball paddles are roughly 16″ long and 7.5–8″ wide; elongated paddles run 16.5″ for extra reach. If you're new to the sport, start with a standard or widebody shape — bigger sweet spot, more forgiving on off-centre hits.
What's a thermoformed paddle?
Thermoformed paddles are pressed as a single unibody piece — face, core and edge bonded under heat. They're stiffer, quieter, and less prone to dead-spot creep than traditional sandwich-construction paddles.
Are 16mm or 14mm paddles better?
16mm paddles are control-first: more dwell time on the ball, better for resets and dinks. 14mm paddles trade some control for power and a faster ball off the face. Most improvers settle on 16mm; aggressive baseliners go 14mm.