Are School Holiday Tennis Camps Worth It? A Parent's Guide to Heffron Park's Camps
If you're trying to fill a week of school holidays with something that isn't just screen time, a tennis camp is worth considering, provided your child is at an age and stage where a full day of structured activity actually suits them, particularly given how much regular play can support a child's development and wellbeing. Here's what a week at Heffron Park's holiday camps actually involves, so you can decide if it's the right fit before you book. This guide focuses specifically on the Heffron Park program, if you're comparing options across the city, our overview of school holiday tennis camps in Sydney is a good place to start.
What a Day at Camp Actually Looks Like
Camp days run from 9:00am to 3:00pm and are split into three blocks rather than one long, undifferentiated session, with recess, lunch, and regular hydration breaks built in between. The structure matters more than it sounds: kids get a genuine skills-building component, not just supervised free play with a racquet in hand, the kind of structured coaching that's worth checking for wherever you enrol your child, see our guide on what makes good kids' tennis coaching for what to look for.
9:00–10:30am · Skills and Drills
The morning block focuses on technique, building the fundamentals kids draw on during the games and match play later in the day.
11:00am–12:30pm · Point Play, Games, and Match Play
Kids put the morning's skills to use in actual points and games, with match play building through the week as familiarity grows.
1:30–3:00pm · Multi-Sport Games
The afternoon shifts to broader multi-sport games, keeping energy up and giving kids who aren't purely tennis-focused something to look forward to.
What Ages and Skill Levels It Works For
Camps run for kids aged 4 to 14 and are open to all levels of ability, with children grouped by peer level so a complete beginner isn't matched against a kid who plays every week. If your child is younger or newer to tennis, it's worth asking the coaching team how groups are split for the specific week you're booking, since group sizes and mixes can vary week to week.
What's Included in the Price
| Format | Price |
|---|---|
| Full week (5 days) | $330 |
| Single full day | $90 |
| Half day (9:00am–12:30pm) | $70 |
| After-care (3:00–6:00pm) | $16 |
Coaching for mixed-ability groups is included, racquets are provided if your child doesn't have one, and the week wraps up with a complimentary Friday barbecue and a round-robin tournament with prizes. Camps also run as single days or multi-day blocks, not just full weeks, which makes them workable if you only need to cover part of a school break rather than the whole thing. If you're weighing camp against ongoing weekly lessons, our full price breakdown of kids' tennis lessons covers what the regular term-time program costs.
What to Pack
Pack lunch, snacks, a water bottle, sunscreen, and a hat. A personal racquet is optional since one will be provided if needed, but if your child already has one they're used to, bringing it usually makes for a smoother first session.
What Happens If It Rains
Camps run rain, hail, or shine, with indoor activities organised on wet days. If numbers require it, kids may be moved to a partner facility with more indoor space for that session. This is worth knowing before you book if your child gets thrown by a change in routine, since a rained-out day still runs, just with a different format.
How Camps Compare to Term-Time Lessons
A holiday camp is a different format from the weekly Hot Shots program, not a replacement for it. Term-time lessons build skill through repetition across a full term, spaced out by stage; a camp compresses a similar amount of court time into a single intensive week, with more games and match play mixed in. Camps work well as a taster for kids who haven't tried tennis before, a way to keep a term-time player sharp over the break, or simply a change of pace from the usual weekly format. If your child ends up enjoying camp and doesn't already do weekly lessons, our age guide is a good next step for working out where they'd start in the regular program, and our piece on why parents choose Heffron Park for kids' tennis classes covers what families value most about the weekly format.
Key Takeaways
- ●Camps run 9:00am–3:00pm across three structured blocks: skills and drills, point play and games, and multi-sport games.
- ●Open to ages 4–14, all skill levels, grouped by peer level.
- ●Full week is $330, single day $90, half day $70, with after-care available at $16.
- ●Racquets are provided if needed; camps run rain, hail, or shine with indoor contingency plans.
- ●Camps and term-time lessons serve different purposes and work well together, not as substitutes for one another.
For a fuller look at how holiday camps fit alongside everything else on offer, see our overview of the Learn. Play. Win. program at Heffron Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to book a spot?
Check current camp dates or come try a free trial in the regular Hot Shots program first.
Check camp dates →The Heffron Park Tennis Coaching Team runs the club's full Kinder Tennis through Squad pathway in Matraville, working with kids of every age and stage.