New to all this?
Start with Small Garden Games for more small-garden game ideas.
See more activitiesFootball Tennis: Garden Rules for Two
Small Garden
Football tennis for the garden needs a rope, feet-only scoring, and one worked ruleset for two players.
A washing line strung between two fence posts works as the "net", the ball must cross it and land in using the foot only, and a fixed touch limit keeps the rally moving. A rope between two fence posts works exactly as well as an actual net, no special equipment needed. A simple handicap keeps it fair when a young beginner plays against an adult.
The core idea in one paragraph
No Hands, and Not Much Else
Football tennis rules for kids come down to one core idea: using the foot only, the ball must go over the "net" and land inside the marked space, and a rally continues until someone fails to return it. It is genuinely simple once seen once, which is exactly why a no hands garden football game like this needs so little explanation before the first point starts.
A few minutes to set up, then play
The Actual House Rules
A garden football tennis net game only needs a rope or a washing line strung across the middle of the space. The garden's own edges, a fence, hedge, path or patio, mark the sides and back of the landing zone on each side.
- 1
String a rope or line at roughly waist height. Between two fence posts, chairs, or anything stable. Height matters more than exactly what material the line is made from.
- 2
Two touches maximum before it crosses, one bounce allowed before each touch. One touch to control it, one to send it over. This keeps rallies short enough for a young beginner to follow without losing track of the point.
- 3
Serve underarm-style with the foot, from anywhere on your own side of the rope. A gentle first touch to start the point, not a full kick, and no fixed service spot needed.
A worked scoring system
Scoring, and a Fair Handicap
First to eleven points, win by two clear points, is the simplest scoring target to run with. Every failed return, hitting the net, missing the landing zone, or using anything other than the foot, gives the point to the other side.
Give the younger or newer player an extra touch, three instead of two, or the benefit of the doubt on any ball that's close to the garden's own edge boundaries, so a genuine beginner still has a real chance in most points.
For a bigger group, or a narrower garden
Doubles and Wall Versions
A parent-and-child pair plays against another pair for a bigger family gathering, using the same touch limit and scoring rules, with either player on a side allowed to make the required touches.
A garden too narrow for a line across it still works, using a fence as a no-net wall version instead. The ball must clear a marked height on the fence and come back before two bounces, trading the net rule for a rebound rule without losing the core feet-only mechanic.
Quick answers
Common Questions About Garden Football Tennis
Do you need a real net for football tennis?
No, a rope or a washing line both work fine, as long as the height stays roughly consistent along its length.
Is football tennis the same as football volleyball?
They describe the same basic idea informally. This page's house rules, two touches, serve with the foot, are one workable version, not an official standard.
How do you make it fair between an adult and a young beginner?
Give the younger player an extra touch, or the benefit of the doubt on any close call near the garden's edge boundaries. A small handicap keeps most points genuinely contestable.
Keep going
Where to Go From Here
Three places to go next, depending on what the garden actually offers tonight.
Want a boundary game instead?
Keep Ball in Garden works on keeping the ball inside a space rather than a rally over a line.
Try Keep Ball in GardenPrefer a shooting duel?
Garden Penalty Shootout Game swaps the rally for a straight shooting and goalkeeping contest.
Play the shootoutTonight's five minutes
String a rope between two fence posts and play to eleven.
The handicap matters more than the exact scoring rule.