Is PongPlanet worth it?

Parents recommend PongPlanet and the average rating is 4.5 out of 5. Overall, the reviews indicate that PongPlanet provides engaging and enjoyable experiences for children.

What ages can go to PongPlanet?

PongPlanet has camps, classes and birthday parties for children for all ages. Age-appropriate activities are designed to engage and inspire children at different developmental stages.

PongPlanet - See 2025 Schedules, Reviews & More

About

PongPlanet

PongPlanet is the Bay Area’s premier full-time table tennis club, with locations in San Carlos and Hayward.
We provide top-quality courts, professional equipment, and expert coaching in a friendly and welcoming environment. Our programs are designed for kids and adults of all skill levels — whether you're a beginner or a competitive player.

We offer:

Kids Camps during school holidays and breaks – a perfect blend of learning, fun, and fitness
Private Lessons & Robot Training – personalized coaching to sharpen skills
Group Classes & Leagues – structured progression and competitive opportunities
Open Play Hours – enjoy the game at your own pace
Birthday Parties & Corporate Events – ping pong-themed fun for all ages

At PongPlanet, we’re passionate about growing the love of table tennis through quality instruction, a vibrant community, and a whole lot of fun!

Founded in 2012

Our Staff

Daniel Kim

Before moving to the Bay Area, Daniel worked as a full-time coach in the MJ International Club. He also played competitively and was an elite member of World Table Tennis Club in Korea. Daniel has experience in personal training and conditioning and holds a bachelor degree in Accounting/Finance Texas Christian University.

Daniel believes a coach’s philosophy towards teaching is as important as his skillset. As a coach, Daniel is capable of breaking down complex techniques into bite-sized pieces so even a beginner can execute them without feeling overwhelmed. He tries to help them leave with a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, which he ultimately believes will help them stay engaged with the sport. He spends a great amount of time critically observing and analyzing professional players and his students to keep up with new techniques and game strategies, as well as teaching methods.

Career Highlights:

Training under Korean national players and Chinese National Players

Invited and played in Shanghai International Club

2016 YoungNam Donic/Tagro Open – 1^stplace in Men’s singles and teams

2016 91^stBusan Yeonhab Competition – 3^rdplace in Men’s singles

2016 92^stBusan Yeonhab Competition – 1^stplace in Men’s singles

2016 21^stBusan Competition – 1^stplace in Men’s singles

2016 28^thBusan North Region Competition – 3^rdplace in Men’s singles

2017 22^ndBusan Competition – 1^stplace in Men’s singles

2018 1^stYangSan Open – 2^ndplace in Men’s singles, 1^stplace in Men’s Teams

Honors & Awards

PongPlanet is the modern evolution of the legendary Palo Alto Table Tennis Club (PATTC) — a Bay Area icon with a proud 24-year legacy. For decades, PATTC was the region’s premier table tennis institution, cultivating a culture of excellence and producing elite athletes, including Ariel Hsing, a 2012 Olympian, and Lily Zhang, a 4-time Olympianwho represented Team USA in 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024..

In 2012, PATTC transitioned into a full-time club and rebranded as PongPlanet, expanding its mission to grow the sport of table tennis. Now with two locations — San Carlos and the newly opened Hayward facility — PongPlanet continues to offer top-tier coaching, facilities, and community programming.

Our San Carlos location features a 9,600 sq. ft. facility equipped with:

International competition-grade tables
Professional sports flooring
Tournament-level LED lighting
18-foot high ceilings
Barrier-enclosed courts
Two private party rooms
A fully stocked Pro Shop
Air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and ample parking

Our Hayward location brings the same level of professional coaching and high-quality programming to a new, state-of-the-art venue, expanding access to players across the East Bay.

With a legacy of excellence and a commitment to player development, PongPlanet is proud to be home to some of the top coaching talent in the region, helping athletes of all ages and skill levels thrive.

Tax ID (EIN): 45-5437973

Locations (2)

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Reviews

4.5 (12)

Write a Review

(Table Tennis & Chess Summer Camps)

September 2, 2022 - Huangming Xie

Verified Purchase

My 11-year-old son had a wonderful time at the camp, and became super interested in both table tennis and chess. Before sending him to the camp, we just wanted to give him exposure to all sports. We were pleasantly surprised that he was super enthusiastic with table tennis.

Every day at pick-up time, he was reluctant to leave, and I played with him for another hour before he was willing to head home. He coached me and taught me many techniques that he learned during the camp -- clearly he learned so much during the day! After arriving at home, he played pingpong against the wall for another one to two hours until he was soaked with sweat.

He had lots of respect for the coaches and advanced players, which I found surprising, because he was never easily impressed by anyone. The coaches were clearly inspiring.

He also improved a great deal on chess, and had lots of respect for the chess coach. Now he beats me easily in chess games. I am just so amazed how much he has improved.

We plan to send him back for private lessons and for future camps. We are absolutely pleased with the camp.

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(Table Tennis & Chess Summer Camps)

August 5, 2022 - Caitlin Kaufman

Verified Purchase

This camp was NOT as advertised. It is a table tennis camp. They do not “live and breathe table tennis and chess for 6-8 hours per day.” Table tennis is 4.5 hours today and chess is only played if you pay an additional cost for the 3-5pm class. The kids had fun playing table tennis though.

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PongPlanet

August 5, 2022

Thanks for your feedback. We have included full information about what the schedule look like daily. Under "Itinerary" you will see the detailed description "9:00AM-12:00PM Morning training session, kids will learn and practice all the fundamental strokes from professional coaches. Multi-ball training, group play, one-on-one coaching, fun ping pong games and physical training included.
12:00PM-1:30PM Lunch break and free play time.
1:30PM-3:00PM Afternoon training session, kids will keep practicing and playing some fun ping pong games led by professional coaches.
3:00PM-5:00PM Chess Class led by a National Expert Chess Coach." ActivityHero page does require you to click "Itinerary" to read the details. We believe we did our best to accommodate your son and his two friends' needs and requests.

1 more response

Caitlin Kaufman

August 5, 2022

Unfortunately, the itinerary does not explain that afternoon “match play” is just ping pong, and not chess match play.

(Table Tennis & Chess Summer Camps)

July 20, 2022 - Niharika Kamat

Verified Purchase

My child liked the camp overall, they taught good techniques of the game. The chess part is additional cost and not 50/50 split for chess / ping pong. Chess is only 2 hrs in the afternoon. My child did complain that at least the 1-2 times they stayed for chess, they never really played with a partner or even on the board. They seemed to be playing games on a drawing board like puzzles.

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PongPlanet

July 20, 2022

Thanks for your feedback. We are glad to hear that your child enjoyed playing ping pong and we believe he can benefit from this fun lifetime sport. For the chess part, we do have the schedule description clearly mention the hours for table tennis and chess. We will share your honestly feedback with our chess instructor and continuously improve our services.

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Questions & Answers

The chess class is from 3pm-5pm so kids can learn and play chess for 2 hours. Table Tennis is from 9am-3pm including a lunch break from 12pm-1:30pm. Does this mean chess occurs during extended care hours? To sign up for chess do we just sign up for extended care? (Table Tennis & Chess Summer Camps) -

asked on Jun 15, 2022

Jun 15, 2022 - JAMES GUO

Hi, thanks for your question. If you plan to pick up your kid at 5pm, and you already signed up for 3pm-5pm chess, you don't need extended care. The extended care is from 5pm-6pm. -

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Will you consider running this in San Francisco next year? For some reason there is no ping pong here and I think a lot of kids would love to play. My kids LOVE the game and i know others would too if the opportunity existed. Thanks (Table Tennis Summer Camps) -

asked on Jul 25, 2021

Aug 13, 2021 - JAMES GUO

Thanks for asking! Currently, we don't have any plan to run the ping pong camps in the city. I hope things will change and we will have the opportunity in the future. -

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How much of the day do kids get to play chess? How much is dedicated to table tennis? (Table Tennis & Chess Summer Camps) -

asked on Jun 22, 2021

Jun 23, 2021 - JAMES GUO

The chess class is from 3pm-5pm so kids can learn and play chess for 2 hours. Table Tennis is from 9am-3pm including a lunch break from 12pm-1:30pm. -

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What is you mask policy for the Dec 28-30, 2020 camp session? (2020 Winter Break Table Tennis Camps)

asked on Dec 14, 2020

Dec 14, 2020 - JAMES GUO

Hi Tiffany, thanks for your questions! For the ping pong camp, we require everyone who enters the facility must to wear a face mask including our coaches. We clean and sanitize the equipment frequently and keep hand sanitizer handy for kids to use. Also, there will be no one else in the 3000sqft training room beside only 4-6 kids and the coach. Our business is currently closed to the public, we only offered the camp for kids and limited services for our existing private students. -

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PongPlanet

PongPlanet is the Bay Area's top table tennis club, offering camps, lessons, classes, leagues, and event hosting for players of all ages and skill levels.

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