As a parent and basketball lover, you’ve looked forward to sharing the game with your son or daughter. Now that your child has entered their toddler years, you can finally get a (small) basketball in their hands and start shooting hoops.
There’s a lot of basketball hoops for kids on the market, read our detailed guide on how to choose the best one that fits your child.
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Who Should Get This
Even children as young as 18 months need to start getting active to build motor skills, coordination, and social skills. As a parent, sharing that love with your child can be rewarding.
You can either play inside or outside, depending on which you purchase. If your kids are younger than 12 months, or older than 5, you should either wait to purchase or purchase a larger hoop.
If your child is more than 10 years old, consider getting a portable hoop that’s larger and sturdier.
Top Choices of Best Basketball Hoops for Kids 2022
Below is our list of recommendations, along with a detailed review of each hoop so you get to know its pros and cons before making an informed decision.
When you were a kid you might have owned the Little Tykes Easy Score Basketball Set, and now you can buy it for yours. It’s a classic choice for young shooters to help build a love for the game. This hoop is best for toddlers, as long as you’re willing to upgrade once they turn five.
What we like:
The hoop can be adjusted from 2.5 feet to 4 feet, helping it grow with your child. The official age range the product gives is 18 months to 5 years old.
The rim is oversized to help your toddler score more shots and build coordination and confidence.
What we don’t like:
To keep the base sturdy, you’ll need to fill it with sand. This sounds a little messy and makes it more challenging to bring the hoop indoors.
The Fajiabao Kids Basketball Hoop looks more like an adult basketball hoop and grows taller than its Little Tykes competitor. It’s also lightweight and easy to break down. It’s good for boys and girls from 3 years old up to 8 years old. You can use it for both indoor and outdoor.
What we like:
This set is lightweight, only weighing 5.87 pounds.
The hoop can expand from 2.85 ft to 6.23 ft.
The hoop can easily be adjusted up and down, meaning your older and younger kids can use it the same day without a hassle. It’s also easy to break down.
The materials are durable and coated with non-toxic powder.
What we don’t like:
There are no spare parts available for purchase, so if it does break, you’ll need to buy a completely new hoop.
It also requires sand or water in the base, but this set was made for outdoor use.
This set has a huge backboard to help your kids learn to score and boasts a sturdy base. It fits kids from the age of 2 years old up to 8 years old. Another bonus is that the center pole allows you to adjust the rim’s height from 30″ to 48″.
What we like:
There are 2 cup holders at the base of the hoop, so your kids will have easy access to hydration.
The base is wide and sturdy, so it won’t fall over.
What we don’t like:
The base can be weighted down with sand or water is not included.
The Hey! Play! Junior Basketball Portable Backboard System can be adjusted the highest among all of our picks — up to 60 inches high. This means it can be used the longest, providing the most value for your purchase.
What we like:
This hoop has the biggest age range for players, the brand says the set is made for children 36 months to 18 years.
The entire set only weighs 2.2 pounds, so it’s easy to move around.
This set looks the most like a regulation hoop.
What we don’t like:
Use sand or water to fill the base, but keep this set outdoors.
There are only two heights the rim can go out, 41 inches or 60, so it’s hard to imagine a 3-year-old child playing.
Basketball Hoops for Toddlers: What to Consider 2022
Take these factors into account while choosing a ball hoop for your kid.
Age
Your child’s age will be a key factor in which basketball hoop you purchase. Each has its own age range or limits that should be considered. Some of the hoops give a specific range, such as 18 months to 5 years, others will just say “3 years and up.” Depending on where your child is in that range should affect which one you end up purchasing. So, if your child is almost five, then you wouldn’t want to purchase a hoop that says the upper limit is five years old.
Hoop Height
When comparing toddler basketball hoops, check the descriptions to see how tall each hoop gets. If your toddler is already in the 90% percentile of height — a true future basketball player — you’ll want to purchase a hoop that can be adjusted to a taller height, too.
Is It Portable?
Depending on your preference, you may want to play inside, outside or both. You’ll want to consider the weight of each basketball hoop or if it can easily be broken down so you can move it to wherever your child wants to play. You’ll also want to see if sand or water needs to be added to the hoop to keep the base sturdy. If there’s sand involved and you like a clean house, it might not be the best indoor option.
Useful Tips and Resources
Now that you’ve decided which basketball hoop could be right for you and your family, it’s time to actually teach your toddler to play basketball.
It’s never too early for your young children to start learning basic basketball skills. Drills are an important part of learning fundamental basketball. If your kids are 7 or 8 years old, learn the basketball drills from this article.
This video also has a guide about rebounding drills to get your toddler started. While you might be excited for your child to start shooting on his or her new hoop, start with dribbling drills. Get them to bounce the smaller ball (that likely comes with the set you just purchased) in front of their feet.
Final Verdict
It’s an exciting time, you’re about to teach your kid the game of basketball. When deciding the purchase your hoop, keep in mind your child’s age.
If your kid is between 18 months and 3 years old, we recommend going with the Little Tykes. If your child is four years old and up, we recommend going for the larger hoop that will last longer and purchasing the Hey! Play! Junior set.
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