Top 5 Basketball Hoops to Buy for your Children

Playing basketball brings many benefits to children. As well as getting them moving, and developing their overall fitness, the sport also helps to improve hand-eye coordination and other gross motor skills. It’s also a sport that’s relatively easy to take up and practice. Putting a basketball hoop somewhere in or around the house means your child can pick up the ball whenever they feel like it.

There are a few things to consider when getting a hoop. The first is where it’s going to go, and how much space you have. The two main types of hoop are freestanding and wall-fixed. Those that fix to the wall are smaller and more discreet, whereas the freestanding ones are larger. But freestanding hoops are adjustable, so can be easier to move as and when your child grows. Hoops will probably need to endure a range of weather, so look for stands and backboards that are durable and sturdy. Below are some of the best hoops on the market today.

Sure Shot Slimline Dual Basketball Hoop & Stand Unit

This is a very sturdy and well built freestanding hoop. The acrylic backboard will stand the weather well, with the plastic pole featuring padding for added player safety. The unit can also convert to a netball hoop by removing four small screws, making it more flexible and adaptable as your child’s sporting interests expand. It’s easy to fold up and pack away, meaning it can be quickly stored away when space is limited.

Bee-Ball ZY-022 Basketball Backboard

This is a wall-mounted backboard and hoop that’s great for saving floor space. An easy-to-use wall bracket is included for a simple and easy fitting which will go into most walls. This hoop has some great features that replicate the professional game. The bracket can be pulled out from the wall to imitate the position of the hoop in a real game, and the ring is spring-loaded to reduce force and pressure on the backboard, making game play smoother and more realistic, and sustaining the life of the backboard.

Net1 Attack Youth Portable Basketball System

The height on this one is adjustable from 2.2 to 2.6 metres making it well-suited for smaller, younger children. This system can be configured several ways. You can use sand or water, and there is room for stakes to help fix the base to the ground. It’s strong, rigid and easy to assemble. Great for quick-use.

Lifetime Youth Basketball System

At the relatively cheap end of things, this freestanding hoop system is surprisingly durable. It might not weather the winter too well, but is easy to put up and take down, so can be stored with little fuss. The best feature about this hoop is its huge adjustable range - from 1.65 to 2.6 metres. This one can grow with your children for a long time.

Sklz Indoor Mini Basketball hoop

This is a fun little hoop that attaches easily to the back of a door and can be used indoors by children to brush up their skills. It’s not regulation sized, and comes with its own mini-basketball, but it can provide endless fun and actually works well to help develop those important hand-eye coordination skills. Needless to say, it's not the most durable hoop on the market, but it's cheap and fun and will last as long as you take care of it.

Photo by Troy Taylor on Unsplash