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6 Best Basketball Backboards for Kids

Whether you want your little champ to be the next King Lebron James or just want them to have something to keep them busy. Buying your child a basketball hoop is always a good move. But basketball backboard comes in various size and dimensions. The best hoop for your kid will depend on his/her age and the space available in your home. Some other important factors to consider include:

Best Basketball Backboards for Kids: Comparison Table

Here are Our Full Reviews of the Best 6 Basketball Backboards for Kids

Lifetime 1221 Pro


Lifetime 90040 Height Adjustable Portable Basketball System, 44 Inch…

  • 44″ Impact backboard is constructed of High Density Polyethylene for superior strength and durability
  • 3 pc. Round pole attaches to heavy duty portable base; easy to fill with water or sand
  • Classic rim with an all-weather nylon net; for indoor and outdoor use

For budget-conscious parents, the Lifetime 1221 hoop is a great bargain. Even though it doesn’t have a transparent backboard like high-end hoops, it offers the same quality build and a 5-year warranty.

It also has a 27-gallon base capacity that you can fill with sand or water for stability and a powder-coated steel pole for durability. It’s adjustable up to 10 feet.

PROS

  • 27-gallon base capacity

  • Powder-coated steel pole

  • Adjustable up to 10 feet

CONS

  • Doesn’t have a transparent backboard

Little Tikes Easy-Score


Little Tikes TotSports Easy Score Basketball Set

  • Pink toddler-sized basketball hoop adjusts to six heights, from 2 to 4 feet
  • Includes an oversized rim and junior size basketball
  • Develops social, motor skills and coordination

This backboard focuses on fun, safety, and durability. It’s specially designed for kids between the ages of one and five. With its attractive design, this is the hoop that will get them hooked to the game in their early stages of life.

It comes with three balls and a plastic base that is filled with sand for stability. The whole backboard is made of soft plastic which can not cause any sort of damage whatsoever. It is also adjustable up to four feet to give your child the much-needed competition.

PROS

  • Specially designed for kids

  • Up to 4 feet adjustable

  • Attractive design

  • Focuses on fun, safety, and durability

CONS

  • Made of soft plastic

Jump Slammer Trampoline Hoop


JumpKing Trampoline Basketball Hoop with Attachment and Inflatable…

  • Bring the basketball court to your trampoline with this trampoline basketball hoop attachment
  • Universal design means hoop fits most standard trampoline enclosure poles
  • Solid back panel will stand up to even the toughest basketball activity

To make the beautiful game of basketball even more interesting, you can go for the Jump Slammer Trampoline hoop. This super cool hoop can be fixed on one of the trampoline’s enclosure poles using bracket mounts. It can perfectly fit all standard poles including arch-type and curved poles.

Its frames are made from powder-coated steels for extra durability and come with a foam ball.

PROS

  • Frames are made from powder-coated steels

  •  Comes with a foam ball

CONS

  • Fixed on one of the trampoline enclosure poles

Lifetime 90022 Youth Height Basketball System


Lifetime 90022 32″ Youth Portable Basketball Hoop, Red/Black

  • 32″ Youth Impact backboard with 15-Inch folding rim constructed of 0.5-Inch steel and an all weather nylon net
  • Telescoping height adjustment mechanism easily adjusts from 5.5′ to 7.5′ in 6″ increments
  • Base dimensions: 31.6 inch x 23 inch x 6.1 inch. Rust and weather-resistant; Designed to withstand the harshest elements

For older kids, this complete basketball system will offer the perfect challenge. The hoop comes with a 15-inch foldable steel rim and an all-weather nylon net. It has a fully adjustable height stand to efficiently serve your child as he/she grow.

It also has a 10-gallon capacity base that can be filled with sand or water for extra stability.

PROS

  • 15-inch foldable steel rim

  • All weather nylon net

  • Height stand adjustable

  • 10-gallon capacity base

CONS

  • Not a full-sized backboard

Fisher-Price “I Can Play Basketball”


Little Tikes Easy Score Basketball Set, Blue, 3 Balls – Amazon…

  • Indoor and outdoor basketball hoop adjusts to six heights from 2.5 to 4 feet
  • Includes an oversized rim and 3 Junior size basketballs
  • Develops social, motor skills and coordination

This backboard is designed to grow with your child. It is fully adjustable from 3 feet to 6 feet and has a base that’s weighted down using sand or water. It also has a return ball scoop, so that your kid won’t have to chase after the ball when he/she scores a basket.

PROS

  • 3 feet to 6 feet adjustable

  • Base is weighted down using sand or water

  • Also has a return ball scoop

CONS

  • Difficult to assemble

Slam Jam Over-the-Door Mini Backboard


Spalding NBA Slam Jam Over-The-Door Mini Basketball Hoop

  • MOUNTS ON DOOR: for indoor play
  • BASKETBALL INCLUDED: 5 inch rubber mini ball and assembly tool included
  • PADDED: padded polycarbonate board

This backboard is perfect for indoor shooting practice. It is designed with the same dimensions as that of the official NBA backboards just at a smaller scale. It comes fully pre-assembled, making it easy to mount on the door or wall.

This hoop is appropriate for children of all ages.

PROS

  • Perfect for indoor shooting practice

  • Pre-assembled fully

  • Appropriate for children of all ages

CONS

  • Heavy

Important Things to Consider When Buying a Basketball Backboard

Durability

It’s no secret that kids grow up in the  blink of an eye. This is important to consider when investing in a basketball hoop for them. Moreover, they may quickly improve their shooting skills and may need something more challenging. You definitely don’t want a garage full of unused basketball backboards, do you?

For example, you can start out with the young-age hoop when they’re very young, but you can skip the larger plastic hoop for toddlers. How? You can get a door-mount hoop that will get them through until they’re old enough for the full-sized backboard.

If you plan correctly, you can probably avoid having to buy a new backboard every few years. 

Safety

The first concern with a basketball backboard for kids is safety. There are several things to consider here – materials, stability, and breakaway rims.

Metal and fiberglass backboards tend to do more damage than plastic. It is recommended to graduate your child from plastic to fiberglass and metal at the right age as you slowly introduce them to fundamental basketball skills.

Stability is also a big safety concern for basketball backboards. Small plastic backboards are not much of a worry, but you may want to delay buying a movable outdoor backboard until your little ball player is old enough to handle that.

No matter the skill level, your child can easily get hurt on rigid rims. That’s why breakaway rims are always preferred for kids. It’s advisable to avoid hoops that don’t move and bend when dunked on. This will help to prevent face bops and jammed fingers.

Fun

What’s more fun than shooting baskets? The may point of buying your little one a basketball backboard was to have fun. So this is a crucial factor that you should always consider.

For the ultimate fun, it is recommended to get your kid a hoop that’s easy on the eyes and easy to make shots. The hoops can be more challenging as your little champ grows.

Adjustable backboards offer great flexibility for your child. They can set it on the lowest rung for easy and fun shots and move the rim up slowly as their skills progresses. This will keep them engaged while having fun.

Adjustablity

A great feature to consider is whether or not the hoop/backboard is adjustable. It may be good to purchase one with an adjustable pole to grow with your child. This will save you the need to purchase a new one every single year.

Budget

This is one of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a hoop. You need to choose one that works well in your budget. Of course, you need to consider quality and safety in conjunction with this.

Base

One thing that people fail to consider is the base. It needs to be heavy enough that it won’t fall over, potentially harming your child.

The Earlier, The Better

Getting the basics of basketball down at an early age is not only fun for kids but also allows them to learn more about coordination, dexterity, and flexibility. As early as one year old, you can start introducing your child to basketball. Nonetheless, always use the best and safest basketball backboards. The above picks are suitable and safe for your kids.

Featured Image via Pixabay