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Last updated: April 16, 2024
Reviews of five of the best outdoor portable basketball hoops for toddlers and kids, based on materials, height, assembly, size, and more.
Whether you have a mini sports fan in the family or are just hoping to help develop your child’s hand-eye coordination, a portable basketball hoop is a great solution.
But selecting the right hoop for your little one can be a bit of a challenge. Not only are there hundreds of different basketball hoops out there, but most of them come in different sizes and have different features. And, of course, not all are made with the same quality materials and attention to detail.
To help you find the best outdoor portable basketball hoop for your kiddo, we’ve selected and reviewed 5 of the best options on the market.
Top 5 Kids Basketball Hoops:
Top 5 Kids Basketball Hoops
Each of the below products has been reviewed for quality and usability, and each offers different height settings to fit a variety of needs and ages.
Keep reading for our handy buying guide further below, so you know what to look for in a brand new portable basketball hoop for your kids.
1. Little Tikes EasyScore Basketball Set
Are you looking for a lightweight, highly portable hoop for a younger kid or toddler? The Little Tikes EasyScore Basketball Set is your best option.
This plastic hoop and ball set is very lightweight for easy moving. It can be used indoors or outdoors or moved between the two as often as needed.
It has six height settings. At its lowest setting, 2 feet, it is perfect for toddlers and those still mastering picking up and dropping objects. The highest setting, 4 feet, is just right for slightly older kids and those who need more of a challenge.
This set is incredibly easy to set up and includes only four large plastic parts and a real net. The net is easy to put on and can be locked in place by putting pressure on the back of the hoop until the net guard clicks.
The base isn’t weighted and can tip with too much pressure. But it can be filled with water or sand to prevent tipping. For toddlers and younger kids, you won’t find a better, more affordable option than this simple plastic set.
2. Lifetime Youth Portable Basketball Hoop
For older kids with a love for basketball, the Lifetime Youth Portable Basketball Hoop is worth considering.
This outdoor hoop features a durable, metal telescoping support and thick plastic backboard. The hollow plastic base can be filled with sand or water for added stability. Once filled, the hoop can still be easily moved using the wheels at the edge of the base.
The telescoping support adjusts to heights between 5 1/2 feet and 7 1/2 feet, making this portable hoop perfect for young kids and those who have mastered the layup. This hoop would be best for ages 5 to about 10 years.
Setup can be a bit of a challenge as none of the telescoping poles are marked. This is a problem because these three poles must be arranged in the correct order. The screw that holds the poles together cannot be undone, so be sure to check and double-check your work before securing everything.
Once together, you’ll find this is a very durable, easy-to-use set that children will love. If anything does happen to it, the company offers a 5-year limited warranty.
3. AugToy Toddler Basketball Hoop
Looking for a hoop for your toddler that will last more than a couple of years? The AugToy Toddler Basketball Hoop is highly adjustable for lasting fun as your child grows.
This telescoping hoop set can be set to any height between 2.5 and 5.1 feet. That is perfect for kids between around 3 and 5 years.
The set includes a fun red, white, and blue hoop, undersized rubber basketball, and a pump. The support poles are made of metal, and the backboard is made of plastic. If you would rather use the hoop inside, or need it to be higher for your older kids, you can remove the backboard from the pole and mount it on the wall.
The base of this hoop is undersized, which is great for smaller spaces and is less likely to result in accidental tripping. But it does require you to fill the base with sand or water before use. Because there are no wheels, this hoop is harder to move around once it has been weighted.
If you are looking for a highly durable hoop that your child can use from toddlerhood through elementary school, this probably isn’t it. The maximum height is higher than most toddler hoops, but not quite tall enough for older kids. And the backboard material and net hooks definitely can’t handle a lot of pressure or abuse.
4. WIN.MAX Portable Basketball Hoop
The WIN.MAX Portable Basketball Hoops for Kids isn’t advertised as a toy. Instead, the company refers to this hoop as a professional basketball training set. So if you have a kid that is serious about playing basketball, this is the portable hoop you want.
The WIN.MAX is somewhat adjustable and can be set to a minimum height of 4.8 feet, or a maximum height of 10 feet. Admittedly, this portable basketball hoop isn’t the best choice for toddlers and young kids, and is more suitable for older kids. Considering the durability of this product, it is still very much worth considering for younger to middle-aged children.
This set is easier to set up than many telescopic hoops we looked at. The wide base provides plenty of stability once it’s filled with sand or water and is easy to roll around as needed. The hoop is wide enough for a standard basketball, but one is not included with the set.
This is one of the more expensive options on our list, but considering the ease of install, the quality of the parts, and how long it is likely to last you, it is well worth the price.
5. SKLZ Pro Mini Hoop Basketball System
For the serious basketball-loving family, the SKLZ Pro Mini Hoop Basketball System is the only way to go.
This professional-looking basketball hoop is one of the few we found that has an oversized backboard. It is also one of the easiest to adjust the height on and has the greatest height adjustment range.
At its lowest setting, this hoop drops to just 3 feet high. That’s perfect for toddlers and for setting up on the pool edge. At the maximum setting of 7 feet, adults can join their older children in a friendly scrimmage on the court.
Don’t worry if you plan to change the height settings often. This hoop is one of the easiest to adjust up and down. For small adjustments, you can use the easy slide handle on the back of the pole. For more extreme adjustments, simply pull the top hoop pole out and remove the center pole.
This hoop is fairly easy to put together and takes most users less than an hour. Like other outdoor hoops, the base will need to be filled with water or sand for stability. The durable polycarbonate backboard provides a professional aesthetic and will stand up to abuse. Even the spring-action breakaway rim is exceptionally durable.
For a game of hoops that the entire family can get in on, the SKLZ Pro Mini Hoop won’t let you down.
Buying Guide
Outdoor portable basketball hoops are a great way to introduce younger kids and toddlers to the sport while encouraging the proper development of hand-eye coordination.
There are a surprising number of things to consider when choosing an outdoor portable basketball hoop for your kids. To help take some of the confusion out of the process, we have put together this practical buying guide, discussing the following considerations:
- Suitable age
- Height adjustability
- Materials used
- Ease of setup
- Stability
- Size of hoop
1. Suitable Age
Children’s portable hoops are typically suitable for toddlers around three years up to kids around ten years old. That is because most of these hoops max out at around 7 feet, with toddler-specific hoops maxing out at about 4 feet.
In league play, children graduate from a 6-foot rim to an 8-foot rim around the age of 9. Many kids older than this won’t find a 7-foot rim challenging enough.
On the other end of the spectrum, a toddler needs to be old enough to stand on their own in order to enjoy adjustable hoops 3 feet high and higher.
Some hoops do drop to 2 feet high and could potentially be used by toddlers that are just starting to crawl and pull up.
2. Height Adjustability
Height adjustability is a must if you want your kid to enjoy their new basketball hoop for the long term.
The best hoops can be adjusted down to about 3 feet and as high as 7.5 feet. But most will only have a few feet of adjustment.
For those hoops, look for one with a minimum height that is perfect for your kid’s current age. That way, the hoop can be continually adjusted upwards as they grow. This will give you the most bang for your buck while providing the opportunity to continually challenge your kiddo.
3. Materials Used
The cheapest portable basketball hoops are made entirely of plastic. These are great for toddlers because they are lightweight and durable to the specific kinds of abuse toddlers unleash.
Hoops designed for slightly older children typically feature a metal support pole and high-density plastic bases and backboards.
Polycarbonate is an alternative material you might find in some backboards. This material is highly durable and likely to stand up to dunks and abuse better than traditional plastic.
4. Ease of Setup
All portable basketball hoops require some assembly. Despite having a similar design, the actual setup of these hoops can differ greatly.
Look for kits that come with well-labeled parts and in-depth instructions. Some products may even include links to assembly videos to help with the process.
5. Stability
Portability is always going to be somewhat at odds with stability when it comes to basketball hoops.
Some hoops designed for toddlers are intentionally made to be lightweight so you can easily move the toy around the house and yard. These kinds typically come with a very wide base to add stability.
Hoops for older children typically feature a hollow base that is meant to be filled with water or sand. Look for high-capacity bases that include wheels for easy maneuvering.
6. Size of Hoop
Most kids’ basketball sets come with undersized hoops. NBA hoops and those on full-height basketball sets are 18 inches wide. Kids hoops will vary in size between 6 inches and 15 inches.
Rim size is important since it dictates what size ball your child can play with. Standard basketballs are just over 9 inches wide, which means most hoops meant for older children will accommodate a standard ball. But keep in mind, a ball of this size will be harder to sink.
Toddler and younger kid sets usually come with a ball that will be significantly smaller than a standard basketball. Not only are these easier for tiny hands to manipulate, but they are much easier to sink through such a narrow opening.
