At our house, it is all sports, all day, every day and we love it! I think that one of the biggest reasons that our kids love sports and being competitive is that we encourage playing games, being active, and friendly competition. As a mom, it isn’t always easy to let them play ball in the house and not lose my cool when the picture get hit and the furniture gets moved for a great catch, but I really believe that if I want my kids to be top athletes I have to help them talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk.
Talking the talk comes from consistently reinforcing positive self-talk, providing opportunities to build self-confidence, and encouraging mental toughness through hard work. Walking the walk, on the other hand, comes from providing the equipment necessary for kids to cultivate hand-eye coordination, be active on a daily basis and feel like they look that part.
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Fitness/Activity Tracker
Did you know that kids should be getting 12,000-15,000 steps per day to keep their hearts and bodies healthy? One of my favorite things to do with my kids is to have a competition to see who can get the most steps. Sometimes we do this by day and sometimes I make a competition for the whole week where they can get a small prize if they get so many steps for the week. It’s fun to see my kids speed walking around the kitchen or running up to the stop sign to take the lead! They have even asked me to take them to the park or on a hike so they can get more steps! My kids have had Garmin Vivofit Jr for around three years and I love that they are waterproof and that the battery life lasts for over a year and they don’t require charging. I have had a couple of different styles of Fitbit’s over the last 5 years and am getting my kids the new FitBit Ace for Christmas so we can all be in on a challenge together! I have had a Fitbit Versa for two years and love it because it has a heart rate monitor and a great fitness tracking app. I actually chose the Fitbit Versa over an Apple Watch because the fitness tracking and app are so much better!
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Fitbit Ace for Kids
Garmin VivoFit for Kids
Fitbit Versa
Fitbit Charge
Hydro Flasks
As an athletic trainer, I can’t stress enough how important hydration is for athletic kids. A good rule for kids is that they should be drinking 8 ounces times their age every day. This amount significantly goes up for highly active kids. My kids were not getting enough water opportunities at school so it’s no wonder my highly active son was coming home tired with a headache every day after school. Headaches and fatigue are both dehydration. I solved this problem quickly by researching some good water bottles for kids and sending one with them every day.
I recommend the Hydro Flask because, like me, my kids crave water more when it is cold and these water bottles keep the ice all day long! I started out with the 12 oz kids water bottles and loved that they have the straw cap that is convenient and easy to drink out of. I quickly found that 12 oz was not enough for the whole school day so I got them the standard 21 oz bottle and found that it fit in their backpacks better and gave them a lot more water. I DO NOT recommend the sports cap as I found that it was hard to seal tight and my kids chewed on it and it didn’t hold up. I purchased the additional straw lid to go on their standard bottles and they are now in the habit of taking these every day.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Jump Rope
Don’t let this simple classic fool you. Jump ropes are one of the best fitness tools for young athletes. They are a fun way to increase fitness level and build strength and endurance. When you make it a game and they won’t even realize they are working out. Jumping rope has been proven to add stability and strength to the lower legs which can enhance performance and reduce injury rates. Make sure you are getting a rope that will adjust to your child’s height to make it easier and more efficient for them to use. The jump rope listed here on the left was a 2019 family choice award for its fun yet durable and functional design. The jump rope on the right is a playground classic that can be used for multiple jumpers, is designed not to tangle, has an adjustable length, and is lightweight and durable. My kids also love to play other made up games with the jump ropes and one of the faves it to have one kid be the horse and the other being the driver (reindeer and Santa) and they run around and around with one pulling the other while they move it up and down and “whip” the horse!
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Kickball
There are so many games that kids can play with a kickball! Kickball, 4 Square, Lineball, Dodgeball are just a few. We always have 2-3 of these kickballs in our backyard bin and they are my kids go-to for backyard games. Anytime kids are running and throwing a ball they are improving their hand-eye coordination and endurance.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Wallballs
Wallballs are the kickball for indoor! My kids are obsessed with wall balls right now and are working on learning the official Wallball rules. I love that they are small and fairly harmless so that I don’t have to worry as much about them for bouncing them in the house. They love to throw one in their backpack and take it for recess so all of the kids can play a game with them. These balls are fun for every age and keep kids moving and using their hand-eye coordination.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Soccer Trainer
This is a great way for kids to get moving and be active without having to have another player. It helps improve their hand-eye coordination, ball skills and control. It fits soccer ball sizes 3, 4, and 5 and helps kids get excited about practicing their soccer moves.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Pop-Up Portable Soccer Goals
This set of goals is easy to use and store. It comes with a bag with handles that make these goals portable and compact. We have these in our backyard bin and pull them out to play multiple games.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Flag Football Set
When our two hand touch football games in the backyard started getting too rough, I knew it was time to get a set of flags. These belts will adjust to fit children and adults and the flags are durable so they won’t rip easily.
We also use a kids size composite football when we play because it is easier for our kid to throw and catch those long touchdown passes they are always dreaming of.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Batting Tee and Bases
We bought a tee a few years ago when our kids started playing tee ball and then I added the bases a couple of years later when I coached my daughters first softball team.
My kids get these out all of the time to just hit the ball or to play baseball or kickball.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Basketball Hoop and Outdoor Basketball
I think a basketball hoop is a standard for any sports kids childhood. Make sure they have a good outdoor basketball what will hold up on rough surfaces.
We love to play “lightning” (“Speed” or “Fryem'”) or whatever you call it as a family. We still have out little tykes hoop from when the kids were toddlers that we use in the house sometimes or my son has an over the door hoop that he loves in his room.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Spikeball
This is a fun and competitive game that can be played indoors or out. We love to play it in the backyard when we have friends and family over. It is easy to store and take to parties or tailgating. It has rules similar to volleyball and we love to play it as a family.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Ladderball
This is a fun game for all ages. I like it because any ability can play and it is a game of chance as much as skill.
It is easy to set up and take down and store and comes with a bag that makes it easy to transport.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Ladder Toss and Cornhole Combo
Frisbee Golf
My high school students love to play this game! I would not recommend for really small kids because it is hard for them to accurately throw the disks.
This is a great set because it is made for beginners and fold up into a bag for easy transport and storage.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Trampoline
Every kid needs a trampoline! This is my go to when I want to get the kids outside and active for a few minutes without having any setup or cleanup. We have the one with the basketball hoop inside and my kids love to make up crazy shots to attempt.
My favorite part of having a trampoline is laying out there on summer nights and watching a movie and sleeping outside. It is off the ground and enclosed so my kids feel safe sleeping-out in this.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Speed and Agility Trainers
In order to be top competitors, young athletes need to learn how to train early. Learning how to use some of these speed and agility training implements can really benefit kids.
Correctly training with implements like these can improve performance, increase fitness level, and reduce injury rates.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Compression Sleeves
Now that my son is six he knows what it means to look cool! Look good play good right? He has wanted an arm sleeve for a while now so we finally got him one for basketball this year.
From my background in sports medicine, I know that this compression sleeve doesn’t do much to prevent real injuries but it does look tough and provide some mild compression and heat retention for athletes.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Running Tights
My son wants to wear basketball shorts and tall socks everyday of the year. These running tights help keep him warm in the winter under his shorts.
My daughter wears a pair of these everyday to practice during fall soccer and they both like to wear them for basketball to protect their knees from floor burns.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Boys
Girls
Tall Socks
Tall athletic socks are popular right now and both my son and daughter want to wear them everyday.
My son is particular and likes to wear matching brands. So if he had nike shorts he wants nike sock etc., but my daughter could care less and worries more about how colorful and cute her socks are!
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Undershirts
We always encourage our kids to wear an undershirt under their sports jerseys. It is especially helpful when they have a reversible jersey that they will change at practice.
We have found that these Dry-Fit material shirts are the most comfortable and help them stay cool in the heat and warmer in the cold. Neutral colors are usually best so they can wear them with any color uniform.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
Boys
Girls
Athletic Bags
Our kids have a couple of athletic bags each and I do this for good reason. They have somewhere to keep all of there gear for each specific sport and it is all in one place so it is easy to grab when we are in a hurry after school or I need to take it to meet them.
Make sure you are finding a bag that will fit their specific equipment for their sport. There are a lot of different sport specific bags out there. I prefer backpacks because they are easier for them to carry and usually have a specific spot for their water bottle.
Pictures below are linked to Amazon for more information and options.
All Sports
Basketball
Soccer
Baseball
