Top 10 Basketball Games for Kids

It is always good to have your kids interested in a sport. It provides a fun activity, while also giving them enough exercise and introduces them to the concept of following rules. One of the most popular sports is basketball.

Despite what you think, there are so many different games that can be played with a basketball and a hoop.

Fun Basketball Games for Kids

If your child is showing interest in basketball, there are a few games that you can introduce them to. These can often be played right in your driveway. All you need is a hoop and a ball. Here are some fun basketball games for little kids:

1. Around the World

This is one of the best basketball shooting games for your kids to play if you are trying to have the children work on their accuracy at shooting and endurance.

How to Play

• With some sidewalk chalk, mark five spots around the court from which you want the kids to take shots.
• Have the kids take turns to take a shot from each of the marked spots.
• Whoever makes all five shots in succession is the winner of the game.

2. Line Dribble

This is a game that will allow your children to get good practice with dribbling the ball.

How to Play 

• With some sidewalk chalk, draw a few lines. You can make them straight or curvy.
• Have the kids take turns to dribble the ball along the lines that you have drawn.

Variations 

• You can have the children switch hands as the dribble to make it more challenging.

3. 21

This is one of the best one on one basketball games for children that promises a friendly match.

How to Play

• One person tries to make a shot, while the second tries to block the person.
• If they manage to make a shot, one point is awarded.
• The second player gets a turn to make the shot, while the other tries to block.
• No matter who is going to try to take the shot, there should be a designated spot for them to start from.

4. Musical Basketballs

This game needs a lot of balls, but promises to be a fun variation to the usual Musical Chairs.

How to Play

• You will need to get one ball per person.
• Place the balls in a circle.
• The players should form a circle outside the circle of balls. When the music starts, the players need to start walking around the balls.
• When the music stops, each player needs to grab the ball near them and shoot the ball.
• The player who makes a shot should sit down to signify that he or she has finished making the shot.
• Each player should continue to try to make shots and sit down when they are successful.
• The last person left will be eliminated.
• This should be repeated until only one player is left in the game.
• This player is the winner.

5. H.O.R.S.E

This is one of the more fun basketball games for preschoolers.

How to Play 

• Any number of kids can play this game.
• The child playing first needs to choose a place in the driveway to take a shot from.
• The first player can try to invent any kind of shot. For example, the player can sit on the ground and try to make the shot.
• If the shot misses the hoop, then they are rewarded with the letter “H” If they miss the shot the next time their turn comes, they get the letter “O” and on it goes until the word HORSE is spelled. If this happens, they are out of the game.
• If the first player makes the shot, the second player must imitate the exact type of shot the first player took.
• If the first player missed the shot, then the second player can invent their own type of shot to take. For example, they can try making the shot while standing on only one leg.

Variations

• If you want the game to be shorter, spell out PIG instead of HORSE.
• You can set the rules for specific shots so the kids get to practice.

6. Sharks and Minnows

This game is quite common and is played by almost all beginners in sports. You can play this anywhere you have a hoop and enough space for a group of children.

How to Play

• If you have a large group of children, then you can have two sharks, but if the group is small, you should pick only one shark.
• The rest of the children are the Minnows. They will need to form a line near the baseline and face the sharks.
• Each of the Minnows will have a basketball, but the sharks will not.
• The Minnows will need to dribble the ball from one baseline and back again.
• The Sharks will need to try to steal their ball or knock it out of bounds.
• If the Shark manages to steal or knock the ball out from a Minnow, the Minnow is turned into a Shark for the next round.
• One round is when a Minnow journeys from one baseline to the other.
• The last Minnow standing is the winner.
• For the next game, the last two Minnows will serve as the Sharks. If the group is small and started with only one Shark, the winning Minnow will be the Shark.

7. Basketball Tag

This game will really test dribbling skills, so it is a good game to play when you want to make the kids practice.

How to Play 

• Here, the kids will need to spread themselves out on a line on the basketball court.
• If the group is big, you should designate two taggers.
• If the group is small, designate one tagger.
• The kids on the line will need to keep dribbling their ball without moving off the lines.
• In the meantime, the taggers will try to eliminate as many of them as possible by either forcing them off the line, making them lose control of the ball or by simply touch tagging them.
• Whoever is the last still standing and dribbling is the winner.

8. Dribble Limbo

This is a bit harder than regular limbo, because not only do you have to bend down lower and lower, but you have to maintain control of a ball as well.

How to Play

• Two of the kids will need to hold the limbo stick while the rest of the players will need to line up.
• The players will have to go turn by turn, dribbling the ball and going under the limbo stick.
• After all the players have gone under the limbo stick, the two players holding the stick have to lower it a little.
• The players in the limbo line repeat the process, except they have to bend a bit more.
• The limbo stick will be lowered more and more after all the players in the limbo line go under.
• Those who either lose control of the ball or fall over are eliminated.

9. Beat the Buzzer

This game is very simple, but also very challenging.

How to Play

• Have your child stand a little farther from the basket than they are comfortable with.
• Now set your timer for around 30 seconds.
• See how many baskets your child can make within the time limit.
• If you have more than one player, whoever makes the most shots within the time limit, wins.

10. Basketball Relay

This game is best played with a group of children.

How to Play 

• Divide the children into at least two teams.
• Each team needs to form a line.
• Each of the teams should have a ball.
• The first person in the line should dribble the ball all the way to the opposite end and back.
• When they reach their starting point, they pass the ball to the next player in the line.
• The first team who completes the relay will win.

There are so many games that can be played with a basketball by children of all different ages. Most of the games mentioned will help your child learn the techniques needed to play the real game, even if they don’t have access to a proper court. So, go on and give some of these basketball games to play with kids a try. You can even make it a family affair and have fun together.

Also Read:

Park Games for Children
Running Games for Children
One Minute Games for Children