What child doesn’t like to hit things? And if that’s the case, it might be a good idea to pick up a punching bag for kids for your little one to exert their energy onto. At the very least, it’s a great workout and a simple tactic to encourage sports for your kids.
I use to participate in many organized sports when I was younger, including boxing. My training was quite intensive but I thoroughly enjoyed it and saw many benefits. So I would personally recommend parents look into some sort of combat sport or martial arts for their children if they are interested. Of course, there are misconceptions that these are violent sports, but the training part of it is anything but that.
Boxing and marital arts can teach vital life-skills to children that they may not get in other sports. This includes discipline, respect, focus, and self-motivation. They also provide great body movements that increase core strength, balance, agility and conditioning.
The first step is to buy a punching bag for your child and they can practice all of this from your home. Here is our guide to purchasing the right punching bag for kids.
The Results
Best Hanging Bag
Ringside Youth Heavy Bag Kit
- All inclusive package
- Well-made and durable
- Good for adults also
Best Freestanding Bag
Century Kid Kick Wavemaster
- Four adjustable heights
- Durable and safe materials
- Easy to move around and store away
Best for Younger Kids
Physical Success Punching Bag
- Durable materials
- Taller than average
- Fun to play with
Best Punching Ball
Liberty Imports Sports Boxing Set
- Safer and light
- Adjustable height,
- Gloves included,
- Low cost
How to Choose A Youth Punching Bag for Kids
Picking the correct punching bag will ensure that they last longer and are used more frequently. Here are a few things to look out for.
Type of Punching Bags
You’ll find many types of punching bags at a boxing gym, but the most useful ones for your kids to use at home are the hanging bag, freestanding bag, and maybe a speed bag.
Hanging bags are the standard heavy bags. They provide the most realistic simulation of a sparring session and help build strength in your strikes. The bag sways back and forth naturally and you can slip and dodge around it to help with your footwork as well. However, it can be loud and it does require more space to use, not to mention needing somewhere that you can actually hang the heavy bag. But you can always get something to help absorb the shock on the swivel to reduce noise. They will ultimately train better with a hanging bag.
Freestanding bags do not need to be ceiling mounted and have a heavy base usually filled with sand or water. These are useful in tighter areas and can be easily stored away when not in use. They are usually softer and lighter, which could be more suitable for younger kids. However, they cannot take as much force on the strikes and could potentially topple over. For kickboxing, the lower profile allows for lower kicks to be made.
A speed bag is a smaller hanging bag to help work on your hand-eye coordination, hand speed and rhythm. This bag reacts quicker to your strikes, so you have to act fast to time the next one. This is not as common as the heavy bags, but useful nonetheless for boxing mainly.
Size and Weight of Bags
This is primarily determined by the age and height of the user. Available sizes range from 2.5 feet to 6 feet tall and anywhere from 40 to 150 pounds in weight. In this case, youth bags are designed specifically smaller with lighter weights because it does not need to absorb as much force on the strikes. The focus is more to develop technique rather than strength training. For adults, the general rule is to pick a bag that’s half your weight.
Age of Kid
This goes along with helping chose the size of punching bag. But also, if it is for a toddler or a very young child, you may want to consider inflatable bags that are more for fun than for training. How old your child is will determine how serious they will be using a punching bag.
Material
The surface material used will help determine how durable the punching bag will be. Being able to withstand punishing blows is a key factor to consider. Leather is the more durable followed by synthetic leather and then vinyl. The type of material will affect the cost accordingly.
The fill material is also something to look into. This determines how firm and comfortable it is to hit. In most cases the bag will be pre-filled with sand, water or air. Youth punching bags will be filled with less material that will be easier on the little hands.
Any Accessories Included?
It is recommended to use hand wraps and bag gloves with your strikes so check it these are included. Otherwise, you’ll need buy them separately. Some kits will even include skipping ropes and head gear for sparring.
Where Will It Be Installed
This is important to figure out before you consider purchasing a punching bag. You will need enough space for movement around it, so a more open space is preferred. Hanging bags will require something strong enough to hold the heavy bag. If space is limited then a freestanding bag could be more ideal.
What is The Best Punching Bag For Kids?
Ringside Youth Heavy Bag Kit (Best Hanging Bag)
Premier brand Ringside put out this youth punching bag for kids age 5 to 13. The bundle includes everything that your child would need for it: youth-sized boxing glove, hand wraps, along with a mounting clip and swivel to hang the bag. It comes pre-filled with natural and synthetic fibers that provides enough resistance while remaining soft for those little hands. The vinyl surface is well made and durable.
With a light weight of 40 pounds, this is idea for boxing as well as MMA. Your child will train better with hanging bag like this. And it is suitable for adults as well. So this could be good for some fun bonding time with dad. The only complaints we hear is that the hanging chain could be too short for kids and the gloves included could be too thin for younger kids.
Other similar hanging bags that will work well for kids include the RDX Kids Punch Bag, Everlast Nevatear Training Bag, Aonkey Kids Punching Bag for Children, or Everlast 25lb Heavy Bag Kit. You can’t really go wrong with any of these choices.
Century Kid Kick Wavemaster (Best Freestanding Bag)
This is a popular and well reviewed option. Recommend for children age 3 to 11, the Century stand up bag is a great way to introduce kids to combat sports, specifically boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Karate. With 4 adjustable heights (37 to 52 inches), this can grow with your child.
The high impact foam fill material and nylon surface makes helps protect the force of the strikes, which makes it very kid-friendly. You can fill its sturdy base with water, sand or rice. This option is preferred as most parents like the accessibility and cost effectiveness of using water. The bag itself is only 16 lbs, but the base can be up to 170 lbs if fully filled. However, the rounded shape allows for easy moving around to keep its location flexible and can be stored away if needed.
The Century Kid Kick Wavemaster also has a profession look which could be motivating for your child to use. You could also look into the Dripex Freestanding Punching Bag, TUOWEI Fitness Inflatable Kids Punching Bag, Century BOB XL with Base Unit, and Qiqu Inflatable Free Standing Punching Bag for comparable options.
Physical Success Punching Bag (Best for Younger Kids)
Perfect for children ages 2 to 7, this inflatable punching bag is ideal for your toddler to play around with. If you want something that they don’t have to take too seriously, the Physical Success Punching Bag is a lot of fun and safe for beginners.
The adjustable 4 ft tall bag is made of plastic and heavy-duty PVC. You can fille the base with water, while the top is pumped up with air. Set it up and watch your kid go bananas on it. At this age, you want something that’s more fun than anything else.
Other similar options would be the Inflatable Dudes Ninja, The Original 46″ Bozo 3-D Bop Bag, UP IN & OVER Bop Bag Giraffe, and something slight more serious would be the Ringside Kids Boxing Gift Set.
Liberty Imports Sports Boxing Set (Best Punching Ball)
The punching balls are similar to the adult speed bags where it’s more about training for power, but rather technique, hand-eye coordination, timing, and speed. With that in mind, Liberty Imports Sports put out this set geared towards young kids age 3 to 6.
With the stand, gloves and a pump included in the set, the air-filled ball has a vinyl surface that is not too hard for the strikes. And the light weight allows the whole setup to be mobile so you can use it in any room you wish. It has an adjustable height and is great for younger kids.
You may also want to consider the ToyVelt Punching Bag For Kids Boxing Set, Whoobli Punching Bag for Kids, Tech Tools Boxing Set for Kids, and Anfan Reflex Free Standing Bag for something similar.
Century Versys Youth Training Bag (Best for Martial Arts)
This new line of training bags from Century is good for all ages. It features new innovations in a low-profile free-standing bag that springs back after every strike. And because of it’s small base, you can also exert low kicks.
It is around 4 ft tall and weights 40 lbs and can be picked up and thrown. This will work out well for training MMA and some martial arts. It’s a great all around bag that comes with a cost.
Other more cost effective options could be the RDX Kids Punch Bag, Eforoutdoor Fitness Inflatable Punching Bag, and Century Junior Throwing Buddy.
FAQ
Are punching bags safe for kids?
Yes, they are. Kids should be taught how to and how not to properly use the bag even though youth punching bags are designed specifically for kids to use. Of course, if the area around the bag is not enough or the installation was not done right, it could lead to safety issues. And as with all sports, there are injury risks involved, so make sure they don’t over do it.
When should kids start using punching bags?
Kids as early as 3 can start punching bags for exercise and for fun, as long as they have enough balance and coordination. For more serious training and learning of techniques, you may want to wait until they are at least 10 years old when they have more patience and discipline to improve a skill.
How can I get the most out of my kids punching bag?
A simple wiping and cleaning of the bag after each use will go a long way in keep it in good shape. Find a safe storage place if you’re putting it away in between uses. And encourage your kid to use it. You can even use it yourself.
What kind of gloves should my kid be using?
Small 8 or 10 Oz gloves are best for punching heavy bags. Larger ones are generally used for sparring. For martial arts training, you may opt for even smaller flexible gloves.
How do you use hand wraps?
Hand wraps offer additional protection on your wrists and knuckles on top of the gloves. For younger kids, it may not be necessary, but when they start to punch with more force, then it is recommended.
Will Punching Bags Help With My Child’s Anger Management?
Although it gives your child a place to direct their anger and stress towards, punching bags shouldn’t be consider a tool to help control or manage their aggression or anger. It could help, but this is not the primary role for punching bags. However, it they get into the habit of hitting the bag when they are stressed, then perhaps it can help divert their anger to something neutral at least.
Family-Friendly Fun
Purchasing a punching bag will get your kids well on their way to a healthy lifestyle. The training and condition involved with any combat sport or martial arts is some of the most effective from any sport. But of course, the important thing is that they enjoy these activities. Have a fun family training session with one of the options above.
