Fun basketball games for kids

Whether you're in your driveway or at your local dunk hoops place (aka a little old place known as Flying Squirrel Hamilton), basketball is a fun way to stay active and spend time together as a family. If you're a parent looking for creative ways to make basketball practice more exciting, try one of these engaging games. 

 

Make basketball fun for your kids

In our family, basketball is one of our go-to family games. We love that we can grab a ball and head to our nearest court (or outside to our neighbour’s driveway, thanks Jim!) to get some exercise and have some fun. Some of us are still working on the best way to gracefully lose (don’t ask me where they get it from). But we always end up feeling great after we play. Some of our favourite ways to enjoy basketball as a family are to play these basketball shooting games. You’ll often find us on the dunk hoops court at Flying Squirrel so we can practice our slam dunks on a trampoline (which is extremely satisfying). Be sure to add these fun basketball shooting games to your list!

 

1. Fun basketball games for little kids: Around the World

Best For: Kids ages 6-12
How to Play:
This classic basketball shooting game can be played with just one hoop or multiple hoops if available. The goal is to take shots from a series of spots around the court (or around one hoop). The player must make a shot from each location to "travel" around the world.

• Setup: Mark five spots around the key or court (you can use cones, tape, or simply point out spots).
• Rules: Players must make a shot from each spot, moving from one to the next. If they miss a shot, they can try again, but they can’t move forward until they make it. The first player to make all five shots in order wins.

 

2. Fun basketball games for kids party: SQUIRREL

Best For: All ages
How to Play:
Each player creates unique shots. Opponents must mimic the shot’s style and precision (and sink it, of course), or they earn a letter. Collect every letter in “SQUIRREL” and you're out.

• Setup: No fancy equipment here—just a ball and a hoop. Got a dunk hoop? Even better, as it will allow you to perform even fancier tricks.
• Rules: The first player to spell out the word “SQUIRREL” loses the game. To make it more interesting, add a dunk hoop challenge. If a player successfully dunks, the other players have to do their best to follow suit.

 

3. Fun basketball games for kids: Shooting Stars

Best For: Kids who are more comfortable with a challenge
How to Play:
In this game, players try to sink as many shots as possible in a short time from specific areas around the court. This is a great way to improve shooting under pressure.

• Setup: Place basketballs in different spots on the court, such as at the free-throw line, the three-point line, and closer to the hoop.
• Rules: Players get one minute to make as many shots as they can from each spot. Every successful shot counts as one point. If a player makes a unique or tricky shot (like a three-pointer or dunk), they earn bonus points.

 

4. Fun basketball shooting games for kids: Shootout

Best For: Competitive kids (if your kid is sensitive to pressure or losing, this is not the game for them—ask me how I know)
How to Play:
This game is all about speed and shooting under pressure. It’s perfect for working on shooting accuracy and stamina.

• Setup: Players line up at the free-throw line (or another designated shooting spot).
• Rules: The first player shoots. If they make it, they get a point and move to the next spot. If they miss, they stay at that spot until they make a shot. The game continues until all players have taken a turn. The player with the most points at the end wins.

 

5. Fun dunking game for kids: Dunk Hoops contest

Best For: Kids who have energy to burn and fancy themselves a mini LeBron.
How to Play:
This is a perfect game for when the kids are feeling especially excited about dunking and it’s 1,000 times more fun on the dunk hoops court at Flying Squirrel trampoline park in Hamilton.

• Setup: Players take turns attempting dunks. If a player makes a dunk, they get a score based on creativity, height, and style.
• Rules: Players get three attempts to dunk the ball. The score is given on a scale of 1-10 by the other players (or parents). The player with the highest total score wins the contest.

 

Basketball games for kids aren’t the only way to burn that energy

We love basketball in our family, and when we head to the dunk hoop courts at Flying Squirrel, we have hours of fun. We also love the parkour course there and we love challenging ourselves to try indoor rock climbing. If you’re looking for a place you can still enjoy basketball during the winter months, definitely check it out—you’ll also win parent of the year award for taking your teen to play basketball there and then letting them play at the arcade. 

See you on the dunk hoops court!