The 10 Best Kids Punching Bags
Special Honors
Kids Spiderman Punching Hanging Bag The Kids Punching Hanging Bag has fun graphics to motivate a little one to get active and build their combat skills. Its colorful cover is made with tough PU faux leather and has convenient hanging straps. While it does come with gloves and is available in blue or red, it does not arrive filled. lcpshop.net
Pure Fun Monster Mash Inflatable Punching Bag for Kids The Pure Fun Monster Mash Inflatable Punching Bag for Kids has a creepy character on the front for children to aim at with their kicks and hooks. Its base can be filled with water for stability, and it bounces back quickly to keep youngsters engaged. The tough PVC construction resists tears, and it comes with a pump for easy inflation. purefun.net
Editor's Notes
September 30, 2020:
When doing this update, we focused on durable models that can withstand strong kicks and punches. We also looked to include a selection of both hanging and standing choices, along with a range of sizes to suit both big and little kids.
In our pursuit of punching bags that could appeal to several developmental phases, we added the Century Kid Kick Wavemaster because its height is adjustable to grow with youngsters. It replaced the Century Lil' Dragon Wavemaster during this update. The height of the Rovtop Ball can also be adjusted, so it, too, earned a spot.
We wanted to include something for tots, so we added the Ringside Boxing Gift Set. At just 17 inches long and weighing in at two pounds, it's a good pick for little children. We also added the Taylor Toy Inflatable Free-Standing, which is a basic and cute blow-up model that provides a fun way to let your offspring blow off steam. It took the place of a previous inflatable option, the Pure MMA Target, which struggles to hold air. More advanced junior martial artists might like the RDX JPB 4W, which comes from a company that also makes adult boxing equipment. It's filled with thick pulp and can provide a satisfying challenge.
In terms of durability, we were impressed with the PU faux leather and steel base of the Dripex Freestanding, as well as the Aoneky MMA, which has a cover made of real leather and is filled with shredded rags for impact resistance. We decided to remove the Velocity Boxing Deluxe because its materials proved to be flimsy.
May 01, 2019:
If your kids have taken up martial arts or boxing, then you know they already want to feel older than they are. That's why we included some punching bags that resemble the ones found in mom and dad's gym, like the Aoneky MMA and the RDX X1U, both of which are made of tough leather, just like the ones real fighters use. If you do, however, have a pretty young kickboxer in your midst, then the more brightly-colored options, such as the Dripex Freestanding and the Century Lil' Dragon Wavemaster, may be in order. For kids just wanting to work on hand-eye coordination and arm work, the Velocity Boxing Deluxe and the Tech Tools PI-6160 are great choices, since they just feature ball-shaped bags at the top of a spring-action stand that will bop around, much like an opponent would in the ring. As for those looking to work on more full-body combat, the Century Youth V.SPAR.1, with its large hitting surface and grab handles for knees and elbows, will come in handy. The Dripex Freestanding will also provide a gratifying challenge, as it is designed to barely move upon impact, so if your little ones are able to move it, they know they've built up some power.
A Punch Drunk Childhood
A few weeks with a good punching bag, and you might have a little Daniel Russo on your hands.
When two puppies have a little extra energy to burn, they’re liable to play with one another, and to the untrained eye, two dogs at play can look a lot like two dogs trying to eat one another alive. The line between playing and fighting isn’t blurry in puppies alone; it’s decidedly hard to define in humans, as well.
Violence, for all the negativity associated with it, can — when properly deployed — be a therapeutic means of exercise and self-expression. Young kids learn about team work and develop leadership skills during games of war and laser tag. Romantic types have a tendency to physically pick on their crushes, as they have a palpable desire for physical contact without the knowledge of or desire for more intimate exchanges.
A kids’ punching bag is a great way for them to burn off some of that excess energy in a way that will ultimately benefit them down the line. That’s because the martial arts are among the most consistent and rewarding ways of getting the kind of cardiovascular exercise that can improve and prolong someone’s life. A few weeks with a good punching bag, and you might have a little Daniel Russo on your hands. All you’ll need after that is to find your town’s Mr. Miyagi, and your little fighter will be off to the regional championships.
Even if their interaction with a punching bag doesn’t turn them into the next MMA superstar, it’s a safe way for them to learn the absolute basics of self-defense. Violence isn’t very well tolerated in schools any longer, but that doesn’t mean your kids will be immune to it. Large fights break out often enough, and bullies — despite our efforts to vanquish them — still rule too many schoolyards. While you’d likely want your child to avoid violent conflict at all costs, you also would probably prefer that he or she gets the better of a bully that tries to mess with them.
How To Choose The Perfect Punching Bag
Children’s punching bags all function thanks to a weighted base. In some instances, this weighted base is attached to an otherwise incredibly lightweight and usually inflatable hitting surface. When your kid throws a punch, the unit goes flying toward the floor, which is very satisfying for the youngster. The weighted base, however, immediately causes the unit to bounce back into place, ready for another pop.
The weighted base, however, immediately causes the unit to bounce back into place, ready for another pop.
Other models are designed to better resemble adult punching targets. These also have weighted bases, but they’re usually attached to rigid plastic pillars that are coated in soft foam. The pillar won’t buckle under the weight of a punch, and its soft exterior makes it more comfortable for whoever throws it. Because they’re interacting with a rigid structure, kids don’t have to wait for the unit to rebound before throwing another punch.
When selecting a punching bag for your kid, it would be useful to know whether or not they might develop a significant interest in boxing or martial arts. If that is the case, then a rigid bag on a base that won’t topple would be ideal. That way, your young one can work on combinations, as well as kicks, with as much realism as possible.
If your child is likely more interested in the opportunity to see the bag slam into the ground with every punch, and they’re either too young to participate seriously in martial training, or it’s just not really their most inspiring hobby, then a simpler inflatable bag would serve you just fine.
The only other thing you might want to think about is the style of a given bag. Some punching bags on the market attempt to approximate the build of a human being, either in their shape or in their graphics. These are good for training, as they can give kids something realistic to aim at. The problem with this style arises for parents that want to keep their kids from throwing punches at actual people. Reinforcing the habit of striking a realistic, albeit pretend, human target might make them too comfortable hitting a fellow classmate in the real world.
Whatever type or style you select, you can augment its design while not-so-subtly indoctrinating your kids into your political belief system with no more than a halfway decent printer and a roll of tape. Simply print a picture of your most reviled political figure and tape it to the punching surface of the bag. Before long, you'll have your very own miniature Manchurian candidate on your hands.
The Plus Side Of Pugilism
Among professional athletes, few maintain the same rigorous personal fitness standards as boxers and martial artists. These fighters combine incredible muscular size and definition with unparalleled cardiovascular endurance. Given the state of health (or lack thereof) in our youth culture these days, especially considering how little exercise our kids get from their playtime, a sport that requires so much power and stamina can be a lifesaver.
These fighters combine incredible muscular size and definition with unparalleled cardiovascular endurance.
Boxing and martial arts also offer an additional personal benefit to their practitioners, and it reveals itself most acutely in situations that could escalate into violence. Time and time again, the most talented and capable martial artists will tell you that their skills give them the confidence to avoid conflict.
When a person who’s insecure about their ability to defend themselves gets into an argument that could turn physical, they stand on the precipice of grave error, and the tiniest push can send them into a world of hurt — in the courts as much as anywhere else. But a practiced and disciplined fighter knows what’s at stake more clearly, and has the capacity to say no to conflict, confident that he or she would have likely won the day. In short, when your kids prove themselves in the ring, they don’t have to prove anything elsewhere.
A final benefit to the pugilistic disciplines is a mental one. Success in these fields requires tremendous concentration and attention to nuance and detail. Practitioners must actively study the smallest changes in their opponents’ behavior and have multiple counters to any given attack at the ready. This kind of critical thinking inevitably bleeds over into a fighter’s studies.