Punching bags for toddlers?
It’s a darn good idea! Not only are they a fun way for them to get some exercise, but they can be to let off steam before your toddler reaches tantrum.
So, we got busy and found the five best inflatable punching bags for toddlers. We’ll also give you our top pick for the best one.
Our top picks of the best inflatable punching bags for toddlers
Editor’s choice
Our opinion
This one’s pretty cool! It stands about five feet tall, so they’ll be able to use it for years, and almost the entire punching bag is a target for them to play with. This Franklin Sports Boxing Bag (check price on Amazon) is inflatable, made out of durable plastic with a soft base that can be filled with water.
Toddlers will love holding onto it, trying to climb it, or just knocking it around. And, it has an electronic target with different skill levels programmed for the kids to aim at. They’ll be rewarded with lights and sounds when they hit their goal. It even keeps score!
What we love
- It’s soft all over making it good for all ages
- It bounces back every time
Watch for
- It does need batteries
Upgrade choice
Our opinion
This one can be used for punching or kicking. Standing just over four feet tall, the Wavemaster Kid Kick (check price on Amazon) it’s an ideal height for younger children to practice their targeting skills. The base fills with water or sand, allowing about 170 pounds of support.
What we love
- As your child gets older, it’s still the right height for kicks
- It’s pretty tough. They love to punch and kick it to see if they can get it to move. They can’t!
Watch for
- You might find yourself on your knees giving this one a whack or two
Best budget buy
Our opinion
If you are thinking about testing the waters, no pun intended, with your toddler and an inflatable punching bag, check out this budget-friendly, happy, aqua-blue dolphin with a playful white belly (check price on Amazon). Standing just over three feet tall, it’s filled with water on the bottom and air on top. Intex also offers the same design shaped like a fun-loving tiger.
What we love
- We can see out little ones hugging it as much as rough-housing with it
- The price!
Watch for
- It doesn’t bounce back
Our fourth choice
Our opinion
If your kid is raging, nothing will make the mad go away faster than punching something. Now, punching walls just hurts a fist and creates a lot of cosmetic damage. Punching a person brings all kinds of trouble. The solution? A soft, inanimate object that takes a licking, and, well, you know the rest.
The Bundaloo punching bag (check price on Walmart) is soft plastic that is strong enough to take a few punches, hits, or kicks without tearing. Plus, it’s a wonderful destressor!
What we love
- Easy to set up with water in the base and blowing into the top portion
Watch for
- Make sure it’s all in fun. We don’t want to promote bashing anyone
Our fifth choice
Our opinion
The ToyVelt (check price on Walmart) looks like the real thing . They’ll love the challenge of a boxing ball on top of a flexible pole with a sturdy base. It even comes with two boxing gloves. So, whether they’re perfecting their hand-eye coordination as a toddler, or practicing for a competition as an older child, this set will give them years of playtime.
What we love
- It’s recommended for ages three to twelve
- A pump for the ball is included
Watch for
- The gloves might not hold tight on small hands
- The assembly instructions can be a little tricky
When we’re looking at inflatable punching bags for toddlers, our main focus is on how well they’ll interact with it. They’re still in the baby stage of development in some ways. They love to cuddle and play with their toys, and bang them around a bit. So, of course, quality is important. Lastly, we want to know how each bag will benefit their development.
Here’s what we are thinking about when we look at the various punching bags for toddlers. So, as you are evaluating each one, you can apply your own toddler’s specific needs to the individual benefits of each punching bag.
Why punching bags are great for toddlers
Health benefits
Playing with punching bags is a great way to burn off some of that excess energy to keep them from bouncing off of the walls. And, as an added bonus, it’s great exercise. Their entire body gets in on the action.1Gao, Z., Chen, S., Sun, H., Wen, X., & Xiang, P. (2018). Physical activity in children’s health and cognition. BioMed research international,2018. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Coordination and physical conditioning
- Physical strength: They’re building muscle tone as they are playing.
- Balance: They learn balancing and agility skills. It keeps them on their toes!
- Stamina: When they set goals with targets and duration, they’ll begin to understand stamina and endurance.
- Hand-eye coordination: Still in the midst of mastering this concept, aiming for targets on the bag will help.
Redirecting meltdowns
It happens. Their little minds get overwhelmed, and they sometimes release all of that energy via a tantrum. A punching bag gives them somewhere to direct that energy, providing a more productive outlet to help them relax.2Tkacz, J., Young-Hyman, D., Boyle, C. A., & Davis, C. L. (2008). Aerobic exercise program reduces anger expression among overweight children.Pediatric Exercise Science, 20(4), 390-401. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Loads of fun
The bottom line is, they have to be fun! And, they are! Toddlers are still in their discovery phase and want to interact with everything around them. They especially love it when they get a reaction out of something. An inflatable punching bag will do just that, again and again!
And the winner is…
The Franklin Sports Inflatable Electronic Boxing Bag one just hit all the criteria that we were looking for. We can just see a toddler throwing their entire bodies at it. It’s the perfect size for them, with soft edges all over, and it will bounce back every time! And, at over five feet tall, they’ll be able to play with it for years.
The electronic target that comes with it is just an added bonus. Honestly, we would have picked this bag even without the target. It’s more about its size and hitting all of the marks for a toddler’s development.
Toddlers will love playing with it. You’ll love what it teaches them. They can hug it or bash it around. It’s even tough enough for a good kick. And, it will come bouncing back for more every time.
