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Many kids are spending lots of time playing basketball video games rather than actually playing it in the court these days. In fact, it does not only apply to children, the same goes for adults as well. When is the last time you shoot a hoop with your child? So anything to get you and your kids outside is welcomed. One way is to make a basketball court in your backyard!
Interesting Things in this Post
Benefits of Playing Basketball at a Young Age
Basketball is an excellent activity for a growing child, I also spent lots of time playing it during my childhood. Encouraging your child to play at a young age will help them benefit from the rigorous sport, and also lay the foundation for them to continue to stay active later on in life.
The game is fairly easy to learn and only requires a basketball, and a hoop. Even if you don’t have a fancy basketball court, you can still easily install a basketball hoop in an outdoor area with ample space for kids to shoot around. (Disclaimer: This paragraph contains affiliate links)
Basketball will keep your kids entertained and help them get all their pent up energy out since it involves a lot of jumping, running, passing the ball and shooting it. It also helps with coordination since you have to usually do more than one thing at a time to successfully score against an opponent.
It is a fantastic group sport, which requires a great deal of strategic thinking and teamwork. I can’t even remember how many great friends I made from playing basketball when I was young. I’m sure it will improve a child’s social skills in the long run. Even when there are times that they aren’t playing with anyone, it is still a great way to get them outside since they can shoot around to sharpen their skills.
Playing basketball also helps building up a child’s character. Since being a good basketball player takes a lot of practice and determination, your kids can really benefit from these life-long skills. Just like every sport around, basketball has its own game rules to follow. You could use this chance to reinforce to your kids that remaining competitive, while playing within the rules are vital. This would be a practical life lesson for them.
Benefits of Basketball Court in Backyard
Building a basketball court in your backyard allows you to spend time with your children, as you shoot hoops with them on your free time. And it doesn’t matter if you have boys or girls since both can benefit from what basketball signifies. Of course, you can set up a basketball hoop and place it in your driveway or on the street in front of your house, but that poses many dangers.
When it’s in the street or driveway, the ball can unexpectedly run into the street and then you have to worry about cars coming and possibly becoming a threat to your kids as they play basketball outside. When it’s in your backyard, the ball can’t roll into traffic, and you don’t have to constantly be out to watch them to keep them safe, making it easier to manage your kids when you have things to do inside the house. And since it’s just in your backyard, you don’t have to worry about kids carrying all sorts of gear to the public basketball court, potentially losing them.
Building Basketball Court in Your Backyard
First, you’ll need to decide if you want to make a full-sized court or a half-sized one, which will depend on how big your backyard is. Obviously, if it’s small, a half-sized one will suffice. To determine the size your backyard can fit, measure out the section you’re willing to devote to the court.
If you want an NBA and NCAA regulation court, it’s good to note that they are 94ft x 50ft, while high school ones are 85 ft. But your backyard might not have enough space to fit either of these, so just measure out the area you do have.
You’ll also need to purchase materials, such as the hoops, the court flooring materials and a court stencil kit (or masking tape and spray paint) to create the court’s lines. Or if you don’t want to paint your own lines, you can always opt to get tiles to cover the foundation, such as ModuTile ones, which is a basketball court flooring cover with painted lines and edge. This kind of surface is more comfortable on the knees and will help your court look more professional and appealing, making your kids want to pretend they’re pros while they’re playing in their backyard basketball court.
Image linked from ModuTile/Amazon.com
Basketball Court Foundation
How to Build a Concrete Basketball Court?
After you have the measurements, it’s time to decide the court’s foundation or the base material for the court. The first material that comes to mind when you think of a basketball court is concrete, which will provide the best performance and last longer than any other option despite being sort of pricy. Typically, you’ll need a 4” pad for the court complete with some steel reinforced rebar and expansion joints cut by a saw. But with concrete, you’ll have to make sure there is no slope or else it’ll make the court uneven and affect play. If you can’t do your own concrete, you can always hire a professional to come out, but you’ll end up spending more money (but will have a professional basketball court foundation). However, if you do place the concrete foundation on your own, make sure you the pole hoops will be cemented into foundation tightly.
Some families prefer a portable basketball system so that they can take it with them when they move to a different house. If that is the case for you, be sure to choose one that is sturdy. To make the basketball system sitting more secure to the ground, some have the design that allows you to add water or sand at the base. >> Here’s a portable basketball stand that I like.
Backyard Basketball Court with No Concrete
But if you are looking for a less expensive solution, many also use asphalt pad, which is cheaper and easier to install. This works well as long as you don’t have any tree roots that grow under the court or else they’ll push it up later on as they grow. And to prolong the asphalt pad, it’s best if no cars use the area, which can cause lots of wear and tear on it. This option is also softer for kids when they fall, while still providing a great bounce for the ball when dribbling on the court.
A third option is a compacted stone foundation, which is the cheapest, but also requires the most work and labor initially and later on since you’ll have to re-compact the area in the future. But really, it’s still the best option when you want to remove the court later on or if your backyard has limited access. A local landscaper can help you get this done if you can’t find enough information online to do it yourself.
Image linked from ModuTile/Amazon.com
You can also use this method with court tiles to cover the area. But with this option, you’ll want to be sure to use some landscape fabric over the base so that weeds won’t come up and show through the court tiles.These tiles are an extra cost, but they offer more cushion and shock absorption than the other options. It also looks more professional, comes in a variety of vibrant and last colors, Make sure to choose one that has a good drainage design for when it rains and is durable for tough wear.
Plus your kids will be more willing to play on it since it looks like a schoolyard basketball court, helping them use their imagination to believe they’re real NBA players, testing out their skills on the court!
Can you Play Basketball on Grass?
You might have thought about placing tiles over your grass area or even skip a foundation altogether and just paint lines over the grass while putting poles for the hoops in the grass itself. In my opinion, this isn’t a feasible idea since grass (or dirt for that matter) isn’t dense enough for dribbling the basketball (which is essential to the game). Your kids just won’t get the same bounce as a court made with concrete or another foundation as mentioned earlier. So honestly, this option just won’t suffice for a proper backyard basketball court for your kids. They would be better off playing soccer on the grass rather than basketball.
Painting Outdoor Basketball Court Lines
Once the foundation is ready to go and you’ve decided not to get pre-fabricated surfacing, you’ll have to paint the lines on the court. You’ll need the out-of-bounds lines, a center line that goes horizontally in the middle of the court, a free-throw line that’s 15 feet from the middle of the hoop and 12 feet long and a free-throw lane that’s measure 12ft x 19ft. This is where you can personalize the court, using colors your kids would love or colors from their favorite teams. And you can even accessorize the court at this stage, adding in logos of your favorite team or creating your own family one to include!
Safety Precautions in Basketball Court
Before you even start constructing your backyard basketball court, you’ll have to consider a few things to make sure the court fits with your backyard and family. You obviously don’t want any broken windows or damages in your yard, so make sure you place it somewhere where the ball can’t accidentally hit and break a window, BBQ grille, etc. Also, you want to make sure that your backyard’s fences are high enough so that the ball doesn’t always go over it (and upset your neighbors).
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Basketball Court in your Backyard?
The total cost of a backyard basketball court depends on its size and the materials you use to build it. It’ll obviously be more if you get some help from a professional or opt to use a pre-made surface covering. But if you want the least expensive option, go with a half-court foundation and think about using portable basketball court flooring that’s sold by square-meters and are removable.
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Jacob is a father of two daughters. He loves spending quality time with them in the backyard. Playing sports, blowing bubbles, and planting are some the favorite activities Jacob and his daughters like to do together. He believes it is essential to spend quality time with them while they are still young.