21 Gifts For Little Athletes & The Moms Who Love Them

“Anyone who has ever played a sport on a gym floor knows the annoyance of slipping and sliding around due to dust — and you really never want to see that when your kid is on the court, because it just increases the odds of an injury. This portable traction mat is the solution, and it’s such a simple but wildly clever thing. All you have to do is step on it, and it removes the dust and such from the soles of your shoes to reset your grip. It comes with 60 high-tack sheets but folds up small enough to toss in your kid’s gym bag.” — Julie Sprankles, Deputy Editor, Lifestyle & Entertainment

“These sneakers scream sideline mom. They’re comfortable as hell, cozy, and keep you looking a little less like you just rolled out of bed to get to your kid’s game than you are.” — Kate Auletta, Editor in Chief

“When we were driving my daughter to her basketball practice from school, I'd have a bag for her clothes, then carry her water bottle, and then also try to keep her basketball from falling out of my hands. It was... a lot! I knew, going forward, she'd be in more sports like this and need all the things. This duffle bag from State has saved me from literally juggling a million things as well as my sanity. Now, everything she needs for sports is in one place. I swear this bag was designed with moms in mind because it even comes with detachable pouches for shoes and dirty clothes!” — Katie Garrity, Editor, News & Social

“I love cheering on my kids and nieces and nephews from the sidelines, but I get cold so very easily when it’s an outdoor event in chilly weather. This Mozy wrap keeps me from freezing my butt off by using the laws of thermodynamics and convective heat-loss technology to trap my own body heat. It’s super convenient not to need batteries or an external power supply, and it’s fully wearable, so it stays put while I move around. It’s windproof and weatherproof, too, even more reason it’s perfect for outdoor games.” — Julie Sprankles

“My children are strictly sweatpant kids, but as they’ve gotten into golf, they’ve had to *ahem* step up their game. Enter these golf pants that are stretchy and comfortable as hell. They LOVE them and are dressed appropriately on the green now.” — Kate Auletta

“These wipes are easy to throw in a gym bag, purse, or backpack, and they’re perfect for when you have a practice or workout but don’t have the time or opportunity to do a full shower. A quick wipe to the face isn’t just cooling, it also takes away the sweat and grime of the game.” — Sarah Aswell

“As they say in sports, go big or go home, right? If you’re a serious cold-weather wimp like I am, you’ll thank yourself every day for getting this heated jacket. It looks stylish enough to wear whenever, but it’s water-repellent, wind-resistant, lined with silver mylar to reflect body heat, and has multiple heating zones built in — meaning it’s practically made for always-cold sports moms like us!” — Julie Sprankles

“This hat is so good for both athletes and spectators when the weather is hot. Get it wet, then put it on for long-term cooling effects. It’s shade plus the cooling nature of water, and you’ll be surprised how often it comes in handy (exercising, watching sports, hiking, boating, going to Disney!). Just get it wet again as it dries, and you can stay cool all day long.” — Sarah Aswell

“This massage hook is such a smart tool to keep handy during sports season. After hauling your kid’s gear, sitting in bleachers, or standing on the sidelines, your back and shoulders will be tight — this lets you target the knots with deep, thumb-like pressure. And your little athlete will probably enjoy using it for a little relief after a long day of play, too.” — Julie Sprankles

“Whether you are putting a little sparkle on for spirit days at school, cheering from the bleachers, or playing in the game, I love these glitter sticks that take the mess out of glitter makeup. This set includes silver, gold, and pink, though you can buy tubes separately, too.” — Sarah Aswell

“Woe to the travel-sports parents whose kids get car sick! And if you give them a traditional Dramamine, they get sleepy and drag through their games. Enter these non-drowsy chewable nausea gummies that are so much easier than swallowing a pill and that keep your kids awake for the big game, even if it’s a long drive away.” — Sarah Aswell

“If you’re a sports mom, you undoubtedly always have your trusty tumbler or jug of water with you, lugging it around from practice to home to games and back again. Hydration is important, after all... and, let’s be real, your kid will come up every time, without fail, asking, ‘Do you have any water?’ WanderFull bags make it so easy to tote your reusable bottle or tumbler around hands-free, while still having a spot for essentials like your phone, cards, and AirPods. They have several sports-themed options, but I love that the golf one has a tee holder built right in.” — Julie Sprankles

“I tried Bombas socks and absolutely loved them, so, of course, I had to get my daughter a set of her own. These are the most comfortable socks your kid will ever wear. Plus, huge bonus, for every item you purchase, Bombas donates an item on your behalf.” — Katie Garrity

“I love these little two-compartment snack boxes from B.box. They are BPA-free, they’re totally machine washable, and they don’t leak at all. And I love that they fit exactly two snacks, which is perfect for packing for kids’ after-school sports (or for you if you’re heading out to watch a game).” — Sarah Aswell

“I am happily a sideline mom in all seasons, except, of course when it gets cold. Enter: this jacket. It goes to your ankles, is fleece-lined and has so. many. useful. pockets. I love this thing.” — Kate Auletta

“This Galaxy Watch 7 with the Kids’ Experience is a great way to let your kid have a little freedom on game days or during practices while still giving you peace of mind with real-time location alerts and an approved contact list. You can also set Do Not Disturb for school, track their activity through Samsung Health, and manage everything through your own phone with Google Family Link.” — Julie Sprankles

“I am a baseball mom, and if you’ve ever had to endure a kid’s baseball game on a Friday night or beautiful Saturday afternoon, you know wine is in order. This flask fits a whole bottle of wine and comes with two insulated glasses. It’s perfect for those never-ending games.” — Kate Auletta

“If your little baller eats, drinks, sleeps, breathes basketball, this smart basketball system will definitely earn you some brownie points. It gives coaching insights without needing a trainer — all you need is the ball and the app, and it tracks everything from makes and misses to shot locations and swishes. The real-time feedback helps improve accuracy, and the analytics app makes it easy to track progress over time.” — Julie Sprankles

“You’ve probably seen videos of these kits all over TikTok, and it really is such a fun — and sometimes funny — thing to break out in a group to see how everyone fares. But it’s also just a great way for young athletes of all kinds to improve hand-eye coordination, work on reaction time, and boost their speed and reflexes.” — Julie Sprankles

“Let’s be real, if you have a little athlete in your home, it doesn’t matter how many times you tell them not to play ball in the house — they’re gonna do it at some point anyway. Might as well minimize the likelihood of something getting smashed or crashed by having a Safe Sport Gear House Ball on hand. They’re the No. 1 indoor sports balls on Amazon with thousands of 5-star reviews, presumably from parents who were also tired of yelling ‘NOT IN THE HOUSE!’” — Julie Sprankles

“In case it’s not clear, I spend a lot of time at outdoor sports games. This blanket keeps you warm and cozy against the elements and is machine-washable to boot. Win-win.” — Kate Auletta