Why buy a kids pool table?
Whether it’s a gift for their birthday or at Christmas, a ‘just because’, or perhaps they’re buying it with their own money, a mini or table top pool table can be a brilliant idea that’s great for them and you. They’re suitable for a wide range of ages, from younger children at about 5 or 6, all the way up to mid-teens before they move on to an adult table.
For younger kids, pool tables can be a good way to improve their hand-eye coordination and patience, whilst keeping them away from screens for a few hours too. They’re something to be enjoyed alone or with friends and siblings, and a little competition never hurt anybody!
There’s a huge range of styles, sizes and prices out there to suit any age and budget. We’ve searched high and low for the very best kids pool tables, leaving you with three lists to choose from:
- Top 5 folding pool tables for kids (ages 8-16)
- Top 5 table top pool tables for kids (ages 5-10)
- Top 3 cheap table top pool tables for under £30 ($40)
Top 3 folding pool tables for kids (ages 8-16)
1. Children’s Play Mini Pool & Snooker Table with Wooden Cues
First up is a really impressive mid-range mini pool table that comes with all the accessories you’d need, including two 26” (66cm) wooden cues for high quality gameplay. It’s built with high-density fibreboard meaning it’ll be sturdy to play on and keep its shape well over time, complete with professional style string drop bags for the balls when potted. No need to worry about space as it can be folded flat and stored away easily when not in use at no more than a metre in length.
2. Gamesson Eton L-Foot 4ft 6” Pool Table
Our top pick is this small foldable pool table that’s compact and expertly designed for young players who might be just starting out, made by a highly trusted brand in Gamesson. At over 4 foot in length, it’s the largest kids pool table we’re recommending and will be perfect for adults to join in too as it’s only one or two feet shy of a typical small adult table. It’s built to replicate professional tables with its MDF playing surface, drop pockets and wood effect finish, along with quick folding legs to be both compact and sturdy. If you’re looking for gifts for kids, this is a great one for any budding young pool or snooker player!
3. Tekscore Goal 21-in-1 4ft Multi Games Table
Now here’s a wildcard, and something that so many kids will have on their wish list due to how many different games it supports. Made by Tekscore who are a real expert in designing multi-games tables, this one doubles up as a games table and football goal whilst offering 21 different games! It has a huge variety of alternative table tops including table tennis, table football, air hockey, basketball and so much more. It’s also cheaper than most table tennis tables of a similar size, so definitely one to consider. If you're interested in buying a multi games table, for kids or for adults, you should check out our Best Multi Games Tables blog.
Top 4 table top pool tables for kids (ages 5-10)
1. Gamesson LTH 3ft Pool Table
Another Gamesson, but this time a mini 3ft kids pool table that takes the same high quality MDF frame of your larger tables from the same brand, to achieve the same durability for long-lasting performance but at a fraction of the cost. It has hidden drop pockets which will keep them protected for longer and comes with all the accessories required for two players. This is our favourite table top table, offering exceptional value and a great first table for younger kids.
2. Portable Table Top Pool Games Set
Our first table top pool table is a low price wooden one that offers great value for a high quality build. It’s stylish to replicate the look of some of your more professional pool and snooker tables with its green playing surface. A great plus to this table is its lightweight but ultra durable frame with pockets hidden to keep it in use for longer. It comes with all the accessories you’d need, two pool cues, 16 balls, chalk and a triangle, and you’ll even get a brush to keep the surface clean and protected.
3. Legler Maxi Pool & Billiards Table
The Legler Maxi is a fantastic alternative if you’re after a cheap table top pool table for younger kids that still has a nice even surface and wooden build to help kids to improve their motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This table is suitable for kids as young as 5 years old as it’s on the smaller end of the spectrum at 70cm in length, making it compact and lightweight so even suitable for travelling. It’s one of the best rated desktop tables on Amazon and at such a low cost for a high quality table it’s no surprise.
4. JFJL 31” Indoor Mini Tabletop Pool Table
Last but certainly not least from the table top options, this table is built to be sturdy and long-lasting with protected corners and hidden drop bags. It’s a fantastic gift for a wide variety of ages of kids and something teenagers or adults can join in too due to its quality, premium playing surface and good size. It’s easily assembled at home and is designed to be stored away out of sight with short legs. Complete with everything you need to get started!
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Top cheap table top pool table for under £30 ($40)
1. MenKind Table Top Pool Table
The best value for money of our three miniature pool tables under £30 ($40), this one comes highly rated and can be found on MenKind’s website, a trusted retailer. What we love about this one is the sturdy box frame with a place for the balls to be captured when potted and easily replaced. A top gift for kids or a quirky present for men.
Buying guide
Their age
There really are kids pool tables to suit all ages, but you need to be careful to make the right choice for the child. As a rule of thumb, you want the height of a standing or foldable pool table to not exceed half the height of the child - it’s important they can reach across the table. That means if the kid is younger than 7 or 8 years old, you should really be looking at a table top pool table.
Storage space
A big benefit of buying a table top pool table is saving on space. They’ll fit nicely under any bed and some of the cheaper ones can even fit on a shelf or in a cupboard. It’s important to make sure you know where you’ll be storing a foldable pool table before making the purchase. Look at the sizes as they do vary, but on the whole they’re unlikely to go above a metre in height when folded.
Who's playing
If you plan for adults to join in the fun too it’s worth paying that little bit more for a standing pool table table. It’ll keep them entertained for longer and you’ll be able to help them with their form as well. You can get by with some of the larger table top pool tables but if you do, make sure you’ve got a dining table at the right height and width to sit it on when playing. The cue is a good sign of quality, so if the cue is plastic it’ll be more catered for kids.
Your budget
It’s no secret that the price of a pool table can vary significantly. This is why it matters a lot who you’re buying for. If you think you’ll only get a few uses but it’s for an older child, you can easily pick up a high quality table top pool table for a lot less than £100 ($125). But if you want something that will last, the more you spend the better the quality - look for an MDF or iron frame build. And don’t forget, you can still have a lot of fun with a table top pool table for under £30 ($40)!
Accessories
Most kids pool tables will come with all the essentials so you can build and get playing straight away. All you really need is two cues, chalk, a full set of pool balls (that’s 16 balls) and a triangle. Some might come with a brush for the playing surface too, which is a great bonus but not essential by any means.
3 pool playing tips for kids just starting out
Everyone has to start somewhere! So that you can give the kid you’re buying for a few tips for when they first pick up a pool cue, here are the three most important things to keep in mind. Remember, forming good habits early is a great way to keep them playing for longer and getting better faster.
- Getting their grip right: place one hand on the table, and their dominant hand gripped loosely towards the end of the cue: practice moving the cue back and forth in a straight line, and to aim for the middle of the ball
- Getting their stance right: arch their back so their head is just above the cue, and make sure they can see the flight of the cue and can track it in their eye line whilst keeping their feet firmly planting on the floor and legs shoulder width apart
- Visualising the shot: before taking a shot, get them to imagine where the ball will go, and where the ball it hits will go too: this is a little more advanced and is called ‘ghost ball aiming’, it’s a great way to help develop their visualisation
Don’t forget, it’s not easy to pick up pool playing quickly and practice really does make perfect. It’s always helpful for them to learn by mimicking your play too, so start by getting your game play right and you’ll be able to give them even more pointers.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a good quality table for an older child to keep them entertained and improve their game, we’d recommend the Gamesson L-Foot 4ft 6” Pool Table - it folds away easily when not in use and is built to stay sturdy for longer. But if it’s not all about pool playing, at a lower price you can pick up the Tekscore Goal 4ft Multi-Games Table for football enthusiasts.
At a lower price, however, and ideal for younger kids, we’d recommend another Gamesson, this time the Gamesson LTH 3ft Table Top Pool Table - a great introduction to the world of pool playing for any child.
Finally, if none of the tables we’ve shared are quite what you’re after, and you’re willing to spend a bit more on a more robust folding pool table for an older kid or teenager, why not check out our article on the Top Foldable Pool Tables. You’re bound to find something there. We make commission on some of the products you buy through us, so we thank you if you’ve found this list of the best kids pool tables useful. It all helps us to get that little bit closer to building our own man cave!
Affiliate disclaimer: on some or all of the products above, we receive a small commission if you make a purchase via our site. This does not impact the price you pay, but it allows us to keep helping people by writing these reviews, so thank you!
Co-founder at Mancaves HQ
A true man cave enthusiast. When he isn't trawling through Instagram looking for new ideas, you can find him navigating through the streets of London.
