To think someone must have invented a bedroom-wall-protector for balls?

[rainingitsboring]

12yo DS wants to bounce his volleyball off his (white) bedroom walls and occasionally the ceiling. He has plenty of opportunities to play outside, so one option is just to say "no balls inside" but I'm considering buying something to put up on the wall for him to use as a safe target. It would need to be solid enough to give a good bounce. I googled and found some very heavy duty "wall ball" targets with a high price tag, but they seemed to be aimed at adults in gyms rather than kids' bedrooms. I was imagining something more like a noticeboard, but solid enough to take a ball, and giving a good rebound.

The best thing I've found so far is a wall transfer in the style of a target, which will at least limit any damage to one area, but it's a bit more permanent than I'd like - it would be nice to think I could just put something up temporarily until he's grown out of it, without having to redecorate.

Any ideas?

I just hope your house is detached!

Wall stickers aren't permanent, they can be taken down really easily. www.notonthehighstreet.com/oakdenedesigns/product/target-vinyl-wall-stickers?DGMKT=FID__TID_pla-534284831752_PID_225991_CRI_534284831752&gclid=CjwKCAjw1rnqBRAAEiwAr29II892STpNBkREcVGnToc5yoULE-WAWDg0LVB4PPaa1rEmZoUNPW2ElxoClmsQAvD_BwE

Do you have neighbours? If so, do you hate them?

What about one of the rebound nets like crazy catch? Is stand along so can be taken into the garden, but I assume also used in the house, and hopefully less of a thud thud thud noise for everyone

Did anyone else open this thread expecting to read something completely different?

Probably hasn’t been invented because most parents don’t want their children throwing balls indoors!

This is madness

PastelPotential me I did....quite disappointed tbh

Balls are for outdoors. No throwing things inside the house. Ever.

If you don't want him playing ball inside, don't encourage him! Two letter answer.

NO.

I thought this would be a toddler throwing things in their room, which would still be unacceptable behaviour. If your 12 year old thinks throwing balls in his bedroom is OK and you feel unable to say no then I can foresee much bigger problems in the next few years.

Yes, it's detached.

Some hilariously judgey responses here. I know someone who has climbing ropes up her stairwell, and a pull-up bar on her ceiling, so if the doom-mongers are foreseeing problems from a bit of ball bouncing I dread to think what kind of a delinquent she will end up with!

Surely just get some wood, paint and varnish if you want it to look like a target, and screw to the wall?

Invest in the proper adult target, he may never grow out of it.
Check what the ceiling is made of, plasterboard won’t cope with a volleyball.
Buy him a sponge ball and get him to focus on targeting.
Check lights and electronics are secured, one of our rooms has bulkhead lights fire safety.

for safety

His room. If he doesn't mind potential marks/dents and you don't mind the noise, leave it. He can redecorate and repair when he has had enough of playing volleyball in the house (or pay for those costs from his pocket money)

Did anyone else open this thread expecting to read something completely different?

yes

It’s going to cause persistent vibration which I would expect over time to cause superficial cracks in your plaster, but if you don’t mind that, then yeah 3x2 batons fixed to the wall and some 18mm ply fixed to that will do the job.

Alternatively you could cut the plaster/plasterboard out if it’s an external wall and fix directly to the bricks. That will reduce the vibration a fair amount. If you had some rubber matting behind that should absorb even more vibration.

If it’s to an internal wall or a timber framed wall expect there to be a lot of vibration.

Sorry forgot you said you wanted not permanent. Nope- anything you put up not securely fixed won’t give a rigid enough backing to give a good rebound. Anything securely fixed is going to be a job to put up and take down.

That’s the decision to be made, Op as Hidden has pointed out.
Our house has several adaptations to suit the hobbies of the inhabitants, but it does customise the home somewhat. If you aren’t comfortable with it, then he needs to play ball outside as more conventional posters have said. Oh, and it sounds more like basketball than volleyball to me.

Oh, and it sounds more like basketball than volleyball to me

No, that would perhaps be easier because just needs a net. For solo volleyball practice you need the ball to bounce back. He has a "Volleyball Pal" elastic rope thingy for the garden, but it's too long for indoors (and needs to be long so as not to bounce back in his face).

Foam tiles for the walls. You can get like jigsaw foam tiles I use them and they stop the noise and stops the mark's on the wall. I don't know if they would stop the bounce. Easy to put up and take down. Funny how one child haveing fun can upset so many adults.

PastelPotential Yes! The mind was boggling wonderfully 🤣

OP if you're handy with a tool kit can you knock up your own using plywood or the like?

@Thatagain, that sounds interesting. How do you fix them to the walls? Strong sticky fixers or maybe velcro?

Yes I use those easy sticky tape that you can remove. Like the tape that hangs pictures on the wall instead of using nails.

Corkboard on the walls would be great, and give a good bounceback. You can attach it with simple wall adhesive.