Encouraging kids to play outdoors is a win-win for their physical health, mental well-being, and overall happiness. When it comes to playtime, the choice of equipment matters, and balls check all the boxes for fun and fitness. But not all balls are created equal–you don’t want something too heavy or overly bouncy. That’s where playground balls come in, striking the perfect balance. These balls offer enjoyable play while providing a fantastic workout for kids, making them an excellent choice for all ages. Discover our favorite, the Champion Sports Rhino Playground Ball, and explore more options below, because the right ball can turn outdoor play into a lasting adventure.
Balls see a lot of use and abuse, especially the ones entrusted to kids. Keeping this in mind, Champion Sports’ Rhino Playground Balls are designed to be super durable. The secret behind this impressive lifespan is its dual-ply nylon construction, which strikes the ideal balance between absorbing and redirecting impacts. This is also how this ball manages to feel so soft, yet so bouncy and responsive. Another side benefit of using nylon as its key material is that the ball retains its original shape for much longer, further increasing its longevity.
The Voit Playground Ball is one of the most premium options you can buy, and it’s easy to see why. For starters, the ball has an excellent texture that’s firm enough to be grippy, but soft enough to not cause any harm on impact. Meanwhile, its weight and size distribution keeps the ball going in a straight line when in the air. Lastly, we have the two-ply construction, which keeps this playground ball staying functional for years without showing much wear. All of these attributes also make this a pretty good candidate for sports like dodgeball or kickball!
These 8.5-inch Playground Balls from Ogrmar are by far the best value for your money. This value isn’t just in terms of price either, as the six balls in this pack are also exceptionally well-built. Everything from their construction materials to size and weight is on par with the best on the market. Even the textured surface is excellent, being perfectly designed for effortless catching and throwing. On top of all that, this pack also comes with an air pump, so you can keep the balls inflated and usable without having to spend more money on a pump.
Playground balls are great for sports like kickball, basketball, and dodgeball, and the ones from AppleRound are perfect for them all. Everything from their texture to density is just right for all kinds of sports. First of all, their heavy PVC composition is super durable and can withstand almost any sport with ease. Secondly, the grippy texture on these is not as pronounced as other play balls on the market, so you can use them for games like dodgeball as well. Plus, you can change their bounciness using the included air pump to better suit the game that you’re playing.
Size is the first factor you have to consider, and it is an important one. If the ball is too big, kids will most likely struggle with picking it up and running around. On the other hand, if it’s too small, they won’t be able to kick it successfully every time. In both of these scenarios, kids will start to lose interest quickly, causing the balls you’ve purchased to go to waste. Small balls are also a safety hazard, as little kids can trip over them and injure themselves from the fall.
Then there’s the issue of inclusion as well. If you’re purchasing these balls for a church park or school rec room, kids of many different ages will play with them, and you want all of them to have a good time.
Keeping all this in mind, the ideal size for playground balls appears to be somewhere between 8.5 and 9 inches in diameter. You can go all the way down to 7.5 inches if the balls are mostly intended for kids ages 1 to 3, but it’s best to stay close to the 8.5-inch average.
Unfortunately, the weight of the balls presents similar issues to the size, as you need to be precise with your selection. If the balls are too heavy, little kids won’t be able to kick them too far or carry them easily. In contrast, if the balls are too light, they become rubber balloons that can’t even surpass air resistance to go in a straight line. Plus, if you’re using the balls for a specific sport, be sure to factor that into your equation as well.
The right answer might be different depending on your circumstances or needs, but a safe baseline for playground balls is around 0.55 pounds.
What should the playground balls be made out of? Well, many materials are good options, and there’s no one “correct” answer.
One of the most prominent materials for these balls is two-ply nylon. It is super durable and strong enough to withstand years of use without showing too many signs of wear and tear. This makes it the perfect option for community areas that see a lot of visitors every day, like school recess halls. It is also super soft on impact, which is great for little kids, but not fun for games like kickball or even basketball.
On the other hand, we have materials like heavy composition PVC that strike an ideal balance of bounciness and softness — to some, these might even feel like foam! The best part about this material is that its attributes are excellent for games like dodgeball.
So, when choosing a playground ball set, look at its composition and do a bit of research on the properties of that material. See if its bounciness or softness aligns with your needs.
Having a grippy texture will make the ball a lot easier to handle for kids. These textures usually consist of a cross-hatch pattern that covers the ball on all sides. Additionally, having these engravings makes the balls usable in wet and snowy weather as well.
Most playground balls are shipped deflated for space-saving reasons, and you’ll need an air pump to inflate them back. Unfortunately, many manufacturers don’t include a pump alongside the balls, so you have to spend even more money on that. So, save yourself the hassle and look for ball sets that come with a pump.
One way to increase their longevity is to avoid leaving them out in the sun when they’re not in use.
No, you should deflate the balls if they won’t be used for more than a week.
Rinse them with clean water, apply a small amount of dish soap, and then rise them a final time with clean water again.
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