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Best Ball Pits

Updated November 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
WWS Ball Pit for Kids
WWS
Ball Pit for Kids
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Most Versatile
Bottom Line

The lightweight yet sturdy construction of this model makes an excellent play arena for your baby or kids.

Pros

Features a deep and spacious play area so that multiple children can enjoy its features at the same time. Simple to assemble and fold away for storage. All materials are skin-friendly and scent-free. Available in pink, blue, and more.

Cons

Very lightweight, so can move around easily.

Best Bang for the Buck
Kiddey Ball Pit Play Tent for Kids
Kiddey
Ball Pit Play Tent for Kids
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Quick Setup
Bottom Line

A spacious pop-up ball pit for outdoor and indoor use.

Pros

Made of wipe-clean polyester with layered stitching and a wire frame. Features 6 mesh sides, an open top, and a tie-up fabric door. Comes with a storage bag. Measures 55 inches wide and 27.5 inches high.

Cons

May be lacking in durability.

EocuSun Indoor/Outdoor Ball Pit And Pop-Up Tent
EocuSun
Indoor/Outdoor Ball Pit And Pop-Up Tent
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Tent-style
Bottom Line

A versatile option that doubles as a tent.

Pros

Tent provides shaded, outdoor ball pit fun. Breathable mesh sides allow for air circulation and visibility. Pop-up design is quick and easy to assemble/disassemble. Offers little ones a novel yet safe “hideaway” ball pit experience.

Cons

Balls must be bought separately.

HARBOLLE Foam Ball Pit for Kids
HARBOLLE
Foam Ball Pit for Kids
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Most Comfortable
Bottom Line

A stylish ball pit with thick memory foam walls and mat.

Pros

Soft ball pit available in multiple colors. Made of memory foam and comes with a mat insert. Zippered cover is detachable and washable. Measures 35.5 inches wide and 11.8 inches high. Walls are 2 inches thick.

Cons

Does not store as compactly as some other options.

Click N’ Play Kids Ball Pit
Click N’ Play
Kids Ball Pit
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Easy to Store
Bottom Line

A sturdy and affordable ball pit that folds up and has a carrying bag.

Pros

Blue ball pit made with environmentally-safe waterproof materials. Has a fabric texture with a plywood interior. Wipes clean and folds for storage. Comes with a drawstring bag. Measures 4 feet wide and 15 inches high.

Cons

Size may be smaller than advertised.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

30
Models
Considered
60
Consumers
Consulted
14
Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for Best ball pits

Eric McMillan's desire to create engaging and imaginative spaces for children to explore led to the invention of the ball pit. At one time, you could only experience the thrill of a ball pit by visiting a theme park. Today, ball pits can be located anywhere, including your own home.

Although it's not difficult to buy a ball pit for your home, there are many options you need to think about to be sure the one you’re considering is best for your situation. Is a ball pit enough or do you need more play space? Will it be used outdoors? How many children will be playing inside the ball pit?

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When more than one child is playing in a ball pit, each learns to work together and socialize, which can enhance cooperative play skills.

Key considerations

What is a ball pit?

A ball pit is simply a space that contains plastic balls. Anything can serve as the pit. If you're in college, you can close the doors and fill up your dorm hallway with thousands of balls and have a blast. But if you're a parent of a young child, you want something much safer. You want a product that is specifically designed to encourage exploration, learning, and the development of motor skills while promoting the advancement of social skills. You want something soft and yielding – not hard plastic – to reduce the risk of injury.

Although many of the elements of a ball pit are optional, there are three considerations that can be thought of as deal breakers if they don't match your specific needs: age range, capacity, and location.

Age range

If you have an exceptionally young child, you must be sure that the ball pit you’re considering is appropriate for their age. A ball pit that’s too large could be overwhelming or frightening to a very small child. Likewise, one that’s designed for a toddler won’t hold much interest for a five-year-old.

Capacity

It becomes a safety issue when you try and squeeze additional kids into a ball pit that’s only designed to hold one or two children. An overcrowded play area is a good way to encourage an unnecessary and fully preventable injury.

Location

If you plan on using your ball pit outside so your child can get some fresh air while playing, it needs to have certain features, such as ground stakes that secure the structure and keep it from blowing over on a windy day. It also needs to be easily cleanable. If you try to regularly use an indoor-only ball pit outdoors, you will be disappointed.

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Caution
When purchasing ball pit balls, make sure you buy ones that don’t pose a choking hazard and are nontoxic and phthalate- and BPA-free.
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Ball pit features

Unlike the above, these options are not deal breakers. However, they do greatly enhance the fun of your ball pit.

Special features

Special features are the little things, anything from a target to throw the balls at to a basketball net. These are the extra items that allow your children to take their play to the next level.

Add-ons

Having just a ball pit is perfect for very young children. However, once a child is old enough to explore on their own, a ball pit that includes tunnels and other structures, such as a castle, to crawl through will greatly enhance the fun factor.

Inflatable

Most home ball pits are manufactured from a pop-up mesh that allows you to quickly set up or break down the ball pit. Some other models are inflatable, combining the fun of a bounce house with the thrill of a ball pit.

Portability and storage

Unless you plan on leaving your ball pit set up 24/7 and will never take it with you on a playdate or move it to another location, you’ll prefer a lightweight ball pit that is easy to set up and take down and takes up minimal storage space.

Balls

Unfortunately, most ball pits don’t include the balls. You need to purchase them separately. If the ball pit you’re considering does come with balls, make sure they’re nontoxic and BPA-free.

Color and design

You wouldn't make your child a chocolate birthday cake if their favorite was vanilla, would you? It's just as important to get toys right. Favorite colors and themes coupled with a stimulating design can make the difference between a ball pit that gets used every day and one that sits in the playroom forever neglected.

Ball pit prices

Inexpensive

Ball pits are generally not very expensive. You can get a pop-up playpen designed to hold balls for as low as $10. From $15 to $25, you’ll find tents that can be filled with balls for more contained play.

Mid-range

As you move into the $25 to $50 price range, you can purchase a ball pit with multiple pits and connecting tunnels.

Expensive

Over $50, the ball pits are a little more durable and better suited to older kids. These might also feature an overall theme, such as a pirate ship or a castle. If you’re considering spending more than $100, you’ll find inflatable units that can handle rougher activity. With most ball pits, the balls are purchased separately, so you’ll need to budget for the additional cost.

Tips

One of the most baffling challenges for parents can be cleaning the balls in your ball pit. If you have 500 balls, you don’t have time to care for each one individually, washing, disinfecting, and drying it so it’s ready for tomorrow's play session. Following are some creative tips to help you solve this cleaning dilemma.

  • Use a cooler. Fill a large container, such as a cooler, with the balls, and allow them to soak in a cleaning solution.
  • Use a laundry basket. Fill a laundry basket with the balls, add a little dish soap, and hose them off. Let the balls dry outside.
  • Use a mesh sack. Place the balls in a mesh sack, put them in the back of a pickup and take it to a car wash. Or hang up the mesh bag outside and spray it thoroughly with disinfectant and then hose off. Or place the mesh bag in a washing machine, using cold water only.
  • Use a blanket. Lay all the balls out on a blanket in the sun and spray them with disinfectant.
  • Use the bathtub. Add the balls to a bubble bath.
  • Use the dishwasher. Wash the balls in the top rack of a dishwasher, but know that heat might damage them.
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When your child is playing in a ball pit, he or she is developing hand-eye coordination. Chasing after rolling balls, catching them, grabbing them, and throwing them all take considerable skills that enhance your child's development.

FAQ

Q. How many balls do I need?

A. If you purchase a ball pit that doesn't include balls or you want a few more, remember that the balls come in different sizes. Also, the number of balls you need depends on the depth you want in the ball pit. On average, 500 balls will fill a space that’s six feet square to one foot deep.

Q. How much do ball pit balls cost?

A. The balls come in a variety of sizes and colors. Most come in some kind of mesh container and are nontoxic, BPA-free, and crush-proof. The general price range is from $10 to $20 per 100 balls. Features like unusual colors or jumbo size tend to make the balls more expensive.

Q. Are there any age limits on ball pits?

A. Some ball pits are deeper and designed for older children, while others are geared to toddlers. The best thing to do is check the manufacturer's age recommendations before purchasing to be sure your child will be safe and happy using the ball pit you’re considering.

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