Looking for a way to encourage the kids to burn off energy? These are the best ball pits for kids and toddlers to do just that!

They're the perfect way to spend a rainy day inside or make your outdoor set up that much better! Available in a wide array of sizes and designs, ball pits let kids experience the fun of diving into a colorful jumble of balls while keeping them contained in a collapsable pit that’s easy to put away when it’s cleanup time. 

Whether you’re shopping for a toddler ball pit or a big kids ball pit, discover the top-rated ball pits for kids as well as how to choose the best children's ball pit for your situation, and where to buy plastic balls in bulk for your ball pit!

More importantly, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to get a ball pit since it offers endless hours of entertainment and ensures that your kids are getting some screen-free playtime. 

How To Choose A Ball Pit For Kids:

When choosing a ball pit for kids, we suggest considering the following:

• Purpose/Intended use: do you plan to use this indoors or outdoors? Do you want to use it with or without water too? How important is portability? Is this something you plan to set up and put away regularly or do you want it always set up? Or are you looking for a fun sensory playpen experience for babies and young toddlers?
• Age of child and how long you want it to grow with them: ball pits for a baby are generally going to be smaller and shorter lived. Consider how many years you'd like the ball pit to last, and then choose a size appropriate for them.
• Features: Are you looking for something that inflates or pops up? Do you want a hoop or games like velcro darts? What about tunnel or tent attachments that can be used separately? Are you hoping to fit multiple kids in there?

Best Ball Pits for Kids

Highest Quality + Easiest To Clean: Gathre

If you're looking for an incredibly beautiful ball pit for your home that's also free of toxins, CPSIA compliant, AND easy to clean, look no further than Gathre.

Aside from being beautiful and easy to clean, parents will ALSO love that it folds up when not in use!

With that said, because it's foldable it may “feel” flimsy – particularly if you're expecting the durability of a foam ball pit. Keep that in mind while purchasing, this is more durable than a cheap pop up ball pit, but the divets that allow it to fold, also means a toddler can lean on it and wiggle it.

Dimensions: (open): W 41.5in x H 12.5in. – (folded): L 15in x W 12.5in x H 7.5in.

Best Long Term Value: Eezy Peezy 3-in-1

Parents looking for the best bang for their buck will LOVE the Eezy Peezy convertible ball pit and trampoline.

It includes over 60 plastic balls for the ball pit with a storage bag too.

Best of all, not only are the balls easy to store, but the trampoline folds away for easy storage. My toddler has a trampoline like this one and let me tell you, it's one of the best things we own for burning energy!

Best Ball Pit For Baby: Bright Start’s 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play

Keeping with the convertible theme, we love this activity center that turns into a ball pit for baby! Bright Start’s 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play begins as an activity gym to help your baby learn to love tummy time and even roll over safely thanks to the built-in sides that keep them in one location. 

We also love that the mat is machine washable and all of the other pieces are easy to wipe clean. Plus it comes with an easy to store bag to store the ball pit balls when not in use!

Best Budget Ball Pit For Toddlers: B. play – Ball Pit with Balls – Mini Playspace

The B. play ball pit is a fun introduction for toddlers to experience the excitement of a ball pit in a smaller, controlled space at a super affordable price, without compromising quality.

It's a great portable ball pit option for sensory play. Keep in mind, that this is a budget pick and ball pits/pop up tents of this nature lack sturdiness. While we found the quality of B. Toys better than this (even cheaper) option, we do want to note, that it likely won't retain the perfect shape with heavy/rough use over extended periods – but it will do the job.

Most Aesthetic: Tiny Land

Tiny Land's pop up play tent and foldable playground, which includes a ball pit – is a fantastic buy and the perfect aesthetic option for neutral homes.

It features a crawling tunnel, triangle tent, pretend play tent, and a ball pit with a hoop (balls not included) plus a carrying storage bag.

Best Big Kids Ball Pit: Lojeton

Bigger kids need more space to play and roam. We like the Lojeton Two-piece Rocket Ship Kids Play Ship because it’s an oversized tent that can be set up either indoors or outdoors. The fun space theme will spark little imaginations while the multi-room design lets children explore and offers more space for multiple children to play inside simultaneously. Plus there's a basket ball hoop!

This children's ball pit tent measures 39.4 inches in diameter and 51.2 inches tall while the actual ball pit measures 47.3 inches in diameter and 28 inches tall. The pieces can be connected or used separately. Although this is a nice pick for older kids do note that this option doesn’t come with the balls as you’ll need to purchase those separately.

Additionally, it comes in several prints/themes, like princess castle, and 1, 2, 3, or 5 piece play sets:

Best Inflatable Bouncer Ball Pit For Multiple Kids: WellFunTime Inflatable Bounce House Ball Pit

Whether you’re throwing a backyard party or just having an impromptu get-together, when kids are involved having a dedicated space where they can play is important. The WellFunTime Inflatable Bounce House is the perfect outdoor solution to keep them occupied and safely in view. Although this Castle style ball pit does come with balls, you’ll only get 50. So, you may want to supplement them with additional balls purchased elsewhere. 

Additionally, there’s a soccer goal, a basketball hoop, and a target on one of the mesh panels for playing darts. It also comes with a soccer ball, basketball, and mesh darts to use with those bonus features; and a hand pump to re-inflate the basketball and soccer ball. Plus it comes with the blower (to inflate), stakes (to keep it grounded), repair patches, and a carrying bag! Other fun features include two mesh built in storage bags for water bottles or snacks.

The bouncer ball pit house measures 145 inches long, 120 inches wide and 85 inches tall when fully inflated.

Best Ball Pit Pool: Peradix Paddling Pool 3 in 1

Toys that can pull double duty are always a positive in our book and we love that this 3-in-1 ball pit can be used for indoor or outdoor fun year round!

Unlike other ball pit pools, it uses a baby safe rubberized, rust proof memory spring wire to easily pop up (no inflating or pump necessary!). Plus since it's not “inflated” your pets can enjoy it too without worrying their claws will pop it! To drain the water, you just clip two buckles down and let it flow out easily. The ball pit pool also folds up in a small carrying bag, making it easy to bring on vacation or beach trips!

This pool comes in blue or green. Balls are not included, but it does come with stickers for your child, a patch for repairs, and a storage bag. It measures 37 inches in diameter. It should comfortably fit two children under 5 years old.

Best Foam Ball Pit: Avrsol Foam Ball Pit For Toddlers

Definitely the most cute and instagrammable ball pit on the list! And for younger babies, you might not be comfortable with letting them play in a traditional soft-sided ball pit where they could roll out or a wire could poke through. This foam ball pit for babies from Avrsol is the perfect solution thanks to the thick foam sides and base which offers more support while also ensuring that if your baby slips or trips, they won’t hit the hard floor. 

It measures 37.5 inches in diameter, 12.5 inches tall, and has sides that are two inches thick. You’ll also appreciate that the soft cover on the foam pit can be removed for easy cleaning. Best of all, we like that the pit is actually made from durable memory foam that won’t lose its shape over time. It comes in three colors too:

Best Ball Pit for Kids With Tunnel: Playz

Create a fun little obstacle course for your kids with this ball pit with tunnels from Playz. This fun ball pit features five pieces which include two different shaped tents, a ball pit, and two tunnels. The ball pit also includes a built-in hoop for even more fun ways to play. The tunnels are designed to be durable with double mesh walls throughout. 

We love that you can try it risk free for 30 days, and there's a 6 month replacement warranty (or 1 year if you register it). The design is lightweight, and the pieces just pop up or fold flat into a zip up carrying bag. We also love that it's lead, latex, phthalates, and bpa free! Unfortunately, the balls aren’t included.

Best Indoor Ball Pit With Slide: Eazy Peezy Playset

We love the idea of a ball pit that serves as a full activity play gym. This Eazy Peezy Playset with balls is the perfect solution for climbing and comes with a slide that’s perfect for toddlers. Whether you’re outfitting your playroom or daycare center, children will love this pick. This ball pit features a simple plastic frame design with vinyl fabric coverings. 

Along with the ball pit, you’ll also get a bright red slide and a target toss game. This ball pit with a slide is ideal for children ages 12 months to three years old. When assembled, this ball pit activity set measures 62 inches long by 29 inches tall. The slide also has a length of 59 inches. And you’ll appreciate that this choice comes with 50 balls.

NOTE: If you're looking for an indoor ball pit with slide, you can always purchase this Little Tikes slide, and just add it to any ball pit on this list though. We noticed a lot of parent did this in the photo reviews of the other ball pits on this list!

Best Ball Pit Playpen: Gaorui Large Ball Pit Playpen

Get the best of both worlds with this ball pit playpen from Gaorui. Whether you need to watch a few toddlers or babies or prefer to give your child more space to play, this oversized playpen can easily become a fun ball pit to keep little ones occupied. The large playpen can be assembled for indoor or outdoor use and comes in two colors. 

When fully assembled, this baby ball pit playpen measures 74.8 inches long, 50.7 inches wide, and 25 inches tall. Along with plenty of space to play, you’ll also get a built-in hoop, two soccer goals (which you can close off for babies), and a sidewall pouch to store toys or snacks.

Affordable Tent Ball Pit: Kiddey Ball Pit Play Tent

Children can benefit from a wide array of sensory experiences — but parents may not love having balls thrown all over the house! A tented ball pit will keep them contained better than others on the list that just have tall sides.

. If using outdoors, this ball pit tent also comes with stakes to secure it firmly to the ground. It's lightweight, popups up, and folds close into a carrying/storage bag. Balls not Included.

FAQS about Ball Pits for Toddlers & Kids:

What age is a ball pit good for?

You can find ball pits for a wide range of ages. Rather than focusing solely on age, you should look for the weight restrictions listed on a ball pit to ensure that it’s compatible with your child’s needs. However, in general, ball pits designed for babies are going to be smaller and shallower than ones designed for toddlers or older children. 

Also, note that some ball pits are designed to grow with your children. For example, you can find ball pits designed for babies that can transform into trampolines as your child gets older. Still, if you’re considering buying a ball pit for a baby, experts usually recommend that your baby be at least six months old and can sit up unassisted with good neck control. 

Are ball pits dangerous?

If you think of large public ball pits, those can be intimidating for smaller children and definitely for babies and have a slew of hazards.

But ball pits designed to be used at home are generally safe due to their smaller and shallower size. However, you should always supervise younger children at play to prevent accidents from occurring. It's also a good idea to regularly inspect your at home ball pit, to ensure no wires or damage has occured that could lead to a dangerous situation.

How many balls do I need for a ball pit? 

Most of the ball pits on this list suggest between 200-400 balls for the ball pit. However, how many balls you'll need for a ball pit obviously depends on the size of the ball pit and your desired fullness.

We suggest starting with less and adding on as needed. For most kids, having enough balls to fully cover the bottom of your ball pit floor is a good starting point.

Usually, when you buy a ball kit, it comes with an included set of balls ranging anywhere from 100 to 1,000 pieces.

It’s a good idea to have more balls on hand as they tend to roll under furniture and get lost behind items in your home while your children play. 

Where to buy plastic balls in bulk: 

You can purchase your ball pit balls in bulk from brand names like Little Tikes or Fisher Price.

However, we suggest considering some things before buying plastic balls in bulk:

• Toxicity: look for phthalate free, lead free, BPA free AND non-PVC plastic balls ideally – especially for outdoor use where the plastic can heat up and off gas.
• Size: some parents may prefer larger balls, others may want smaller ones for toddler hands to play hoops with easier in the ball pit. Generally we recommend balls between 2.1 to 2.5 inches in diameter.
• Crushability: How easily can the balls be crushed? You'll want something sturdy and uncrushable ideally!
• Color: While some parents may not care about the color, others who plan to display their ball pit in a playroom or somewhere they'll look at lot may appreciate a more monochromatic look like these:

You can find plastic balls in bulk on Amazon, Walmart, and even Target though!

How often should ball pits be cleaned?

It’s a good idea to try to clean the balls after every two to three uses to prevent them from getting physically dirty. Depending on the materials used to create the actual pit, you can clean it every three to six months by simply wiping it down with a damp cloth or sanitizing wipes. 

How much does a ball pit cost?

Ball pits can range in price quite a bit depending on size and features. You can purchase an at home indoor ball pit for kids under $20 or you can purchase much larger ones that inflate or have other features for upwards of $500.

As a general rule, the more features included on a ball pit — such as additional activities, a larger size that can hold multiple children, or more durable construction — the more expensive a ball pit will be.

The one's on this list range between $15-250 to meet all budgets and needs.

Final Thoughts:

Ball pits are a great way to keep your children engaged in sensory experiences while working gross and fine motor skills; and as a bonus: they're screen free!

While we really do love all the ball pits on this list given their unique features and solution for parents the Eezy Peezy 3-in-1 is ideal for parents who want to get the most longevity out of the toys they buy. It starts as a ball pit that’s great for children as young as 10 months, it later converts into a trampoline that can be used until your child is 55 pounds. 

Beyond that though, the Bright Start’s 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play is best for babies and the Gathre ball pit is easily the best quality on this list, while Playz is the most popular.

And for people that need to keep several children entertained simultaneously, our pick for the best inflatable ball pit for multiple kids, the WellFunTime Inflatable Bounce House is perfect.

Along with a large ball pit, there’s also a side room, soccer goal, basketball hoop, and a dartboard game. We promise, it'll be the hit of any birthday part of summer backyard BBQ!

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Originally published 12/3/21; Updated 12/22/23