Babies love to play ball. The round shape that just keeps rolling and bouncing away from them can delight all babies and keep them well-occupied too. A ball pool or a ball pit for babies is a must have. Take them to one and you will see how their tiny faces just light up.
You don’t have to teach a baby to play in a ball pit, and you cannot keep them away from one either. Ball pits are a big hit among babies and children alike. They love to sit amidst the colorful balls and explore their shape and texture. It helps in your baby’s development on various fronts as well.
In This Article
- Why is Ball Pit Good For Babies?
- When Can Ball Pit Be Introduced to Babies?
- Top 4 Developmental Benefits of Ball Pit Balls For Babies
- FAQ’s
Why is Ball Pit Good For Babies?
A ball pit is a small enclosure filled with many colorful balls. Some have tunnels or even a slide in them. It is very interesting and challenging for babies to move around on a layer of balls and reach the ball they are looking for. It can occupy your baby for a long time and help in their cognitive development as well.
Playing in a ball pit can help your baby:
- Understand movement and distance
- Learn to track a moving object
- Perceive colors and shapes
- Improve grip
- Improve mobility and balance
- Learn to throw
- Improve navigation and problem-solving skills
[Read : When Will My Baby Develop The Pincer Grasp?]
When Can Ball Pit Be Introduced to Babies?
You can introduce your baby to ball pits once they can sit up without any support. Sitting in a space filled with colorful balls requires a lot of upper-body balance. They may not always find a clear spot to rest their hands on for balance.
If your baby is still wobbly and can’t sit up straight without support but still wants to play in a ball pit, get in with them. Most of these pits are spacious and since they are resting on the floor, they can take an adult’s weight too. Else, you can make your baby sit towards the edge of the pit and hold them in a seated position.
Top 4 Developmental Benefits of Ball Pit Balls For Babies
Are you wondering how a ball pit can benefit more than just playing with multiple balls at a time? Here are a few ways in which your baby can benefit from playing in a ball pit
1. Fine Motor Skills
The first thing a baby does in a ball pit is to jump up with joy. Even those babies who are yet to stand or walk will jump sitting. You can see the joy on their faces. They are eager to move and grab as many balls as they can. The balls can be slippery and difficult for a baby to hold easily. As a result, it makes your baby work their muscles – both the big and the small group of muscles, thus developing their fine motor skills effectively.
2. Hand-Eye Coordination
Your baby will see a ball and reach for it. It could be due to the color or distance. Either way, it requires babies to focus and move their limbs in the right direction, thus improving their hand-eye coordination.
[Read : Social Emotional Developmental Milestones in Infants]
3. Bonding and Social Skills
A ball pit is big, and many babies can play in it at a time. Babies learn to play with one another, communicate, laugh, and socialize. They will start throwing the balls to and at each other and come up with their ways to play with the numerous balls. These are important steps in bonding and socializing.
4. Visual Development
The balls are bright and colorful. When babies throw a bright colored ball, their eyes will start tracking it to see where it lands. This helps in visual development. Your baby will start understanding colors and movement when they play in the ball pit.
A ball pit for babies is a lot of fun and helps develop and improve many skills in a baby. If having a ball pit at home is not an option, you can always improvise and use a basket or a tub instead. You can also take your baby to other places with a ball pit.
[Read : When Do Babies Start Seeing Colors?]
FAQ’s
1. Are Ball Pits Better Than Playing With Loose Balls For Babies?
Loose balls tend to go all over the place which can be discouraging for a baby. In a ball pit, the colorful balls are all close by, within reach, and encourage a baby to move and reach for them.
2. What is the Use of a Ball Pit For Babies?
Ball pits help babies learn about colors, shapes, movement, and depth perception and increase their awareness of their surroundings as well.
3. What Skills Do Ball Pits Help Develop in Babies?
Playing in a ball pit helps babies develop gross and fine motor skills, visual tracking, understanding colors, and socializing, and also helps improve their balance and movement.
Read Also: Finger Painting For Babies – How it Helps in Baby’s Development
