Leah Holloway, BABYGO® team
You've got a child who never stops, and a sofa that's paid the price. Somewhere in the house there's a giant peanut shaped ball, bought for a birth or arrived as a present, and the question is what you're meant to do with it.
The three things people ask us about the kids peanut ball are the same every week: what size, what age, and what do we actually do with it. Here are all three, with the moves that work and the claims we've stopped making.
Quick answer: A kids peanut ball is a 45cm ball with a dip in the middle, so it can't roll sideways and a child can sit in the waist of it. Use it for bouncing, hopping, rolling out over it and hugging it, always with an adult in the room. It suits toddlers upwards; with a baby, it's a tummy time prop with your hands on them the whole time.
Key facts
- 45cm is the size we make for children. The peanut shape stops it rolling sideways, and the dip in the middle is the seat.
- The NHS says toddlers and pre-schoolers should be physically active for at least 180 minutes a day, spread through the day.
- Babies who aren't yet moving about need at least 30 minutes of tummy time spread through the day while they're awake, the NHS says.
- Inflate it firm enough to hold its shape under a child, not rock hard, and let it reach room temperature before you start.
- An adult stays with them every time. The ball is the toy; the floor around it is what they land on.
What a peanut ball for kids is for
It's a big bouncy shape with a waist. That's the whole trick: a round ball rolls away from a small child the moment they lean on it, and a peanut ball doesn't, because the two ends hold it steady. So they can sit in the dip and bounce, lie over it, push it about or hug it, without it shooting off across the room.
The old version of this post said it would make your child cleverer and calmer. We've taken that out. What it does is get them moving: bouncing asks their body to balance on every bounce, hopping adds coordination, and rolling out over it is a proper core exercise, the sort adults pay for, which children do because it's funny.
The NHS puts it plainly: being physically active every day is important for the healthy growth and development of babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers, and for children with disabilities, being active can help their development, mental wellbeing and confidence. A ball they want to play on is one way to get the minutes in.
What age can a child use a peanut ball
There isn't a fixed age. Toddlers who can sit and stand can start with bouncing, with you kneeling behind them. Older children get the full set of moves below. Babies use it lying over the top for tummy time, with your hands on them, never on their own.
Children get there at their own pace. If your child has a physio or an occupational therapist, ask them which moves suit your child; their view beats ours.
What size peanut ball for a child
Peanut balls for children generally come in sizes around 40 to 50cm. Ours is 45cm, which suits most young children. The test once it's inflated is simple: when they sit in the dip, their feet should be flat on the floor. If their feet dangle, let a little air out; if their knees are up round their ears, they've outgrown it.
How to use a peanut ball with a child
Clear a space, put it on carpet or a mat, and stay within arm's reach. These are the moves we show people, roughly in order of how much balance they take.
Give each one a daft name and they'll do it twice as long.
Bouncing and hopping
Sit them in the middle of the ball with the round ends either side of them, hands on the ball for balance, and let them bounce up and down. That's the one they'll find on their own.
Hopping is the same start, legs either side, then each bounce moves their feet forward a step so they travel along the floor. Best done towards you, not away.
Leg extensions and crunches
For leg extensions, lie them on their back on the floor with their feet up on the ball, in the dip. They pull their knees in towards their chest, or as far as they can, then push the ball back out. Ten goes is plenty.
For crunches, they lie back over the ball with the small of their back in the dip and their feet flat on the floor, like a seesaw, then use their tummy to bring their chest towards their knees. Keep a hand on them for the first few. The balance is the hard part.
Roll outs and single leg steps
The roll out, or the Superman, since that's the only name it will ever answer to. Put the ball across in front of them, lie them over it with their hands on the floor, and get them to walk their hands forward until the ball is under their knees, then walk back. Spot them at the hips.
Single leg steps, also the flamingo: sitting in the dip with hands down for support, they stand up on one leg, sit back down, then swap legs. Harder than it sounds, which is the point.
Hugging the ball and back bends
Ball hugging is exactly that. Ball on the floor, child leans their weight into it, squeezes it, rocks gently side to side, however they like. It's the one to reach for at the end of a long day, and the one some children go back to on their own.
Back bends: they sit on the floor in front of the ball, feet planted, and push back over it with their arms straight, slowly. Check there's nothing behind them before they start, and keep it slow.
Peanut ball tummy time for babies
The NHS wants babies who aren't yet moving about to have at least 30 minutes of tummy time spread through the day while they're awake, and its flat head page says not to leave them alone on their tummy. The floor is fine for that. The ball is a change of scene, not an upgrade.
Lie your baby on their tummy over the top of the ball, one hand on their back and one on their hips, and rock it gently forward and back. A couple of minutes at a time, then back to the mat. If they hate it, they hate it. Try again in a fortnight.
Sitting on a peanut ball for homework and telly
Some children can't sit still on a chair and can sit for ages on a ball, because the ball lets them wobble. Homework, telly, a long dinner: swap the chair for the ball and see what happens. For some it settles them; for others it's a springboard, and you'll know within a minute which you've got.
We used to quote a study here about children with ADHD. It's gone, because we couldn't stand it up.
Peanut balls, autism and sensory play
Among the signs of autism in young children, the NHS lists actively looking for sensations that feel calming or enjoyable, such as movement, pressure, sounds and textures. It also lists reacting very strongly, or not at all, to lights, sounds, smells, tastes or textures.
A big ball to bounce on, press into and squeeze is movement and pressure in one object. That's why some families find it earns its place, and why some children want nothing to do with it.
We can't tell you it will help your child. Their occupational therapist, if they have one, will know what movement and pressure your child looks for, and that's the person to ask. The NHS autism pages are the place to start otherwise.
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Keeping peanut ball play safe
- An adult in the room, within reach, every time. Not in the kitchen.
- Carpet or a mat, with a clear fall's width on every side. Nowhere near stairs, glass, radiators or the corner of the coffee table.
- Bare feet or grippy socks. Ordinary socks on a wood floor are a slide.
- Firm, not rock hard. Let it reach room temperature, inflate in stages, and top it up the next day once it's settled.
- Check the plug is pushed fully in before play, and no standing on it.
Let them make it up
Hand it over with no instructions and see what it becomes.
A horse, a rocket, a boat, a witch's broom. The moves above are for the days you want to steer it; the rest of the time, the ball is theirs.
Questions we get asked
What size peanut ball for a child?
45cm for most children. Sizes for children generally run 40 to 50cm, and the fit test is feet flat on the floor when they sit in the dip.
Is a peanut bouncy ball safe for a toddler?
With an adult within reach, a clear space on carpet, and the ball inflated firm rather than hard, yes. On their own, no. A bouncing toddler and a hard floor is the combination to avoid.
Can a peanut ball help an autistic child or a child with ADHD?
It might, and we won't promise it. The NHS notes that some autistic children look for calming sensations such as movement and pressure, which is what a ball gives, and that others react strongly against textures and touch. Ask their occupational therapist if they have one, and go by your child.
How do I inflate a kids peanut ball?
Let it reach room temperature first, then inflate in stages, leave it overnight to relax, and top it up the next day. That's the material, not you doing it wrong. Our electric pump fits the peanut balls if you'd rather not do it by foot.
Is the kids peanut ball different from the labour one?
Same shape, different size. The kids one is 45cm; the labour peanut ball is 50cm and comes with the labour book.
Next step: the kids peanut ball is the 45cm one, and the peanut ball collection has the labour size next to it.
This is general guidance from the BABYGO® team, not medical advice. Your health visitor or GP knows your child; ask them if anything here doesn't fit your situation.
