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Gross Motor, Physical Therapy, Product Reviews ·

The Peanut Exercise Ball for Kids – Is It Worth It?

If you need a budget-friendly exercise ball for kids to boost muscle strength, coordination, and balance, then the Peanut Ball is worth learning about.

There are many benefits ball therapy provides to kids with or without motor delays, autism, and sensory processing disorders to help improve overall:

  • Mobility
  • Quality of life
  • Strength
  • Balance
  • Motor control

Throughout this product review let’s explore:

  • The benefits
  • Kids exercises
  • Fun play activities
  • How do you use it?
  • How do you know what size to get?
  • And MORE…

Let’s dive in!

Contents hide
Product Overview
What Are the Benefits of Using the Peanut Ball?
How to Use It
5 Peanut Ball Activities for Kids
5 Peanut Ball Exercises for Kids
Peanut Ball Questions and Answers
What Reviewers are Sharing…
Final Verdict
Thank You!
About the Author

Product Overview


Product: Milliard Peanut Ball

For Ages: 3 years and up

Overall Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars


The peanut ball variety pack grows with your child from their toddler years up to adulthood.

What’s Included?

  • Orange exercise ball (23×12 inch)
  • Blue exercise ball (31×15 inch)
  • Hand pump
  • 2 plugs

The orange ball is recommended for toddlers or for kids to adults to use for the upper back and neck.  The blue ball is recommended for kids to adults.

► View Now ◄

What Are the Benefits of Using the Peanut Ball?


There are amazing benefits to using the kids peanut ball so let’s cover some of the most popular reasons:

Improves Balance and Strength.

The peanut ball is an excellent tool to help with core strength, stabilization, and strengthening back muscles.

orange-peanut-ball

Therapeutic Use.

The peanut ball is a therapeutic tool to support children with gross motor delays, autism, and sensory processing disorders.

Sensory Engagement.

You can apply deep pressure using the peanut ball to create a calming and soothing environment.

Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy.

A peanut ball is a great tool for focused strength exercises like head movements that result in gaze and gait stabilization.

ball-exercise-benefits

Improve Cognitive Skills (Brain-Based Skills).

Play games and create fun activities with the ball to help with learning, knowledge, and reasoning.

Sensory Tool.

The peanut ball challenges body awareness by working on your muscle groups.

Now that you have a thorough foundation as to the benefits of the peanut ball, you may be wondering how to use it?

Let’s explore that next.

How to Use It


Below is a short video (0:52) showing you ways to use the peanut ball with your child.

Key Features


At first glance, you may notice how the peanut ball looks like a saddle seat.

The reason for the dipped seating position is to give you more stability than a traditional ball chair.

It also holds up against rigor due to its anti-burst rubber.

This ball is designed to last for years for kids to exercise, bounce, and play without it popping or becoming damaged (as that would take a lot of effort).

Other special features to know:

  • Non-slip grip ridges for better traction
  • Easy to clean
  • Simple to store
  • Indoor or outdoor use
  • Maximum weight up to 400 pounds
  • Latex and phthalates free

Adjust The Challenge.

Do you want to create an easy or difficult exercise experience?

Either way, it’s very easy to do.  Simply adjust the ball air.

Add air to enlarge the peanut ball for a more challenging experience or deflate it so it’s less difficult to use.

Now that you know how to adjust the difficulty levels, let’s dive into a ‘lighter’ topic, fun activities to try!

5 Peanut Ball Activities for Kids


There are entertaining activities to explore with the therapy ball!

Specifically, the five activities we are about to cover are designed to keep your child’s playtime fun, fresh, and active.

The best part is you are creating a stimulating environment while benefiting your child’s gross motor functions.

Here are several engaging peanut ball activities to try out:

Play make-believe.

Since the peanut ball looks like a saddle seat, pretend it’s a horse.

Have your kiddo ride it like they are a cowboy or cowgirl.

Yeehaw!  You may even go all-out incorporating props and clothing.

Plus, the peanut-shaped design provides an easy direction for a child to control.

Have a bouncing contest.

Toss it by watching it bounce.

See who can bounce it the farthest!

Rock back n’ forth or side-to-side.

What rocks front to back or side-to-side?

You got it, a boat!

Have your child pretend they are rowing a boat.

For extra stability, grip the sides of the ball with your legs.

This allows more stability as you rock it to develop core strength.

Use it as a sitting chair.

Have your child color, paint, or do their favorite hands-on activities on a low flat surface (like a coffee table) while sitting on the peanut ball.

This works a couple of things…

(1) While sitting, you work on balance and coordination.

(2) The hands-on activities you choose will boost fine motor skills.

Tummy Time

Have your child lay flat across the top while rocking forward and backward.

This helps strengthen the muscles in the back and trunk areas.

These activities are great for playtime, but you may need the peanut ball for therapy purposes.  If that’s the case, let’s cover five exercises to enhance motor functions.

5 Peanut Ball Exercises for Kids


Here are several peanut ball exercises to encourage motor skills.

These therapy exercises are suggested by Dinosaur Therapy which is a leading Pediatric Physical Therapy Clinic in Washington D.C.

Sitting

Strengthen muscles while sitting by allowing your child to use the ball as an alternate sitting option.

This helps with trunk strength and stability as well as posture and alignment.

peanut-therapy-ball
Image By: Dinosaur Therapy

Prone Extension

Improve shoulder strength and stability through a prone extension.

Have your child lay over the peanut ball and then push up from the floor using their upper body and stomach area.

peanut-therapy-ball
Image By: Dinosaur Therapy

Quadruped Positioning

Have your child sit with their knees on the floor.

Then lay over the peanut ball to help with weight-bearing in the hands and knees.

This is known as quadruped positioning.

peanut-therapy-ball
Image By: Dinosaur Therapy

Bridge Position

Have your child get into a bridge position by laying down on their back with their feet on the ball.

This is a great exercise to help with walking skills.

It strengthens the lower muscles, allows weight bearing through the feet, and also works the core area.

peanut-therapy-ball
Image By: Dinosaur Therapy

Sit-to-Stand

Sit-to-stand is exactly as it sounds.

Have your child go from a sitting position on the ball to standing up.

This helps with weight-bearing in the legs while working the lower extremity to coordinate balance from sitting to standing.

peanut-therapy-ball

Image by Dinosaur Therapy

Peanut Ball Questions and Answers


Is a bouncing ball good for kids?

Yes!  It’s an engaging activity for kids to do to encourage balance, coordination while promoting gross motor functions.

Is it useful to use as alternative seating?

Yes, the peanut ball is a great alternative seating option to use.

Especially, in an elementary school setting at a low table.

How do I know what size to get?

The last thing you want to do is pick the wrong size for your kiddo.

Simply measure your child’s arm length (armpit to fingertip) and then choose the next size up for the best fit.

peanut-ball

Are bouncing balls toxic?

Make sure the ball you get is made of non-toxic material.

For instance, the Milliard Peanut Ball in this review is phthalates-free.

Does an exercise ball really work?

Using exercise balls has incredible benefits.

Not only are you engaging your core muscles but you are enhancing posture, balance, and muscle strength.

What are different ways to use it?

Besides using the peanut ball as a therapy tool, there are various other ways to use it:

  • Fitness
  • Rehab
  • Playtoy for kids!
  • Dog training
  • Birthing

Now that we’ve answered common questions about the peanut ball, let’s talk about what reviewers are sharing.

What Reviewers are Sharing…


Overall, customers are extremely pleased to use the peanut exercise ball for kids.

90% rate this product 4 stars or higher.

Here are some of the top things parents and other reviewers are sharing:

Therapist-approved.

“My son’s therapists recommended these. Works great to improve his core and stability.” ~ www.amazon.com

“I’m a pediatric OTR and would be lost without these! easy to clean and very sturdy.” ~ www.amazon.com

Helps with sensory issues and vestibular input.

“Great value and super fun. I set up a yoga ball room in my finished basement for my kids who struggle with sensory issues. I included these Peanut balls for my four year old son to use since he struggles to balance on a regular round ball. They are so much fun to play with. My kids are super rough and so far they have really held up well. And, the pump that was included is really great, much nicer than I would have expected for the price.” ~ www.amazon.com

Wonderful therapy tool.

“Recommended by my DS special needs 18 month old PT therapists. He uses these twice a week and it’s helped him with strengthening his core.” ~ www.amazon.com

Good size for toddlers.

“I got this to help with my 1.5 year old’s core strength building.  The orange ball is the perfect size for my 1.5 year old and the blue for my almost 4 year old.” ~ www.amazon.com

Durable.

“These have survived 9 & 10 year olds using for therapy, reading, bouncing, and throwing at each other. They are strong and durable. Even after use on carpet, the texture is good. Not able to slip off of the ball.” ~ www.amazon.com

High-quality at a low cost.

“Well made! Very impressed in quality since they were so affordable. We use them for OT purposes for our 1 year old, and even our older kids get on them and hop on them. Great product and value!!” ~ www.amazon.com

Final Verdict


The reviews and ratings speak for themselves to the overall quality of the Milliard Peanut Ball.

Recommended by physical therapists to help with gross motor strengthening, it’s a budget-friendly tool to encourage:

  • Motor skills
  • Balance
  • Coordination
  • Core stabilization
  • Play-time!

Whether your child has a motor delay, autism, sensory processing disorder or not, the peanut ball is worth it.

Especially, if you need a fun play activity for your child to enjoy!

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Thank You!


We want to wrap up by extending our gratitude to thank you for stopping by today!

What’s your experience using a peanut ball?  What other exercise balls for kids do you recommend?

Let us know in the comments below. ♥

Was this information helpful to you?  If so, you’d make our day by sharing it! 🙂

Exercise-Ball-for-Kids

About the Author


Lindsey is the co-founder of The LENN Foundation and content creator of the Intensive Therapy for Kids blog.

When she isn’t busy playing Godzilla with her son or chasing around her mischievous Rottweiler pup, she loves creating experiences and memories with her loved ones (traveling, watching a good flick, trying new n’ yummy restaurants).  Speaking of restaurants, one of her favs is Taco Bell!

Most of all, she is grateful for her supportive circle of family, friends, and to live out her passion for helping kids with Cerebral Palsy (like her sweet nephew Lenny).

If you’re curious about The LENN Foundation, you may see the kids’ helped and feel-good content here. ♥

lindsey-kovach

Affiliate Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.  We only recommend items we truly believe in based upon in-depth research, reviews, and/or personal experience.  Thank you for your ongoing support to keep this website thriving for kids!

The contents of the Intensive Therapy for Kids Site, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the Intensive Therapy for Kids Site (“Content”) are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. 

 

Posted In: Gross Motor, Physical Therapy, Product Reviews · Tagged: gross motor, occupational therapy, physical therapy

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Comments

  1. Phil says

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    • admin says

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      Thank you for sharing. 🙂

  2. Mikki says

    at

    Great blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere?

    A design like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog shine.
    Please let me know where you got your theme.

    Cheers

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      Checkout 17th Avenue. They have awesome themes in my opinion! That’s where I got this one.

  3. Isiah says

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    Appreciate this post. Let me try it out.

    • admin says

      at

      Great! If you’re open to it, I’d be interested to hear how the Peanut Therapy Ball helps you.

  4. Horatius says

    at

    These balls seem perfect because they allow kids to do healthy exercises while playing. When I was a kid, I was a bit lazy when it came to physical exercise but nowadays I regret it. It was interesting to read all the benefits that come with exercising with these therapy balls. That age is very important for kids to develop strength, balance and cognitive skills. I think I’ll send this article to my cousin, whose kid is 7 years old and can benefit from such exercises. 

    • Lindsey Kovach says

      at

      Wonderful!  I love when one of our posts can be shared to help another child.  Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. 🙂

  5. Sami says

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    The peanut ball and the therapy it allows adds another tool to help children as they are acquiring skills for an active life.  The ability to have what is needed for them to build and use muscles that might not have a reason to develop makes this a good investment for our kids, even if they may not have a particular need.  The peanut ball should not be limited the use to slow developers when there are so many ways to use them in active play.  All sorts of play help kids develop healthy strong bodies.  

    Have you used these with kids?  Do they actually respond to the option to play with them?  Or is it kind of after they are instructed?  I think my grandkids would like to have them in the playroom for just rolling around on. Thanks for your article to introduce these to me. 

    • Lindsey Kovach says

      at

      Hi Sami!  You’re absolutely right, the Peanut Therapy Ball can be used by children of all abilities.  Therapists that we have been connected to through our foundation use these balls as it provides a lot of value to the children they provide therapy for in strengthening their motor functions.

  6. Antonio says

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    Hi

    I can see both children and adults having hours of fun with this unique product  which most certainly  looks like a peanut.i can see that children can ride it as a rocket or use it as a way of exercising. No matter what, it is a win- win situation. To have products that come in a vast array of colours and two sizes, is such a useful product. The only problem I can see is how to stop children using it as a weapon and hitting each other on the head?

    A great product.

    Thanks

    Antonio

    • Lindsey Kovach says

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      Thanks for sharing Antonio!  Younger children should have adult supervision to prevent a situation like that happening.  Glad you enjoyed the post.  I appreciate your feedback. 🙂

  7. David Pratama says

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    This is my first time I’ve seen a peanut therapy ball and its usage. My son has mild autism and as part of his therapy he learns to balance and use more or his upper body. This peanut therapy ball can be a good tool to help him have fun and work on his balance. Thanks for sharing!

    • Lindsey Kovach says

      at

      Wonderful!  So glad the post added value to you and your son.  Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂

  8. PrettySophia says

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    Hello there, The shape of the peanut therapy ball encourages both children and adults to engage core muscles to build strength and improve posture. These therapy balls offer greater stability than our regular, round therapy balls by limiting movement to forward and backward. Use it as a bench or straddle it for extra superb stability.thanks alot for sharing this awesome article

    • Lindsey Kovach says

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      Absolutely!  Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂

  9. Aly says

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    It’s great when a therapeutic tool looks like an irresistible toy to a child. I love that these come in a wide variety of colors and sizes and that it provides so many therapeutic benefits.  Great idea to keep kids interested in the product and continue to get benefits from the therapies. It would be helpful to see some videos on the exercises to make sure I’m understanding them correctly. Do you have any favorite videos about the peanut therapy ball to recommend?

    • Lindsey Kovach says

      at

      Thanks for your feedback Aly!  If you click on this link https://blog.dinopt.com/five-fun-activities-peanut-ball/ you’ll be directed to images of the therapy exercises mentioned towards the end of the post.  Also, here are YouTube videos of the exercises mentioned :  

  10. Brian208 says

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    Before reading this post the only ball I know are those familiar ones used in sports like basketball, baseball etc. Little did I know that such kind ball exists to help children. As I read the post I’m being educated. Now I have other options to offer my children when playing. This post encouraged me to buy one for my kids. Thank you for sharing.

    • Lindsey Kovach says

      at

      Wonderful, glad you enjoyed the post!  Thank you for sharing. 🙂

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