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!
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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! 🙂
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. ♥
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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.
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Great! If you’re open to it, I’d be interested to hear how the Peanut Therapy Ball helps you.
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.
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. 🙂
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.
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.
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
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. 🙂
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!
Wonderful! So glad the post added value to you and your son. Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
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
Absolutely! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
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?
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 :
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.
Wonderful, glad you enjoyed the post! Thank you for sharing. 🙂