Pop-Up Tents/Ball Pits/Tunnels

[Josiegirl]

Do any of you have sets like that? Are they durable Worth the money? Used a lot? Safe?

I have a simple tent but every time I get it out the kids go wild with it. I'm thinking if I have tunnels and a ball pit too, there might be enough room in it for everybody? These long winter months could use some extra indoor activities.

What do you all think? Thanks!!!

[jenboo]

Do any of you have sets like that? Are they durable Worth the money? Used a lot? Safe?

I have a simple tent but every time I get it out the kids go wild with it. I'm thinking if I have tunnels and a ball pit too, there might be enough room in it for everybody? These long winter months could use some extra indoor activities.

What do you all think? Thanks!!!

I just sold ours. I got so tired of chasing all the balls down. If i did it again, i would get a little blow up pool instead of the ball pits

[Jupadia]

I have tunnels both outdoor ones (for summer) and seperate indoor ones that I use in winter. The kids love them but can go wild. I do like them though and if I had not got them as pass downs I would have bought some.
Had a ball pit but it got holes fairly fast. As well the kids mostly just liked throwing balls across a the room so I never replaced it.

[Cat Herder]

I have a four way tunnel. I also have a bag of pit balls. I don't use them together. Bought the tunnel in 2013, used 3X a week, indoors and out, still in perfect condition. Better than the old "commercial" one. $25.00

https://www.amazon.com/POCO-DIVO-Tunnel-Pop-up-Junction/dp/B00FQ074F8/ref=sr_1_20?srs=10357839011&ie=UTF8&qid=1514381383&sr=8-20

[Mike]

I have a four way tunnel. I also have a bag of pit balls. I don't use them together. Bought the tunnel in 2013, used 3X a week, indoors and out, still in perfect condition. Better than the old "commercial" one. $25.00

https://www.amazon.com/POCO-DIVO-Tun...381383&sr=8-20

That looks cute, and cheap so I'm going to order one just to have for the day I do start daycare.

[Josiegirl]

Thanks all! I like the look and feeling of fun from a ball pit but what's been said about throwing balls everywhere was what has stopped me from actually spending the money. Well, that plus my dogs would probably eat half of them.
I might wait and see if many more comment but am heavily leaning towards buying that 4-way tunnel. It doesn't look too harmful or destructive.

I was looking at those adorable lit-up princess tents but then thought maybe my 4 yo dcb might feel overly reigned by princesses.

[Cat Herder]

That looks cute, and cheap so I'm going to order one just to have for the day I do start daycare.

Turn down the lights, add a set of river stones ($30), flashlights ($7) and a blue (ocean) or red (lava) or yellow (quicksand) plastic table cover ($1) (or flea market bed sheets) and you have made their morning free play. ::::

https://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Small-River-Stepping-Stones/dp/B00H3FIWZK/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1514383332&sr=8-7&keywords=river+stones

https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Large-Beam-Flashlight-Chains/dp/B0046EAW36/ref=pd_sim_21_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0046EAW36&pd_rd_r=38VVQFR5AJT51EWG6EG9&pd_rd_w=7TvuU&pd_rd_wg=LL565&psc=1&refRID=38VVQFR5AJT51EWG6EG9

[Cat Herder]

Almost forgot, it is big. Please note the dimensions. 98 x 98 x 19 inches. 8 feet in each direction.

[HappyEverAfter]

I recently had a parent gift me a small ball pit made by Infantino. It’s shaped like a turtle and meant for younger children. I can comfortably place my 7 and 8 month olds in there together and they love it. My 17 month old loves it too. I have a pretty strict “no throwing” rule in general in my playroom and the ball pit is no exception. Throwing the balls out or all over the place has not been an issue at all, though it may be because my group is so young.
Very briefly I had an extra pack n play on hand and put about 100 balls in it. I used it to entertain and contain my 2 of 3 kids while in the living room while I had my hands full with diaper changes/feedings/etc. They loved it but I added a 4th child to my daycare and needed the pack n play back. At some point I will likely purchase a small inflatable pool and put the balls in that in my playroom once they outgrow the Infantino turtle ball pit.
I have a small, short tunnel as well but it’s currently put away. My 17 month old loved it initially (was about 14 months at the time) but then began a bad habit of jumping/throwing herself on top of it from the outside and I couldn’t seem to get that habit curbed so the tunnel is put away for now. It’s a collapsible (fabric and flexible wire) kind and I was afraid she would jump on it and collapse it with one of the other little ones inside it.

[Josiegirl]

Almost forgot, it is big. Please note the dimensions. 98 x 98 x 19 inches. 8 feet in each direction.

Oh crud...is that 8' from the center to the end or 8' from one end to the other. Guess I should go look.

Love your idea though!!

[Mike]

Oh crud...is that 8' from the center to the end or 8' from one end to the other. Guess I should go look.

Love your idea though!!

end to end

[storybookending]

I have always had the idea in my head that someday I would make my daycare kiddos a ball pit for the downstairs playroom but I have never got around to it. I have seen tutorials on Pinterest that use PVC pipe and deer netting (I am not sure on the durablility though and the throwing of balls is a concern.

The local McDonald’s closed down their ballpit (about 7 years ago now probably) and somehow a friend of mine ended up with all of the balls. He said I could have them if I waited u til Spring and dug then out of the slio and cleaned them all up myself. I might take him up on that offer. Although now that his nephew is getting older he might go back on that offer and make a call out for him. I’ll try to remember to message him in mid March and see if they are still available.

[Mike]

I have always had the idea in my head that someday I would make my daycare kiddos a ball pit for the downstairs playroom but I have never got around to it. I have seen tutorials on Pinterest that use PVC pipe and deer netting (I am not sure on the durablility though and the throwing of balls is a concern.

The local McDonald’s closed down their ballpit (about 7 years ago now probably) and somehow a friend of mine ended up with all of the balls. He said I could have them if I waited u til Spring and dug then out of the slio and cleaned them all up myself. I might take him up on that offer. Although now that his nephew is getting older he might go back on that offer and make a call out for him. I’ll try to remember to message him in mid March and see if they are still available.

Why not message now and see if they are still available in the spring? Less time for him to change his mind.

[storybookending]

Why not message now and see if they are still available in the spring? Less time for him to change his mind.

They aren’t accessible right now bc of the snow, they plow the snow hills in front of the silos since they are only used for storage.

[Blackcat31]

I HATE ball pits.

(I have tried the PVC DIY one and have a blow up pool)

The balls are tossed and pitched everywhere.
I spend more time saying "keep the balls in the pool" and/or "stop throwing the balls" that it's not fun for any of us.

I also HATE the pop-up tents and tunnels.

I've always got that one kid that has to try and lay down (from the outside) on whoever is on the inside of the tunnel and then the one inside cries.

Or I have kiddos that get half way through and get freaked out and want out NOW! Well...I am not climbing into it to help so figure out how to crawl all the way in or out.

The tents just fold back up if they aren't used correctly and so far in all my years of business I have yet to figure out how to get them to not try to move it all over or lay on its sides (collapsing it etc) so honestly, I personally find them BOTH to be a bigger PITA than they are worth.

But that might just be me. ::