Cause and effect is an important concept for toddlers to learn, and ball runs are a great way for them to hone that understanding. Known for its subscription crates containing creative, hands-on products for kiddos, KiwiCo also offers stand-alone crates with gifts that will keep on giving — including an incredible ball run.
The Rainbow Ball Run features 10 colorful towers that connect on the top and bottom in height order. It comes with two wooden balls babies can drop right onto the towers and watch them magically cascade down to the bottom. The balls are big and easy to grip and don’t pose a choking hazard for little ones (a big plus, since this play pattern typically centers around marble runs which are not appropriate for toddlers).
The towers are a combination of super thick and high-quality cardboard, wood, and plastic. Each tower features a raised edge around the top to help contain the ball, which makes a perfect “plunk” sound when kids drop it down. The sound effects continue at different pitches as the ball makes its way to the bottom, providing an engaging auditory experience for babes.
Babies will not only get experience with cause and effect with this toy, but they’ll also work on their fine motor skills and eye tracking. The developmental benefits are vast, especially for such a simple product. Parents and caregivers should always take an active role in playtime with this toy, especially because the towers can come apart and the connecting pieces hidden in the bottom could become a choking hazard. KiwiCo provides an awesome instructional booklet giving grownups great ideas on how to engage little ones with the ball run, so no one will be bored while exploring.
And while the Rainbow Ball Run is great for toddlers ages 1 and up, it will also appeal to kids through their preschool years as they find new ways to interact with it. This toy is all about experimentation. Kids can stretch the towers in a straight line, or swivel them around into a circle to see how the positioning affects the way the ball moves between them. They can take apart the pieces and reassemble them in different ways, observing how the changes affect the tone and rhythm of the ball drop.
KiwiCo’s Rainbow Ball Run checks a lot of boxes: It’s safe, it’s easy to play with, and it grows with kids. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s very aesthetically pleasing and will look great on display in any playroom or nursery. Babies will love to drop it like its hot with this creative ball run.
