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A lot of people have asked me “Why would you, as an adult, want to own a ball pit?” And the answer every time is “because of this xkcd comic.” There’s something about a ball pit that just screams PURE FUN. You cant sit in a ball pit and not smile. It’s like you turn to jello and float on plastic bubbles of multi-colored joy. I have spent a large portion of my summer in my balcony ball pit, and I could go on about stress-relieving effects, or about “deciding what ‘being an adult’ means in the 21st century”, or even about how this is probably something you dreamed about as a child/teenager/college student, but really, it’s a ball pit on a balcony. How does that NOT sound awesome?
What You'll Need
Play pen balls (approx. $0.20/ball)
Wood (varies depending on size)
Foam padding ($20/pack)
Screening ($10/roll)
Glue ($3-5)
Hammer ($10)
Nails ($5)
Staple Gun ($20)
Staples ($3)
L-brackets ($10)
tarp (if outdoors, $10)
Child’s basketball net ($5)
Inflatable shark ($2)
P.S. If you're going to repost this, please be sure to include a link to the original post on my website: http://kevinjameshunt.com/ball-pit-balcony/how-to-build-a-ball-pit-on-your-balcony/ - Thanks!
What You'll Need
Play pen balls (approx. $0.20/ball)
Wood (varies depending on size)
Foam padding ($20/pack)
Screening ($10/roll)
Glue ($3-5)
Hammer ($10)
Nails ($5)
Staple Gun ($20)
Staples ($3)
L-brackets ($10)
tarp (if outdoors, $10)
Child’s basketball net ($5)
Inflatable shark ($2)
P.S. If you're going to repost this, please be sure to include a link to the original post on my website: http://kevinjameshunt.com/ball-pit-balcony/how-to-build-a-ball-pit-on-your-balcony/ - Thanks!
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Signing UpStep 1Decide On Your Size And Location
Unless you have an extremely large budget, you will probably not want to fill your living room with playpen balls, as this will be quite costly. A small spare room or, as we’ve done, a balcony/patio area can be great because you can partition off part of the area for the ball pit, allowing you to keep the size (and therefore cost) to a minimum. If you’re choosing to use your balcony, be sure that it has a roof or that you will otherwise be able to seal the area so no balls to escape and no water or outside dangers (such as bugs) can get in. Also remember that the position of you ball pit is important for both safety and economical reasons. Building your ball pit in a corner, for instance, can eliminate the need for you to build two sides of your frame.
Depending on the number of people you want to fit into it, partitioning a 4′x8′ section will give you plenty of space for 3-4 people to play in, or 1-2 people to really jump around in. 3′ tall should be enough for the average person to climb in and out of. You should also consider how deep you want your balls to be. We felt about 2.5 ft deep would be enough to immerse a seated person while still not feeling like you’re drowning in balls, or without them spilling over. This calculator, which has been very accurate in my experience, will help you estimate the amount of balls you will need and the approximate amount you should expect to pay for them.
Depending on the number of people you want to fit into it, partitioning a 4′x8′ section will give you plenty of space for 3-4 people to play in, or 1-2 people to really jump around in. 3′ tall should be enough for the average person to climb in and out of. You should also consider how deep you want your balls to be. We felt about 2.5 ft deep would be enough to immerse a seated person while still not feeling like you’re drowning in balls, or without them spilling over. This calculator, which has been very accurate in my experience, will help you estimate the amount of balls you will need and the approximate amount you should expect to pay for them.
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Play, the free-form, not goal-oriented play, as opposed to sports and video games, has been shown to have all sorts of positive health effects. Frankly, it's the people that know how to cut loose, the doodlers, the dreamers, people who LARP, are far wiser, healthier adults than the tightwads that label those sort of activities as "immature."
Great idea!
Thank you for a great instructable!!!
They are, indeed, pure fun, no matter how old you are.
Note: please appreciate how mature I'm being, not trying to get a cheap laugh here :P
... it's ...
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Weird, that there aren't any links to similar projects on the right side of the page...