Winter is coming, and that means frosty temperatures and snowstorms that lend themselves to cozy nights in — and sometimes, restless kids. The Thomas & Friends Ball Pit, from Sunny Days Entertainment, is an easy way to turn any snow day from drab to fab.

The pop-up design makes this ball pit so simple to put together right out of the box. Watch out because it may rapidly pop open when in its folded state, but once you slide the four poles into the sides, it’s instantly ready for play. It doesn’t take up too much space, and since it’s designed for babies ages 1 and up, it can fit multiple kids inside. Parents will appreciate the open top so they can keep an eye on their little ones as they play.

The Thomas & Friends designs are colorful and fun, as are the 20 plastic balls that come with the set. The air-filled balls are soft enough that they won’t hurt anyone if toddlers happen to throw them, but it’s sturdy enough that they won’t get crushed if kids squeeze them or sit on them. I know 20 sounds like a lot, but the ball pit looks a little sparse so I recommend buying additional balls to really fill it out.

The rim of the ball pit has a train track design on it and is thick enough that kids can race their toy trains and cars around for added play value.

The ball pit a great way to keep kids busy when they are stuck indoors, and it will hold up in the warmer months, too, if parents want to set it up outdoors in a backyard. Because of how easy it is to assemble and take apart, families can even take it with them when they travel for fun in any hotel room. Cabin fever? Not here!

About the author

Jackie Cucco

Jackie Cucco

Jackie Cucco was a Senior Editor of The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider. She covered toy trends, pop culture, and entertainment news, and made appearances on national and regional outlets, including CBS, WPIX, News 12, and more. Jackie spends her time watching horror movies and working her way through every Stephen King novel out there.

archivearrow-chevron-downarrow-chevron-left-greyarrow-chevron-leftarrow-chevron-rightarrow-fatarrow-left-blackarrow-left-whitearrow-right-blackarrow-rightarrow-roundedbookscalendarcaret-downclose-whiteclosedocumenteditorial-archiveeyefacebook-squarefacebookfilesgifthamburgerheadinghearthomeinstagram-squareinstagramlatestlinkedin-squarelinkedinmailmedia-inquiresmessagenewsopen-boxpagination-leftpagination-rightpauseplayprintproduct-archiverecent-productssearchsharesort-filterspotifysunteamtiktoktime_purpletimetrendingtvtwitter-squaretwitteryoutube