What Are Ball Pit Balls Made Of? Materials, Safety and Recycling (2026)

At Soft Play Market we're asked what ball pit balls are made of more than almost any other question, usually by parents whose baby is chewing one and by nurseries writing a sustainability policy. This guide covers the plastics used, how a ball is made, how to tell a good ball from a poor one, which UK rules apply, and what you can do with balls when you no longer need them.

What are ball pit balls made of?

Ball pit balls are hollow plastic spheres, normally 6cm to 8cm across, with 7cm the usual size for babies and toddlers. Four plastics turn up in them:

• Low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The standard material. It's soft and flexible, so a ball squashes when a child lands on it and pops back afterwards. It's the same family of plastic used for squeezy bottles and food bags, and it doesn't need added softeners.
• High-density polyethylene (HDPE). Stiffer than LDPE. Sometimes blended in to make a ball firmer, but a pure HDPE ball feels hard and is more likely to crack than dent.
• PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Found in some cheap or older balls. PVC is naturally rigid, so manufacturers add plasticisers to soften it. Some of those plasticisers, certain phthalates, are restricted in toys.
• Polypropylene (PP). Occasionally used. It's tougher and less squashy than LDPE.

Our own 7cm balls are made in the EU from flexible plastic with no PVC, BPA or phthalates, and they're tested to EN 71, the European toy safety standard. If you want the broader picture on non-toxic choices, including non-plastic alternatives, read our guide to non-toxic and eco-friendly ball pit balls.

How do the common materials compare?

	LDPE	HDPE	PVC	Polypropylene
Resin code	4	2	3	5
Feel in a ball pit	Soft, springs back	Firm	Depends on plasticiser content	Firm, slightly rigid
Needs plasticisers to be soft	No	No	Yes	No
Contains chlorine	No	No	Yes	No
Typical failure	Permanent dent if walls are thin	Cracks	Goes sticky or brittle with age	Cracks
Recyclable in principle	Yes	Yes	Rarely in practice	Yes

For a pit that babies and toddlers will mouth, LDPE (or a soft polyethylene blend) without PVC is the sensible choice. It's why "non-PVC" and "phthalate-free" appear in most good product listings.

How are ball pit balls made?

Most ball pit balls are made by blow moulding, the same basic process used for plastic bottles:

1. Plastic pellets are mixed with a colour concentrate (called masterbatch) and melted.
2. The melted plastic is pushed out as a short hollow tube.
3. A two-part spherical mould closes around the tube and air is blown in, pressing the plastic against the inside of the mould.
4. The ball cools, the mould opens and the excess plastic at the seam is trimmed off.

That trimmed seam is the faint line you can sometimes feel around a ball. On a well-made ball it's smooth; on a poor one it can be sharp or raised. The amount of plastic in each ball sets the wall thickness, and the wall thickness decides almost everything about how the ball behaves. Thin-walled balls are cheaper and lighter, but they crush flat and stay dented. Thicker-walled balls cost more, keep their shape and survive years in a busy pit. That difference is what separates home-grade from commercial-grade balls, which our guide to commercial grade ball pit balls covers in detail.

Where do pearl, metallic and clear colours come from?

Every colour comes from the masterbatch added before moulding. Pearl and metallic finishes use pigments that reflect light, and transparent balls simply have no opaque pigment. The colour runs right through the plastic rather than being painted on, so it won't flake off. Pigments in toys fall under EN 71-3, which limits how much of certain elements, such as lead, can migrate out of a toy if a child sucks or swallows it. That's another reason to ask for EN 71 testing rather than relying on a "non-toxic" label alone.

Are ball pit balls safe for babies to chew?

Babies will mouth balls, so the material and the size both matter. A ball is reasonable for a baby to chew if it is:

• 7cm across. Never use balls under 6cm with under-3s.
• Tested to EN 71 and sold with a UKCA or CE mark.
• Free from PVC, BPA and phthalates. BPA is linked to polycarbonate and epoxy resins, not polyethylene, so a polyethylene ball shouldn't contain it in the first place.
• Undamaged. A cracked ball can have sharp edges and should go straight in the bin.

Our 750-ball boxes are listed as suitable from 6 months, once a baby can sit with support. Whatever the balls, stay with young children in a ball pit. Our ball pit safety guide covers depth by age and a pre-play checklist.

Which UK rules cover the plastic in ball pit balls?

Ball pit balls sold as toys in Great Britain fall under the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011. In practice that means:

• EN 71-1 covers mechanical safety, such as small parts and sharp edges.
• EN 71-2 covers flammability.
• EN 71-3 limits the migration of certain elements, including heavy metals, from the plastic and pigments.
• UK REACH restricts several phthalates in toys and childcare articles to 0.1% by weight of the plasticised material, with extra restrictions for toys that can be put in the mouth.

A UKCA or CE mark is the manufacturer's declaration that the toy meets these rules. It isn't an independent certificate, so if you're buying in bulk for a nursery or play centre, it's fair to ask the seller which EN 71 parts the balls were tested to.

How can you tell what a ball is made of?

Most ball pit balls aren't marked, but you can usually work it out:

• Look for a resin code. A number inside a triangle, sometimes moulded near the seam: 4 is LDPE, 2 is HDPE, 3 is PVC, 5 is polypropylene.
• Read the listing. Good sellers state the material, "non-PVC" or "phthalate-free", and the EN 71 testing.
• Squeeze it. LDPE dents and springs back. A ball that feels waxy, tacky or unusually floppy may be plasticised PVC.
• Smell it. New plastic can have a faint smell that fades after airing. A strong chemical smell is worth raising with the seller.
• Ask. If a seller can't tell you the material or show test information, choose another seller.

Don't try a burn test at home. Burning plastic releases harmful fumes and tells you very little.

Are ball pit balls recyclable in the UK?

Polyethylene is a recyclable plastic, so in principle most ball pit balls are recyclable. In practice it's harder:

• Kerbside bins: council collections are set up for plastic packaging such as bottles, pots, tubs and trays. Toys usually aren't accepted, even when the plastic itself could be recycled. Check your council's website before putting balls in the recycling bin, because one wrong item can contaminate a load.
• Household waste recycling centres: many have a "rigid plastics" or "hard plastics" skip, which is the most likely place balls will be accepted. Rules vary by council.
• PVC balls: rarely recycled and usually go to general waste.

Whichever route you take, the balls need to be clean and empty of anything that's been dropped in the pit.

What should you do with old ball pit balls?

Reuse almost always beats recycling for ball pit balls, because the balls are still useful long after a child outgrows them.

Option	Best for	Things to check
Give to friends or family	Clean, undamaged balls	Wash and dry them first
Nursery, childminder or toy library	Larger quantities	Ask first; many only accept 7cm balls with known safety testing
Sell or give away locally	Mixed colours, part sets	Say the ball size and age honestly
Reuse at home	A few dozen balls	Sensory bins, colour sorting, garden throwing games
Recycling centre hard plastics skip	Damaged or worn balls	Check your council accepts them
General waste	Cracked, sticky or PVC balls	Last resort

For how long balls last and when to replace them, see our guide on how long ball pit balls last.

How do you make ball pit balls last longer?

The longer balls stay in use, the lower their footprint. A few habits help:

1. Buy thicker balls. Thin balls dent permanently within months in a busy pit; thicker commercial balls keep their shape.
2. Wash them gently. Warm soapy water, or a laundry net bag on a cool dishwasher cycle, then let them dry completely before they go back in the pit. Our guide on how to wash ball pit balls compares the methods.
3. Keep them out of direct sun and heat. UV light and heat make plastic brittle and fade colours over time.
4. Sort them regularly. Remove cracked or crushed balls straight away so they don't damage others or cut little hands.
5. Top up rather than replace. Adding a box of new balls to a pit of good ones is cheaper and less wasteful than starting again.

Where are our ball pit balls made?

We don't make balls in the UK. Our 7cm balls are made in the EU and come in factory boxes of 750 in one colour, or as an 800-ball mixed-colour bag for home pits. Nurseries, childminders and play centres can see quantity pricing on our bulk ball pit balls page, and you can browse every ball option in our 7cm ball pit balls collection.

What doesn't a material label tell you?

"Non-PVC" and "BPA-free" are useful, but they don't tell you everything. They don't tell you how thick the walls are, so a non-PVC ball can still be flimsy. They don't confirm safety testing, so look for EN 71 and a UKCA or CE mark as well. And no plastic ball pit ball is biodegradable: be sceptical of any listing that suggests otherwise without evidence. The most sustainable ball is a durable one that stays in use for years and then goes to another family.

Frequently asked questions

Are ball pit balls made of plastic?

Yes. Almost all ball pit balls are hollow plastic, usually low-density polyethylene. Fabric and foam balls exist, but they're a different product and are harder to keep clean.

What are LDPE balls?

LDPE balls are ball pit balls made from low-density polyethylene, resin code 4. LDPE is softer than HDPE, which is why it's the usual choice for ball pits.

Do ball pit balls contain BPA?

Polyethylene balls shouldn't, because BPA is used in polycarbonate and epoxy resins rather than polyethylene. Ours are made without BPA, PVC or phthalates.

Can I put ball pit balls in my recycling bin?

Usually not. Most UK kerbside collections don't accept toys. Check your council's rules, or take them to the hard plastics skip at a recycling centre if there is one.

Why does a new ball pit ball smell?

New plastic can have a slight smell straight out of the box. Airing the balls in a well-ventilated room usually clears it within a few days.

Can you melt down old ball pit balls at home?

No. Melting or burning plastic at home releases harmful fumes. Reuse, pass them on or use a recycling centre instead.

More from Soft Play Market

• 7cm ball pit balls
• Foam ball pits
• Bulk ball pit balls for venues
• Non-toxic ball pit balls
• How long do ball pit balls last?