What are the Different Types of Foam Balls?

Foam balls come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, types of foam, and uses. From coated foam playground balls and other toys to Styrofoam ™ craft balls, there are plenty of types with which you can do something fun. You can also find various types of foam balls designed for stress relief.

Simply squeeze a stress ball several times when tension begins to build. While you may be tempted to throw it, that is not the intended purpose. Simply squeeze repeatedly until you begin to loosen up and feel better.

The trademarked brand name NERF™ has been associated with foam balls for several decades. Did you have a NERF™ ball when you were little? NERF™ balls were created by Parker Brothers, and cited as the first balls that were safe for indoor use. They are great for small children because they are soft and don’t tend to cause injury the way balls made of harder materials sometimes can.

The first NERF™ balls were just small, round, orange balls but before long a larger version appeared. Then, there were more colors, sizes, and types. The popular foam balls soon began to mimic sports balls such as basketballs and footballs. Today, there are many other brands that also offer foam balls in similar designs.

While neon colors once dominated the selection, there are plenty of other styles from which to choose. You can find foam balls with everything on them from smiley faces to American flags. They don’t need air, won’t deflate, and many are washable. Choose from foam tennis balls, volleyballs, soccer balls, beach balls, footbag styles, and more. You may recognize footbag styles called hackey sacks.

There are also “character education” balls that may become popular in schools. These foam balls are imprinted with words or messages utilized in a way to help instill good character. The visual image created by printed words like honesty and respect are good reminders of how people should behave, even while playing.

Styrofoam™ balls are great for making many types of crafts. Styrofoam™ is also a brand name, but here too there are other brands. They range in size from very small to very large and are generally reasonably priced. One favorite use for Styrofoam™ balls is using them to create Christmas ornaments, but they can be made into many things such as snowmen, faces for handmade dolls, school projects, and even abstract forms of artwork.