Beach ball facts for kids
A beach ball is a fun, inflatable ball used for games at the beach or in the water. They are usually large and light, making them easy to throw around.
Beach balls became very popular in the 1960s. You could often see them in beach-themed movies starring actors like Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon.
Design of Beach Balls
Beach balls come in many different sizes. Some are small enough to hold in your hand, while others can be over 3 feet (0.91 m) wide or even larger!
They are usually made from soft plastic panels. These panels are joined together, and there are two round end pieces. One of these end pieces has a small valve. This valve lets you blow air into the ball with your mouth or a pump to inflate it.
A common design for beach balls is to have colorful stripes that go up and down, alternating with white stripes. But you can find them in many other designs too! Some are just one solid color. Others might have advertisements or company slogans on them. You can even find beach balls designed to look like globes or popular Emojis.
When you see a beach ball's size listed, it can sometimes be a bit confusing. Manufacturers might measure the ball when it's flat, from tip to tip, or even the length of the plastic panels before they are made into a ball. So, the actual diameter (how wide it is when inflated) might be a bit smaller than the "size" written on the package.
Even bigger beach balls exist! Some can have a diameter of 5 feet (1.5 m) or even 9 feet (2.7 m).
World's Largest Beach Ball
The biggest beach ball ever made was in London, England. This happened on May 30, 2017. This giant ball was so big that it had to be carried on a barge on the River Thames!
It had a huge diameter of 65.5 feet (20.0 m). The word "Baywatch" was written all over it. This massive beach ball was created by Paramount Pictures. They used it to help promote their 2017 movie called Baywatch. The amazing size of this ball was officially recognized by Guinness. Certificates were given to the actors from the movie.
How Beach Balls Are Used
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Beach balls can be used for many games, similar to water polo and volleyball. While they are much cheaper than professional sports balls, they are also not as strong. Most beach balls are made of soft plastic, so they can pop more easily.
Giant beach balls are often tossed around by people in crowds. You might see this at concerts, music festivals, or big sports events. Many students also use beach balls as a fun prank during graduation ceremonies, hitting them around the crowd.
At sports games like cricket, baseball, and football, beach balls are often bounced around the stands. However, security guards at these events often take them away and pop them. Guards might do this to make sure nothing dangerous or distracting is hidden inside the ball. They also do it so the ball doesn't go onto the field and get in the way of the players.
This actually happened in August 1999 during a baseball game. The Cleveland Indians were playing against the Los Angeles Angels. A beach ball on the field caused a distraction, and it ended up leading to the Angels' defeat!
Because they are so light and stable, beach balls are perfect for trained seals to balance on their noses. This has become a famous trick that many people recognize. Beach balls are also popular props in photoshoots, especially for swimsuit pictures. They are also used to promote or represent events and places that have a beach theme.
See also
In Spanish: Balón de playa para niños
