DIY Ball Swing {Sensory Hack for Kids}

The snow has finally arrived here for the winter, which means it's time to embrace five or six months worth of active play primarily indoors. Our long, cold winters are the main reason we installed swing hooks in our playroom in the first place. Then we discovered my son was a vestibular sensory seeker so swings became an absolute must.

And I must admit that I'm a wee bit addicted to making DIY sensory swings for the kids. Just a bit.

Our latest sensory swing hack is this DIY ball swing, which will have you singing Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" in no time.

Or is that just me who sings randomly about things going on around me?

Well, Miley or not, the kids had a blast with this DIY ball swing, but I love that it's simple to make and inexpensive to make.

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Important Safety Precautions & Reminders

• Always test homemade swings first before letting children play with them. 
• Do not leave children unattended on swings. 
• Put swings away when not in use. 
• Make sure that the swing is in a clear, unobstructed space. 
• I am not responsible for injuries or damage pertaining to or caused by this DIY swing. 
• Please use at your own risk.
• The handle on the hopper ball may eventually rip or tear, so look for signs of wear before using it as a swing.

How to Make a DIY Ball Swing

The inspiration for this DIY ball swing came from Play at Home Mom LLC where they made a ball swing for under $5. However, our swing hooks are installed in an extra wide doorway, so if we were to tie our ball swing to only one hook, then the kids would have ran into the door frame, surely hurting themselves. Instead, I used two ropes and tied them to our swing hooks (you can see how our swing hooks are installed here).

Here's what you'll need:

• Hopper ball - We picked up ours for $10
• Rope - We used the leftover 1/4" nylon diamond braid rope from our homemade taco swing

Just tie the ropes around the handle and the swing hooks using a non-slip knot. Be sure to test the swing before putting your kids on it! The kids always love watching me attempt to swing on these DIY swings first...so many giggles!

The kids had a blast with this swing, especially trying to climb on and off by themselves. Here's a sneak peek at the swing in action.

Other Ways to Play with the DIY Ball Swing

Four year old K was perfectly content to hit the ball swing back and forth with his hands for about 20-30 minutes. So let them chase and hit the swing as much as they'd like! Or try:

• Hitting the ball back and forth with a partner
• Hitting the ball with a plastic bat
• Hitting the ball with a tennis racket
• Hitting the ball with alternating hands (hit it with left hand first and then the right hand when the ball comes back)

Other Ideas You'll Love

Homemade "Taco" Sensory Swing

DIY Woven Wrap Swing

Easy DIY Platform Swing