Bowling balls are loose parts that will delight children. Growing up, my younger brother had three of them–not sure where they came from. He’d roll them around, try to throw them, smash stuff with them, carry them, etc. Then one day he dug a hole and buried them. That was the end of his bowling ball play, because months later when he went to dig them up, he couldn’t remember where they were buried. Poor kid.

There’s no telling what kids will do with loose parts–that’s one of the great things about loose parts. It’s likely that given time, space, and opportunity, they will do many of the things my brother did. Because of their weight, bowling balls are great if you want to provide more opportunities for heavy work.

Bowling Balls At Play

They can also be repurposed for art projects, big and small.

They can also be utilized for all kinds of STEM play and learning. A contraption like the one below may take up too much space, but a bowling ball pendulum would be a great addition to a play space.

Blowing balls are also great for ramp play. A hill with a nice slope works nice, as does a purpose-made bowing ramp. Don’t worry, if you don’t have a hill or a budget that allows a fancy ramp, you can always DIY one with inexpensive lumber.

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