Meet Munchy Ball
Meet the Munchy Ball — a fun, silly tool that’s secretly one of our favorite ways to build hand strength. With its goofy face and “hungry mouth,” this little ball invites kids to feed it small objects like pom poms, beads, or buttons. But there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye.
Each time a child squeezes the Munchy Ball open, they’re exercising the muscles in their hand and fingers — the same muscles needed for writing, cutting, and everyday tasks like opening containers or managing clothing fasteners.
Best of all? Kids want to use it. It turns strengthening into a game — no nagging required. Looking for a playful way to support fine motor development? Just say “Chomp!”
Make Your Own Munchy Ball (click here for video):
You only need two things:
- A tennis ball
- A sharp utility knife or heavy-duty scissors
- Carefully cut a slit in the tennis ball to create a “mouth” (start around 3 inches). The longer the slit, the easier it will be to squeeze and open the mouth.
- Optional: Add googly eyes with hot glue or draw a face with a permanent marker to make it more fun.
- Show your child how to squeeze the sides of the ball to open the mouth and “feed” it small objects.
Supervise when using small items with young children.