Stock photo of a Little Tikes Sprinkler Ball; you kids may not be happy for long.
Sprinkler Ball
We had first bought a Little Tikes sprinkler ball several years ago for our toddler and preschooler summer camp programs. It was a hit from the start with kids, and it was used heavily for 3 summers. At the end of the third summer it was looking very tired and faded so we decided just to pick up a new one as they were on clearance at Target for $8.00.
Bloated and water weight; you are either pregnant or a Little Tikes Sprinkler Ball.
The Problem
Unfortunately the new sprinkler ball was not like our original. After about a week, one of the sprinkler nozzles broke off leaving just a small stream of water coming out of that side of the ball. This wasn't a bad thing, as it was the perfect place for the kids to fill their buckets with water. About a week later, the ball started suffering from bloat. The first couple of days it was not bad, just some water at the base that we drained out overnight by leaving the air valve open. After that it was all over. The ball began leaking internally to the point where the ball had to have a hole poked in it to drain it.
The Cause
Cutting the sprinkler ball open and hooking up the hose located the source of the problem. Right away water could be seen leaking at the junction where the incoming water would be redirected to each of the sprinkler heads. The connections at the junction didn't seem to be robust at all.
Sprinkler Ball post-mortem; arrow points to leaking part.
Online Reviews
A quick look online found many of sprinkler ball reviews mentioning the exact same problem. Reviews on Amazon and also on Buzzions for the sprinkler ball give it 2.5 & 3 out of 5 stars. It seems to be so common that some reviewers on the Little Tykes site wonder why the directions don't mention how to empty the water from the ball!
Key Points:
- Going by online reviews the leaking problem seems fairly common.
- Overall the kids at our summer camps like this when it is working. It is not as interactive as the box claims though. It mentions that children can also roll around ball, but this is limited with the hose attached.
- It is possible that the life of the sprinkler ball could be prolonged if water pressure was not turned up all the way.
Sprinkler Ball Update for Summer 2010
We actually picked up another ball for this year's summer camps. One reason is that we found one that was a bargain and another is that it will give me a chance to check my "high water pressure" theory and how it pertains to the longevity of the sprinkler ball. We have the ball set on a hose bib with reduced pressure so we shall see how it holds up.
On a related note, a lot of web traffic comes to this page using the search term "how to empty sprinkler ball" so I would imagine it is still an issue for many people.