Crocodile Creek Playball Barnyard 7"" Review

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(More customer reviews)We picked up this ball while checking out at the local toy store, and I'll admit I didn't inspect it closely until we got home. But later on, I realized that on one side the rubber seems thinner and more easily stretched than the other. The result is a cattywompus ball that predictably veers off in one direction no matter how you roll it. It does not fly straight into the air, but curves as it is kicked (it's had an adventure in the neighbor's yard because of this; we had to jump the fence and retrieve it), and while I didn't take it back, I probably should have.
I don't know how often Crocodile Creeks balls have this flaw, and so this is, of course, only a review of our specific ball. Maybe we did get a rare exception, and the rest of the balls are made round as balls should be.
I love the design. I love that it's an old-fashioned rubber kick ball, rather than being made of PVC. The animals are pretty darned cute. I would have easily given it another star or two had our ball not had this defect.
However, I do feel it's worth mentioning that the ecology center has tested 3 of Crocodile Creeks' play balls, and of those three, Butterflies 7 Inch Playground Ball by Crocodile Creek has come up with lead at 217 and 201 ppm. Sure it's a different ball, but same company, same oversight, same China manufacturing. And while this is still below the federal limit, I think it's information parents should know, because it is on the higher side of what's deemed 'safe', and lead is a cumulative poison. Frankly, you want to avoid the small amounts if you can.
Without the aforementioned flaw, this would be a great outdoor kick ball, but you may want to hold off buying one until a child is well past the mouthing phase.

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Heavy duty, textured ball is great for indoor or outdoor play. Ball is 7"" diameter. Made of rubber and contains no PVC, latex or vinyl. Conforms to or exceeds U.S. and European safety standards.

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