== Thomas The Tank Engine Ball==

When Jack was quite a bit younger he did go through a very brief stage of liking Thomas The Tank Engine but this was very short lived. Unfortunately everyone seems to think that a boy of his age should like Thomas The Tank so this means that a lot of gifts that Jack gets are Thomas the tank related. This outdoor ball was one such gift although seeing as it is a ball you really cant' go wrong no matter what is printed on it.

I can't say exactly how much was exactly paid for this ball although I know that you can pick them up for generally around the £5 region which for a soft plastic ball such as this seems a fairly reasonable price although if you wanted a non-branded ball I have seen then as cheap as a couple of pounds.

The ball is a good size and when Jack received it he was only around 2 if not a little younger and the ball did appear way to big for him. Luckily thought he weight of the ball is really light so throwing it or kicking it wasn't too much trouble for his little arms and legs. The ball is equal to a regular size 5 football which is not ideal for this age bracket but like I say the weight of it sort of counteracts the size.

The ball is plastered with Thomas the Tank engine and is a bright red and blue colour which although appealed to Jack for a brief spell seems to go more or less unnoticed now as he sees it as just another kick ball. The good thing about the design means that it is fairly eye catching and if launched into a nearby bush when playing catch or football it is fairly easy to spot and not something that can be lost especially easy.

The ball is made of a hard wearing plastic that although light in weight is very durable and unless punctured with a large nail would be more or less indescribable. There is a small valve on one area of the ball with which to pump it up but it did already come pumped up and only several years later, beginning to become slightly flat. We are more than likely not going to pump it up due to the fact that we haven't got the necessary pump needed to do it and that Jack has now moved on to a proper leather like football which has a bit more weight and looks a bit more grown up.

The ball has really done us proud and has lasted well for a long time. There are a good few positives about this ball when using it with young children like the light weight feel to it and the fact that it is easy to wipe clean with a damp sponge. However the downsides are that you can't expect to play football with this ball on a particularly windy day as any gust of wind will surely take the ball along with it which I learnt the hard way and had to run nearly half a mile along the beach to retrieve it last year!

All in all though this ball is a good one. Perfect for those who are Thomas The Tank Engine fans but also for those who are not as it is basically a ball and I am sure even those who don't like Thomas still enjoy playing with a ball! I think I will award a score of 4 out of 5 stars as it is not a bad ball but certainly not the best ball you could get either.


I do hope that this has been of some help/interest to you


many thanks for taking the time to read.