Learning Resources Inflatable 11" World Globe

We bought this to teach our 5 year old some basic geography and this definitely fits the bill. It is the size of a small beach ball - a little bit larger than a basketball. It is easy to blow up and you can hang it or leave it down to allow the children to play with as they learn the continents. This is not a detailed globe but for a five dollar inflatable globe it is great. You can easily cover the continents and countries of the world. Some of the countries are not the most up-to-date, such as several in Africa but again this is more for general purposes. The United States is not broken down by the states, which is the biggest draw back in my opinion. This is a good starting point globe for young children but a more expensive one would be necessary for older children or children who already have a good grasp on geography. I would recommend this globe as an introductory world view lesson but keep in mind that it is very inexpensive as globes go so you will not get the details on this as you would if you paid for a nice 50 dollar globe. With that said, we are very happy with this for our five year old.

I ordered these to take on a scientific expedition where I knew we would be interacting with the children of nomadic families. It was fun to show them where on the globe we came from, then leave the globe as an educational toy. Being able to carry multiples because they pack flat and weigh almost nothing was a big plus; would also be easy to store in a classroom setting. It was hard to know before ordering what the quality would be, as there are hundreds of companies selling similar products. I'm happy to report that these are fine quality: lightweight, accurate, and will probably hold up reasonably well to children's play (I didn't have the opportunity to assess that).

This globe has been very useful in discussing geography with my 4 year old who is obsessed with maps. It's also multipurpose, in that my 2 year old uses it as a ball. I love that it's inflatable, so not only is it portable but also doesn't have to take up space, which can be at a premium, if we don't want it to. It is durable (we've been kicking it around a lot), but I took 1 star off (though I would've liked to take half a star off to be fair) because it has been just over 2 weeks since we received this item and it is already looking a little deflated. Not that it's a huge problem -- there's plenty more air in our lungs to re-inflate this globe as needed. The colors are great, the text is perfectly legible, and this globe is exactly what I wanted for my preschooler! For the price we paid, it was a great investment! :)

Eventually I'd like to buy a nicer, more detailed globe for my son, but for now he's 2 years old and the first battle is to make learning fun and easy so it's something he enjoys going back to. I figured with this inflatable ball vs. one of those globes you find in school, we could sit anywhere or lie in bed and easily hold this globe and move it around. I used it to show him where we live and pointed out where his daddy went for a business trip, where his grandparents and aunties went on their vacations, and now I'm showing him other parts of the world. Like a lot of kids, my son likes balls and different colors, so this is a winner in our house If I ask him to show me where we live for instance, he doesn't hesitate to pick it up and start looking. On the technical side, sometimes the lines on the globe don't match up and it would've been great if the U.S. showed the state lines, but otherwise, I've been fortunate that my ball doesn't have deflating issues and for under $10, I didn't expect much from it.

If you only need an inflatable ball, then this would be fine. If you intend to use it to teach geography, then look elsewhere for a teaching tool. The seams on the globe are poorly aligned, causing some locations on the globe to get cut off, as well as giving the globe an awkward shape. Also, the lines of latitude do not line up well where the seams of the ball connect. I don't recommend this Learning Resources globe as a "learning resource." --Addendum to previous review: Learning Resources did contact me and sent me another inflatable globe to replace the first one. The replacement globe was better aligned at the seams than the first globe I received, but it still wasn't what I'd hoped it would be in terms of an educator's tool. I was fortunate enough to come across a real (non-inflatable) globe with a stand at a popular discount department store the other day for only a couple dollars more than I paid for this inflatable one. Our inflatable globe will be kept as a cute decoration hanging from the ceiling, but it won't be used for teaching geography.

I bought this along with another, larger, inflatable Globe (the Jet Creations Inflatable Topographical 16-Inch Globe). This one is by far the inferior of the two. Okay, it's an inflatable globe that costs very little - what can I expect? True enough - and for what I paid, this item is just fine. Not exceptional, just fine. Here is a quick run-down of the pros and cons: Pros: - comes with a little string and wire S hook to hang it from the ceiling or a light fixture - nice little touch. - the writing (country and city names, rivers, etc) is suprisingly legible, even the tiniest words. I am impressed. - the colors of the countries stand out well, making it pretty easy to distinguish the countries. This is, after all, a political world globe. Don't expect to see even a hint of a mountain range, desert, or river basin. Flat colors only - but this works fine for a political globe. Cons: - the plastic is a bit flimsy, much like a cheap beach ball. Normally, this is what I would have expected - that this globe is really a painted beach ball - but the other inflatable globe I purchased was made of much more durable plastic - not like any beach ball I have ever seen. - apparently a huge, catastrophic earthquake rocked the middle of the Pacific Ocean and I missed it - because the latitudinal lines do not match up at all in this area. It's a pretty major mistake in gluing this thing together - sloppy, I guess. Fortunately there isn't much (on the globe, at least) in the middle of the Pacific, so it doesn't matter all that much. All in all, this is a fine little educational toy. My kids can read the country names, explore places they want to go, and learn some geography. The Jet Creations Inflatable Topographical 16-Inch Globe is better, and bigger, but remember, it is not a political globe, but rather a topographical one. I like having both, actually.

Not sure where the 1 to 3 star reviews are coming from. The quality is VERY good...especially for $5. It has survived use by two young elementary age children AND one cub scout den. Like most things, if you use it for its intended purpose, it will last a long time. The printing is easy to read. And considering how often some country somewhere is changing its name, I just couldn't see paying much for a globe. I like it and my kid's like it. We play a game..where I give them the country name, and a hint where to find it. I then throw it to them, and they have to try to find it quickly. Hard to do that with a more expensive globe.

I was looking for inflatable globes to send to some rural schools in Africa. The school room furnishings are sparse and have few teaching aids, yet much learning is happening there. The children speak very good English. I searched the internet for days and read all the reviews, trying to find the best globe out there. I finally ordered 1 of each style. The Learning Resources globe is the best, by far! It is durable, colorful, inflates to an almost perfectly round shape, holds it's air, is easy to read and has a plastic loop for hanging. It comes with a hanging cord and a patch repair kit. It is a beautiful globe. I wish it came in 16 inch size. When inflated, all the other globes are "squat' and irregular in appearance, not round. They look like a peeled tamgerine. All of the globes have the countries marked but none of them have the states marked..I suspect, not enough room for the print.

Bought to replace an older one that deflated. Grandkids love it, playing with it like a ball but they will often sit down with it, study it and ask questions. Well worth it.

Ottimo grazie

Lässt sich super schwer aufpusten und riecht unangenehm - hält aber die Luft in sich und das Wasser außer sich :)

Perfect substitute to a real globe can be stored away when not in use. Remarkable service standards by Booyah Chicago!

こどもと言ってもまだ一歳手前。別に国名を覚えるとか地図に親しむとか、そういったことは全然ないのですが、カラフルな色合い、触り心地、軽くていくらでも叩いたり持ち上げたりできるところ、この辺にハマったようです。 地図としては正直精度がかなり低く、地名印刷がずれていたりして残念なところはありますが、結局ふくらませるビーチボールですし、地図用途としてではなく遊び道具としてなら超優秀だと思います。壁にぶつけられてもうるさくないですよ。