The utility ball (also known as a playground ball or named after the games in which it's used, such as dodgeball and kickball) is a spherical, inflated ball used in several kinds of playground games and sports. Utility balls were introduced in the mid-20th century and have continued to be used in various games.
The first dedicated utility balls were introduced by American manufacturer Voit shortly after World War II and became popular within a few years, being adapted to several games such as dodgeball and kickball that had previously been played with harder objects, like basketballs. The softer ball was safer and easier to adapt to other games, such as four square.
Utility balls are typically made of polyvinyl chloride or rubber and have a diameter of and weigh between . The balls are often made with ribbing for grip and are inflated to .