Gaga ball is one of the most well-known games that people play during their childhood. It’s quite fun to play — even for adults — and allows everyone in the household to get outside and play together. And what better way to start playing than to making your own DIY gaga ball pit.
What makes gaga ball great is that it helps with a child’s development and can be added in almost any yard.
If you’re wondering how to create your own DIY gaga ball pit, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will provide a detailed walkthrough on what you need to do to create your own gaga arena.
Considerations Before Building a DIY Gaga Ball Pit
Before building your gaga ball pit, you have the option of deciding whether you want a permanent or temporary area for it. The main advantage of having a permanent structure is that it lets you invest in higher quality material, allowing your pit to last longer. You also don’t need to disassemble it afterward.
However, a temporary gaga pit comes with its own benefits as well. It allows you to bring your pit indoors during the winter season and lets you set it up temporarily without having to commit to it.
With regards to gaga pit walls, you can use a range of materials to make your borders. The main differences between the options available are their price range and portability.
The most common wall materials used in gaga ball pits today are:
- Composite lumber
- Wood lumber
- Plastic
Steps for Building a Wood Gaga Ball Pit
You can use a wide range of materials to create the fences of your gaga ball pit. For most cases, wooden boards will be sufficient for a DIY build.
Before we discuss the steps, consider the materials and tools to use for your gaga ball pit:
- 12 pieces of 2x12x16 ft boards
- 6 pieces of 1x6x12 ft boards
- 16 pieces of 3 in hinges
- 2 pounds of 2in deck screws
- Miter saw
- Circular saw
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Drill
- Screwdriver bit
- Tamp
- Safety glasses
Once all of these have been secured, you want to start sorting all of the materials into piles. You want to make sure that you have the exact quantity mentioned above before starting your DIY gaga ball pit project.
You can then take all of the 2x12x16 ft boards and start cutting them into two 8 ft pieces. You should end up with 24 pieces of 2x12x8 ft boards.
From there, take five of the 1x6x12 ft boards and then cut them into four 3 ft pieces. You should end up with a total of 20 pieces of 1x6x3 ft boards.
Get the last 1x6x12 ft board and cut this into a single 3 ft piece and three 1x6x2 ft pieces.
Now get all of 24 of the 2x12x8 ft pieces and bevel their ends with your saw set. You want to do so at a 22.5º angle to create 24 beveled trapezoid 2x2x8 ft pieces.
With the preparation done, let’s move on to the actual steps.
Step 1
Sort and inventory all of the materials you’ve prepared above. If your desired gaga pit location has any grass present, make sure you remove it first.
Step 2
The next step is to assemble all eight sides of your gaga ball pit. Seven of these boards will have three 2x12x8 ft pieces set out next to each other. You should then use the 1x6x3 ft straps to connect them together.
You’ll need three straps for each side with one at the center and one on each side just 10 inches from the edges.
Step 3
From there, start assembling the last side using two of the 2x12x8 ft pieces along with three of the 1x6x2 ft pieces. This is going to be the entrance and exit door of your gaga pit.
Step 4
The next step is to link all of the sides together to form an octagon shape. You can do this by using two hinges for each corner where one will connect to the top of the 2×12 pieces and another will connect its lower portion. There will be no hinge for the center 2×12 boards.
Step 5
With your octagon ready, it’s time to finish the bottom portion of your pit. You can fill this part with concrete, asphalt, decomposed granite, packed down dirt, or sand depending on your preference. All set!
How To Play Gaga Ball
At the start of a match, all players need to stand inside the pit and have one hand touching their side of the wall. The referee then throws the ball in the air. Once the ball has bounced three times, players can begin hitting it using their hands.
The goal in gaga ball is to avoid being hit by the ball on or below the knees. All players will try their best to hit others with the ball.
Players can only hit the ball with an open hand. Catching, scooping, and punching the ball aren’t allowed. Any player that has been struck by the ball is eliminated from the pit. If the ball goes outside, the last person to touch it is eliminated.
Touching the ball more than once without it hitting a wall or another player will get you eliminated. The same is true if you hit another person above the knee.
Players can touch or lean on the gaga ball pit walls but aren’t allowed to hop or sit on them during the match. Want to know more, read Gaga Ball 101 for the history and rules.
How Many Players Can Take Part?
A normal match of gaga ball can have anywhere from six to 12 players at one time. A match can take place in rotation or one round at a time.
When you play a single round at a time, any player who has been eliminated must exit after being hit. No one is allowed to take their place, which means that the last player remaining is the winner.
What’s the Ideal Size of a Gaga Ball Pit?
The size of your gaga ball pit should be around 15 to 20 feet in diameter. You’ll find that a 17.5-foot gaga ball pit is more than enough for your needs.
However, you want to make sure that the walls are at least two to four feet in height. The main reason for this is to keep it high enough to keep the ball inside but low enough so that people can easily go in and out as needed.
Conclusion
Gaga ball is one of the most entertaining games that you can play with your family and friends. However, you need a set of materials and steps to take in order to create an arena for everyone to have fun.
By following the tips provided in this article, you should have a good idea of how to proceed when building your DIY gaga ball pit.