Gaga Ball 101

Gaga Ball 101: What it Is, Where it’s From, and How to Play

If you’re looking for a fun way for you or your child to hone your reflexes and get some exercise, you may just find it in a gaga ball pit. Gaga ball is a fast-paced and exciting game that keeps its players light on their feet through running, dodging, jumping, and striking. Gaga ball rules are easy to learn so you’ll be playing in no time. And you can even build your own backyard pit.

So how does it work, where’s it from, and how can you or your kid play it for yourselves? We’ll cover this and more below so you can get in the gaga ball pit and find your next favorite hobby.

What is Gaga Ball?

Gaga ball, also known as Octoball, is a high-energy, fast-paced sport that’s played inside an octagonal pit called a gaga ball pit. In short, it’s a kid-friendly version of dodgeball, and the more players there are, the better!

While it might be hard to believe, gaga ball has actually been around for decades, although the origins of it are a bit unclear. (We’ll dig into this more later.) Regardless of how it came to be, this action-packed game has become highly popular in schools, camps, youth organizations, scout troops, and other child care settings.

Even with all the movement involved in the game, it’s an inclusive, safe, and easy-to-learn game that provides physical activity for children and adults of all ages and various degrees of ability.

Known as the gentler cousin of dodgeball, gaga ball is played using a foam ball where players combine a wide range of skills, including aiming, striking, and dodging balls through jumping and running.

Players need to move around to try and hit their opponents with the ball below their knees while avoiding being hit themselves. It’s fun and quick to learn while providing everyone with a great workout, making it easy to get addicted.

The game is also highly spontaneous — the action can get intense quickly enough that even the top players may be kicked out in a matter of minutes.

What are the Origins of Gaga Ball?

Since gaga ball’s first appearance during the mid-20th century, its origins have been one big mystery. However, the leading theory is that it was first invented in Israel, and from there, it spread to other countries throughout the world.

Today, the game is played in innumerable summer camps, giving children around the world a place to work up a sweat and build lasting bonds with their peers.

North America

One of the most known origin stories of gaga ball is that it was introduced to the United States through Israeli counselors who were working at a Jewish summer camp. They were said to arrive sometime around the 1950s, when they settled in the northeastern region. From there, the game spread throughout the country in the following decades.

Australia

During the 1980s, competitive versions of gaga ball surfaced in the Jewish-Australian communities in Perth, Western Australia. This may have taken place during the exchange of Australian madrikhim (counselors) coming from Israel, or Israeli madrikhim going to Australia.

While this claim may be largely based on speculation, many fans agree that Australia is a country where the gaga community is particularly active.

Modern Gaga Ball

Back in July of 2012, gaga ball saw such a huge spike in recognition that even The New York Times wrote about it, saying that the game is “owned by kids.” One of the biggest contributors to this spike in popularity is how often children fall in love with the game and share it amongst their peers — unlike sports such as tennis, basketball, or baseball, children are teaching the sport to their parents instead of the other way around. Many parents are taken by surprise to learn that gaga ball is very similar to dodgeball, the game they loved in their early days. Gaga ball also gained considerable traction in 2011, when the Gaga Center was opened in Manhattan and became the first facility in New York dedicated to the sport.

How Do You Play Gaga Ball?

Setting up a gaga ball pit is a lot less expensive than setting up the equipment for other games, such as soccer or tennis. The pit used for gaga ball will typically consist of rubber, sand, turf, or a smooth dirt surface. The actual ball, on the other hand, should be a rubber kickball or a foam dodgeball, though it can vary in form and size. In fact, the “ball” might not always take the shape of a ball if the right equipment is unavailable.

The game starts once the referee or a player throws the gaga ball into the air — with their hands or backs against the wall, the players will “Ga” for the first two bounces.

Once the first two bounces are done, the play starts, and players need to rush away from the wall to hit the ball toward their opponents inside the pit. Any player who is smacked by the ball below the knee or those who break a rule will be eliminated and need to leave the pit.

A player isn’t allowed to hit the ball consecutively; instead, someone else in their team must get a turn. Someone who hits the ball outside the pit will be eliminated, and when the ball gets caught in the air, the last person who hit the ball will be declared out.

What are the Rules of Gaga Ball?

Gaga ball is quite a simple sport, actually. The basics, as mentioned above, just involve a bunch of players inside a pit with a ball.

All you need to do is to play some music and remember that it’s every player for themself. Once the ball touches you below your knee, it’s game over for you. The last person standing inside the pit is the winner.

Before the next round starts, everyone will need to come back inside the pit, where games don’t last any more than 5 minutes. Because of this, you can get in a lot of games in just an hour, which results in something that’s both fun and addicting — you won’t be able to wait to get back inside!

The official game rules, according to the Gaga Center, are as follows:

Every player needs to start with one of their hands touching the wall inside the pit.
The game only starts once the referee throws the ball into the middle of the pit.
Once the ball is inside the pit, players must scream “Ga” during the first two bounces and “Go” during the third bounce, where the ball is officially in action.
Once the ball’s in play, the players may hit the ball using a closed hand or open palm.
Players aren’t allowed to pick up and throw the ball.
Should the ball touch a player below their knee (even if they do it to themselves by accident), the player will be declared out and will need to leave the pit.
Should a player get hit above their knees, the play will continue.
If the ball is caught during flight, the last player to hit the ball is eliminated.
Players aren’t allowed to hold the ball.
Players who are eliminated must quickly leave the gaga pit.
If the game is taking longer than expected, a second ball can be thrown inside the pit to expedite the game. The last person left standing in the pit is declared the winner.

Other Variations to the Rules

While players aren’t allowed to “double touch” the ball, they can “dribble” the gaga ball off the wall as much as they want to help them set up their shot, provided that it touches the wall for every dribble.
If the game is taking too long, eliminated players may also start a countdown from 20 to help the game end in a tie.
The winner from the last game may start the next game.
Some practices also allow players to re-enter the game if they’re able to catch a ball from outside the pit.

What Are the Benefits of Playing Gaga Ball?

Because it’s such a high-energy game, gaga ball can keep children and adults engaged and active. It’s also known to be an “equalizer” in any school’s playground since the game doesn’t require any particular ability or athletic skill to be fun.

Children, along with their teachers and other staff members, work in collaboration to create their gaga ball pits to ensure a strong team spirit among peers and players. There are also plenty of other benefits to engaging in this activity, such as:

It’s super easy to learn and everyone can be a winner
It encourages many children to participate in and enjoy this physical, outdoor activity
It develops the motor skills for dodging, striking, and jumping, along with agility, hand-eye coordination, and strategic thinking skills.
It keeps children engaged for their entire recess period
Skills learned while playing can be applied to many other sports

Are There Any Variations of Gaga Ball?

There are many variations of gaga ball, and depending on where it’s played, there are many other rules that can be applied on top of the official rules. For example, “domination gaga” is a version in which eliminated players may re-enter the pit in certain circumstances.

Other variations of the game include “team gaga,” “defender gaga,” and “mayhem gaga,” all of which have their own sets of funky and fun rules to change up the game.

Conclusion

Now that you know all there is to know about gaga ball and how you or your child can enjoy this adrenaline-pumping game, be sure to make your way to the Gaga Center or set up your own pit at home. No matter your age or abilities, you can be sure to enjoy a fair game where everyone can play — just be sure to keep your eye on the ball if you want the best chances of winning!