Picture this: You were playing gaga ball with your friends. Suddenly, your parents walk in on your game, squinting in bemusement. You explain that you’re playing gaga ball.
Then, the question pops up: “What’s gaga ball?”
Do you resume your game? Or do you jump at the rare chance to take your folks down the gaga ball rabbit hole?
If you picked the latter, it’s high time you showed your parents how to play gaga ball!
So grab your folks and lay out the gaga pit. You’re teaching Gaga Ball for Parents 101 and class is in session!
1. Tell Your Parents About Gaga Ball
Before diving into the gaga pit and game mechanics, give your parents an introduction to gaga ball and a historical snippet of the game’s origins. Tell your folks to think of the gaga ball as a version of dodgeball. If you want to sell the game, tell them that gaga ball is dodgeball minus the risks for head injuries.
There’s no need to go hog on the history of gaga ball. All you need to say is that it’s from Israel and that different countries have developed their versions of gaga ball.
2. Talk About the Equipment
Gaga ball requires nothing more than a ball, up to six people, and objects you can line up in a hexagon to form a gaga pit. This might be a good time to explain what you were doing with the furniture!
3. Explain the Rules
As the game’s ambassador to your household, you must also explain the rules of gaga ball. Cover the basics like legal contact areas and the gaga pit.
Another rule you must go over with your folks is the one that prohibits grabbing the ball. Your parents will likely be more familiar with dodgeball rules, so they might assume it’s OK to pick up the ball and throw it. It’s not, and they need to know.
4. Play a Simulation Game
After discussing the equipment and rules, you can invite your folks to a trial game. When you play, ensure they follow the rules you’ve just explained. Your parents are playing their first gaga ball game, so it’s normal for them to forget a few rules.
5. Have Fun!
After a few rounds, your parents will have gotten the hang of the game. When you see that they don’t forget the rules during gameplay, you and your parents can now go gaga over gaga ball!
Have a Ball With Your Folks!
Gaga ball is fun, pretty safe, and easy to learn. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t play with your whole family. By showing your folks the ropes, you’re not just promoting gaga ball. You’re also giving your family one more fun activity you can do together.
So go ahead. Teach your parents to play gaga ball and have a ball (or two) doing it!