When we think of the 70's, a few things spring to mind. Big hair, floral print bell-bottoms, mustard coloured tupperware (your Mum’s ‘good’ ones) and who could forget an old crowd favourite - chicken and asparagus vol-au-vents.
Like all good things, trends tend to come back around if you give enough time. Now, obviously we have moved past a few things (looking at you, Devils on Horseback), but others rightfully make a resurgence.
However, when it comes to Gaga Ball, it appears as though Internationally, the craze never went away. Gaga Ball has long been celebrated overseas for its social benefits and inclusive nature, welcoming players of all skill levels. The US summer camp scene quickly cottoned onto it, and never let it go.
Why is it only becoming popular in Australia now?
If we cast our minds back to 2020, the world as we knew it, changed. A Pandemic of Global proportions made its way to our shores and in what felt like an instant, schools were closed and education moved to our living rooms and kitchens. We became ‘home school’ families, but had never had the privilege of teaching a class before.
An incredibly tough time to navigate, and it was our children who missed out the most. For many, those formative years of playing with friends, socialising, learning from peers and growing together ceased, or at the very least, took a long pause.
Thankfully though, as we made our way out of lockdowns, press conferences and travel restrictions, our children were able to return to school and learn in class once more. Life slowly returned to (the new) normal.
It was during this time that Australian camps started to look for a point of differentiation to re-engage students and bring back some of that beautiful, old-fashioned childhood fun that they so longed for.
Enter, Gaga Ball.
When looking for new ways to invest in the health and wellbeing of children, the vast benefits of Gaga Ball made it a no-brainer for solving that need. It wasn’t long after that schools followed suit.
Gaga Ball is not just a game, it is a healthy and fun way for kids of all ages and abilities to improve their social, emotional and cognitive development, physical abilities, confidence and friendships. It improves learning outcomes by working both bodies and brains, helping facilitate a greater capacity and readiness for learning in class.
Now Australia’s fastest growing schoolyard game, we feel privileged to hear from thousands of principals, teachers, parents and children about the positive influence Gaga is having on their communities. As they say, good things come to those who wait - and we couldn’t be happier to have you in Australia, Gaga.