Leaders invent homemade inflatable gaga ball pit, and it’s kind of genius

Instead of dropping $1,000 or more to buy an inflatable gaga pit, a group of Cub Scout leaders in South Carolina found a better solution.

They created their own.

With half a roll of duct tape and a dozen pool rafts, the leaders built a homemade playing area for this unofficial sport of Scouting.

Wait, what’s gaga ball? It’s a friendlier form of dodgeball played in a walled pit. Players hit the ball at each other with their hands and are eliminated if the ball touches them on or below the knee. The last player standing wins.

I first witnessed gaga ball in action at the 2013 National Jamboree. Four years later, I learned who (probably) invented the game.

Today, let’s meet a group of leaders who have revolutionized gaga ball forever.

What they did

Laurie Stokes, a volunteer in the Indian Waters Council, knows how much Cub Scouts love gaga ball. So she decided to add the sport to this year’s lineup of activities at the Chinquapin District Twilight Camp.

But when Laurie researched inflatable gaga ball pits online, she discovered they’re well out of her price range.

“So we decided to make our own,” she says.

How they did it

For the rectangular wall panels, the leaders thought of pool mattresses — easily found for less than $10 apiece.

They used duct tape to keep it all together, taping first in the direction of the panels and then diagonally.

The pit pictured above uses 12 pool rafts, but Laurie says you can add or remove panels to make it larger or smaller.

What about durability? Not a problem, Laurie says.

“The pit held up through 85 campers and is in storage to make appearances at future events,” she says. “Scout on!”

Leaders invent homemade inflatable gaga ball pit, and it’s kind of genius