While I was on my medical leave for most of January, the classes worked with Kelly, one of TNS’s wonderful subs. As extra motivation to be on their best behavior with Kelly, the K-5 students had a chance to earn checkmarks towards playing one of the most popular games we do all year: Gaga Ball. Almost every class rose to the occasion and Kelly told me she had a great time getting to know and work with all the children. A couple classes needed to do a little bit more with me to earn Gaga Ball but by early February every class K-5 was getting to play and loving it!
Gaga Ball is originally an Israeli game that involves players entering a pit (we constructed ours from folding tables and mats) and trying to use their open hand to tap a ball into other feet or lower legs. Players do their best to dodge or block the ball from touching their legs because if it does touch then they are out. For K/1 and 2/3 classes, a player who is out goes to the back of the line and the player at the front of the line comes in the game. So it is a continuous flow of players getting out and coming in. There is no winner, just the joy of staying in as long as you can and then waiting to come back in and try all over again. The 4/5 students prefer a little more competition, so they opted to play elimination style, where players get eliminated one by one until there is a champion of the Gaga pit. Players who got out had other options of game to play around the gym in order to stay active until the next game. One choice was Kaboom Ball, a fun game which is essentially hockey but with pool noodles and the hockey sticks and a beach ball as the puck. Played in quick rounds of teams of two, this ended up being a favorite game as well.
We also all got a chance to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather with tag games and other activities outside in the courtyard.
2/3 class playing Gaga Ball 
4/5 class playing Kaboom Ball 
4/5 class playing Kaboom Ball 
K/1 class playing Kaboom Ball 
K/1 class playing Kaboom Ball 
2/3 class playing Sneaky Feet outside 
4/5 class playing Gaga Ball
The Pre-K students aren’t quite ready for these games, so they got to continue exploring and playing with various equipment such as scarves, jumping bags, rackets, and beanbags. The kids always come up with ways to use the equipment that I would have never thought to. They have the best imaginations! Of course, we always make time for favorite games like Follow the Leader, Freeze Tag, Duck Duck Goose, and Dance Party!
