Gaga is the most popular game at Mount Tom Day Camp. That’s a fact. Swimming is popular. So is nature, arts & crafts and basketball. Lots of campers love ice cream time, but Gaga is king! There are two “pits” on our lower level and they’re occupied much of the day. Boys, girls, younger children, older children, athletes, not such great athletes – everyone loves this game. There are rules to Gaga. You’re not allowed to pick the ball up, you can’t kick it, you can only slap it with an open hand to get others out. It sounds simple. Yet, every time I ask participants why they’re still “in,” they look at me with a puzzled expression as if to say “Stan, you just don’t get it.” I guess I don’t.
I grew up at Mount Tom (a long time ago) and so did the owner, Doug. We weren’t lucky enough to have Gaga as part of our program then. We only added it to our “activity menu” about 10 years ago. But it’s number one in the hearts and minds of our campers. For the first few years, I thought it was great so many campers loved it and were so enthusiastic about learning the game and getting better at it. Then, I decided I had to figure out what made it so great. It’s a “throwback game” from a time when children (even in Manhattan) played with their friends all day long without lots of parental supervision. Like many street games such as ringolevio, tag, British bulldog and hundreds more, it was invented by kids who knew what was fun. Kids played, officiated, argued, negotiated, won, lost and played to a draw without the “help” of moms, dads, referees, umpires or anyone over the age of 12. Generations grew up with a certain set of life skills that allowed them to become good people, successful at work, sports and life. More than anything, they learned how to be social, make and keep friends and stay connected.
Gaga lets kids be in charge. At Mount Tom, the staff is supervising, but not constantly getting involved the way they would in basketball or tennis. Children have to figure things out and make sure the game keeps going. I often think if we weren’t a structured program – eight activities a day – many campers would choose to play Gaga most of the day, maybe take a swim, have lunch and go back to Gaga. It speaks for itself. They’re having fun, relaxing, learning all kinds of physical and social skills and growing up in front of our eyes. Gaga provides children with the best of all worlds: safety and freedom. Three cheers for Gaga!
