A Budget-Friendly Game That Will Get Your Family Active Together

These days it can be challenging to find activities for the whole family that doesn’t involve a device, whether it’s a TV, a computer screen or a mobile phone. Well, if you are looking for an activity for the entire family, there’s a sport called pickleball and it’s a fantastic game for the entire family.

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It’s a great exercise which is an important part of being healthy for kids and adults of all ages.

Pickleball doesn’t require any video gaming skills or mobile phones. And just as important, it’s budget-friendly.

But what makes it such a great game for families? I’ll explain in a bit, but, first a quick history lesson.

Pickleball was invented in 1965 by three men who spent the summers vacationing with their families on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Washington.

They had been golfing and came home to find their kids sitting around complaining about being bored (sound familiar?).

So the men decided to create an activity that everyone, including kids and adults, could play together.

They cobbled together what was the dawn of the pickleball game, with a badminton net, some table tennis paddles, and whiffle balls.

Before they knew it, the kids and adults were playing and loving the game and then other members of the community began to play with them as well.

The game has evolved over the years but the essence of the game has remained the same: pickleball is a sport for people of all ages and skill levels to play together.

What Is Pickleball?

Pickleball is somewhat similar to tennis but it’s very different in many ways.

The basic concepts are the same – you hit a ball over the net and your opponent hits the ball back over the net, trying to keep the ball in bounds.

However, there are some rules that are unique to pickleball and they were created to ensure that the essence of the game was not lost – and that is to keep it accessible and fun for everyone.

More on the rules later.

4 Reasons Pickleball Is The Perfect Game To Play With Your Family

1. All ages  and skills can play — almost anyone can play – young kids, parents of all ages including grandparents
2. Great exercise — it’s low impact exercise that requires very little fitness finesse or skill and is less likely to cause injuries (but you can certainly break a sweat)
3. Fun and addictive — the more you play, the more you want to play and what’s better than an activity that is fun and encourages the entire family to play together
4. Budget-friendly – you don’t need to spend too much money to play pickleball and the only equipment that’s required is a paddle and a ball

How To Play Pickleball – The Basics

Pickleball is an easy game to learn and the basic concept is to hit the ball over the net and keep it in bounds.

Quick summary:

1. The person on the right serves the ball to the person diagonally across the net keeping the ball within the court boundaries
2. The opponent lets the ball bounce once and then returns the ball
3. The first return shot must bounce once before the second return shot is made
4. After the second return shot is made, play begins as usual

2 Rules That Make Pickleball Fun For Everyone

There are 2 rules that are unique to pickleball and were introduced by the inventors of the game because they didn’t want anyone to be disadvantaged by hard smashes of the ball over the net.

The first rule is called the double bounce rule.

The player serves the ball over the net and it must bounce once before the opponent returns the ball.

When the ball is returned over the net, the opponent (the original server) must let the ball bounce once before hitting it over the net. After this hit, play continues as usual and the ball does not need to bounce before a player hits it over the net.

This rule exists so that the ball can’t be smashed over the net at the very beginning of the game, causing the player to miss the ball.

The second rule is called the kitchen rule.

The kitchen is a 7-foot area on either side of the net that spans the entire width of the net.

A player must let the ball bounce once before stepping into the kitchen to hit the ball. If a player steps into the kitchen and hits the ball without letting it bounce, it’s a fault.

Again, in the spirit of ensuring that all players have a fair opportunity to play the game, the kitchen was created to discourage players from smashing the ball over the net (Smashing the ball over the net from 7 feet away is difficult).

Budget-friendly – Your Family Can Play Pickleball For The Price of A Star Wars Game, Or Less

Pickleball is a reasonably priced activity because a family of four can get started for around the same price as a Star Wars video game or a bit less.

Either way, pickleball is a great family-friendly budget activity.

The only equipment that’s required for a family of four to play is:

1. 4 pickleball paddles
2. 1 pickleball ball

Beginner Pickleball Paddles

Wood paddles are reasonable to play with and adequate enough if you are just getting started and not sure how often you’ll play.

They cost less than other paddles and can be bought in a set which makes it a bit more economical because the price typically works out so that the balls are an added bonus.

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These wood paddles are a good option. If you want to invest a bit more to get better quality and lighter paddles, then I suggest buying a set of composite paddles.

Composite paddles cost a bit more than the wood paddles but are nicer to play with and will last longer.

Or if you want some help choosing a pickleball paddle or set, have a look at The Best Pickleball Paddles for Every Budget + Game (2020). The research has already been done, making it easy for you to choose a paddle or paddle set that works for you and your family budget.

In Summary, pickleball is a great family activity because everyone can play, have fun, and get fit.

No device or mobile phone required.