Bocce

We were looking at our local Council on Aging newsletter and it mentioned a group playing Bocce.

Like us, you may have heard of the game of Bocce and if you’ve ever traveled to Europe you may have even seen it being played in a park.  

What’s it all about?

The game of Bocce started back in Egypt a long time ago, in 5,000 B.C.  

It was actually the Romans who popularized it and it’s played all over Italy. In Italian the word Bocce means “bowling.”  

Here’s how this “bowling” works.

You play Bocce as a team or individually.  The goal is to get the most points, either 12 or 15.  

Each team or player gets a colored set of 4 small balls.  A target ball is then thrown.

An individual or a team tries to get as many of the set of balls closest to the target ball.

You have to throw the balls so far but not too far.  You are also allowed to hit another player’s ball or the target ball to get you closer.

There are ways you score points and all the rules will be explained when you play.  It’s all pretty simple overall.  

This really is a game that any age can play. For seniors it is a perfect game.  

It is a low-impact activity that improves your strength and coordination.  It can help with your flexibility and balance too.

Your brain gets a boost.  Bocce is a game of strategy so you have to think when you roll.  

It’s great for camaraderie too whether you play individually or on a team.

Private Home Health Care is looking forward to signing up for a game of Bocce.  It sounds like a lot of fun.  There’s a reason this game has been around for a very long time. Give it a try!