Everything you need for your first badminton game.
As a father of two energetic boys, I thought a friendly badminton match would be the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Armed with a pair of ancient rackets from the garage and a single, slightly squashed shuttlecock, we marched to the park, ready for action. My youngest, Max, insisted on wearing his superhero cape “for extra speed,” while his older brother, Leo, brought his lucky baseball glove—just in case.
The first serve was a disaster. Max swung his racket so hard he spun in a full circle and landed on the grass giggling. Leo tried to catch the shuttlecock with his glove, missing entirely and sending it flying into a nearby bush. Our “net” was a jump rope tied between two trees, which sagged lower every time someone scored (or tripped over it).
Things got even funnier when our dog decided he wanted to play, snatching the shuttlecock mid-air and sprinting around the park with the boys in hot pursuit. By the end of the afternoon, we’d lost two shuttlecocks, tangled the jump rope beyond repair, and laughed until our sides hurt. The boys declared it the “best badminton ever,” even though we never kept score.
That day taught me the value of having the right gear—and a sense of humor. The next time, we brought proper rackets, a real net, and a tube of shuttlecocks. The game was smoother, but the laughter and chaos remained. If you’re starting badminton with your family, remember: the right equipment helps, but it’s the memories you make that matter.