There is nothing quite like our Northeast Ohio winters. It may be 70 and sunny one day and the next we find ourselves under a foot of snow. With winter officially arriving this week, we all know we are in for a lot of indoor time, trying to avoid the blistering cold, in the upcoming months. Being stuck inside doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Having a game room or even just a game table can make all the difference, and help you avoid a case of the winter blues. Let’s take a look at some ways you can use your game tables this winter.
Are the Winter Blues a Real Thing?
Yes, the winter blues are actually a thing. During the winter months, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a common thing amongst people in Ohio and Pennsylvania. About 5% of adults in the United States experience SAD and about 10% to 20% of people in America may get a milder form of the winter blues. How you spend your time indoors can make all the difference and help you combat the feelings of unease and restlessness winter may cause.
How can a Game Room and Game Table Make a Difference?
Having a game room in your home allows you to create bonding moments and memories to remember for years to come. It also gives you a place to escape the day to day and relax and unwind with family and friends. From home bars, billiards, gaming tables, to massage chairs, a home game room is a great way to keep your family healthy and entertained this winter.
A game room usually is not complete without gaming tables. After all, as the name implies, the room is for “games”. There are many options when it comes to selecting game tables for your space: billiard tables, foosball, ping pong, air hockey, poker tables, shuffleboard, and more. Keep in mind, your game table doesn’t have to be just used for the game you bought it for either.
Here are Some Ways You can Use Your Game Tables this Winter
As we said above, there are many different types of game tables; however, it’s important to keep in mind, that most of them can be used differently than you may have initially intended. Maybe you have your game table piled under a stack of old books and photos, winter is the perfect time to clean it off and actually use it.
Different types of game tables and some ways you can use them this winter are:
- Billiards: In addition to being entertaining, offering family-friendly fun, and being rather affordable, a billiard table can help people of all ages improve their mental and physical health. For many people, billiard, or pool, tables are far more than a gathering place for a certain game. They bring people together by offering something for beginners and experienced players alike: excitement, companionship, and the sheer joy of friendly competition. A billiards table is not just for a game of pool, there are other types of billiards game you can add into your game play as well.
- Foosball: You are likely familiar with the game of foosball, a soccer like game played on a table. This is a great game for people of all ages, as the rules and mechanics are rather simple. The purpose of the game is to move and shoot the ball into the opponent’s goal using control knobs. This game table can help you spend more time with your family and encourage communication (since there are usually teams). Not to mention, the game itself has many physical and mental health benefits, much like billiards. You don’t have to use your foosball table for a competitive game all the time; if you have less skilled players, change it up and make your own rules, so they can feel included.
- Air Hockey: Much like a foosball table, an air hockey table basically offers the table version of one of the most popular sports, in this case, hockey. Very similar to foosball, air hockey can easily be played by people of all ages. If you have little players in your home, put a step stool next to the table to assist them with playing. Who didn’t love playing air hockey as a kid? So many memories can be made around this table.
- Ping Pong: If you have a ping pong table in your home, you can use your game table this winter in a variety of ways. You can take the net off and use it for purposes other than ping pong (such as cards or a table for board games or puzzles), or you can take the time to perfect your ping pong skills. Ping pong, has been a popular sport all over the world for a long time, and like all of the other games we have reviewed before, it has mental and physical benefits.
- Poker Table: Let’s face it, when it comes to poker style game tables the possibilities for how you use this game table is endless. Although you may have bought it with poker nights in mind, it can serve many other purposes. A poker table can provide the perfect surface for not only poker, but board games, other card games, puzzles, and more. This type of game table is perhaps one of the most versatile.
- Shuffleboard: Lastly, we come to one of our favorite game tables, shuffleboard. A shuffleboard table can provide endless entertainment, again, for people of all ages. Not only that, a game of shuffleboard can encourage social engagement, help lower stress levels, and provide exercise, all while the player may think they are just having fun. This is an active game, much like billiards, that allows interaction for people of all ages, and creates a space for building relationships with friends and family. Like some of the other games we reviewed, you can break the rules from time to time and make up your own games to play on the table.
You don’t have to be “stuck” indoors during the colder months of the year, you can embrace the opportunity to spend time with family and friends and come up with some ways to use your game table or tables this winter.
Looking to create a game room in your home or to add some new game tables to the space? Litehouse Pools & Spas can help. We have everything that you need to create the game room or your dreams. Visit us today.