Classic Table Games Can Solve Kids’ Screen Addictions

Do you feel like your kids spend too much time in front of the television? Whether they prefer video games or good ol’ cartoons, you know that too much screen time is not good for them, but you are at a loss on what else to do—especially when the weather outside is less than ideal. Well, we have you covered. Why not teach them some table games that have been enjoyed by kids and adults alike for decades? If it’s been a while since you’ve played these games yourself, here is a quick refresher for you.

Pool Tables

The ultimate table game is easy enough: You hit all of your balls (solids or stripes) into the pockets before your opponent, making sure the infamous eight ball is last, and you win. Just keep these rules in mind and you are sure to have a grand time with one of our Legacy or Connelly pool tables:

• The shooter gets to keep going until they miss a shot or fail to call one.
• Even if the shooter does not call the shot, if the ball goes in, it still counts. They just don’t get to shoot again.
• If the eight ball gets hit in before the rest of their balls are gone, that person loses automatically.

Table Tennis

Even though this popular table game has ‘tennis’ in its name, the rules vary from traditional tennis in many ways. Maybe that’s why most people refer to this game as ping pong. Regardless, when you pull out one of our Kettler or Legacy tables, you will want to remember these guidelines:

• The first person to reach 11 points wins the game, and the person who wins the most out of five games wins the match.
• You must win by at least two points.
• Every serve results in a point for somebody.
• You serve two times, and then your opponent serves two times, and then you serve two times, etc. The only time you only serve once before switching is if the game is tied at 10-10.
• When you are playing singles, the center lines don’t matter—you can serve to any part of the table.
• The edges do count; however, the sides of the table do not.

Foosball

What is there not to love about foosball? You drop the ball into the center of one of our Tornado foosball tables, and you turn the handles to make your little plastic men kick the ball into the goal. But even though this classic game is pretty self-explanatory, there are a few foosball rules that are worth mentioning:

• There are nine balls dropped per game, so the first team to score five wins.
• When a ball goes into the goal, it counts as a point no matter which team hit it in.
• Spinning the rods is not allowed. It’s cheating. Don’t do it.

Now that you know the rules, it’s time to teach them to your kids. Get them off the couch to enjoy some competitive, entertaining, enjoyable table games. They are classics for a reason.

Contact Porch & Patio or visit our game room furniture showroom in Orange, CT to pick your favorite classic table game.