Great Game Setups for Snowbound Days

I’m going to sound like an old geezer, but as a good deal of the United States faces yet another day of 15- to 25-below temperatures, I find myself thinking of the blizzard of 1978. It hit almost exactly 36 years ago, on February 5, and its hurricane-force winds and heavy snowfall (27 inches in Boston alone) broke all kinds of weather records. If memory serves, I missed around 20 days of school (elementary school, mind you). It could have been a grim time for my mother, but what she did preserved that very cold time as a warm memory. She turned the kitchen table into a game table, and we whiled away the days playing Sorry!, Trouble and Uno and eating popcorn. We were trapped, but we had fun. Mom’s genius was to place the board in the right place: The chairs were comfy, and we were near natural light, snacks and storage. It was a recipe for fighting boredom.

You can make similar memories for your family, whether you are freezing in Philadelphia or worried about the dry weather in California. The trick is to make your game table a place where players will be comfortable. This table by interior designer Jessica Helgerson has it all: upholstered seats, natural light from the living room and nearby shelves stocked with gaming options.

Perusing Houzz, you will see a lot of game tables for kids tucked into basements. As a mother, I can assure you: If it is not well lit, no one will use it. Like moths, kids gravitate toward the light. The designers at D2 Interieurs outfitted this room used for games, crafts and toys with barn-style lights right over the table. The tough tabletop material is ideal for any number of activities.

More Great Game Setups for Snowbound Days

 

Great Game Setups for Snowbound Days