When the freezing weather arrives and the skies start pouring down, I don’t feel as motivated to leave the house and go to the park with the little ones as I would if the weather was sunny and warm. It feels so much more comfortable to stay in and enjoy feeling cosy with our fireplace on. Plus, don’t really want the kids or us to catch a cold. Even less now, during these strange covid times.
So, what do we do while we are at home? That is the question. The easy thing to do would be snuggling on the couch while watching our favourite films (and sometimes we do that too!). However, we can’t say no to a good family game – board game, table game, anything and everything that will get us using our bodies, brains and some healthy competition.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) clinical report, “Research shows play can improve children’s abilities to plan, organize, get along with others, and regulate emotions. In addition, play helps with language, math and social skills, and even helps children cope with stress.” Whether you are looking for new games to play with your loved ones or are simply curious about some of my favourite ones, let’s get to it!
This includes snooker, pool and billiards. I’ve always loved playing American Pool with my close friends whilst I was growing up and I continued to play it all throughout my adulthood and now parenthood. I’ve taught my young ones how to play it and it has become a tradition in our home to play a game or two on Sunday afternoons.
If you don’t have a snooker table but have always dreamt of having one, Hamilton Billiards craft and restore snooker tables. Their expert craftsmen can create a variety of bespoke tables to meet any style and design criteria that you might have. As members of the Guild Master Craftsmen, Hamilton Billiards provide only the highest quality of workmanship and deliver excellent customer service.
Don’t have space for a full-size snooker table? Don’t let that stop you. At Hamilton Billiards, their craftsmen also create snooker dining tables. These act as snooker tables and dining tables all-in-one. So, pop one of these in your dining room and, after a meal, all you have to do is remove the top and then it’s time for a game of snooker. Sounds great, doesn’t it? I might be a bit biased on this one, so don’t just take this from me.
Twin Mummy and Daddy also share their love for snooker in a recent blog post and comment that playing the sport comes with a lot of benefits, saying “Playing cue sports will help build focus, improve concentration, increase hand-and-eye coordination, and improve other skills that both adults and kids need, including improving cognitive skills, problem solving skills and thinking creatively.”
“There are board games for any situation, for any taste, for any age.” says Suburban Mum, and I couldn’t agree more. Board games are some of the most versatile games to play with family, friends… heck, anyone! You most likely know of classic board games, such as Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit, but make sure to venture out and try different board games. You won’t regret it!