While there are a few vestiges of warm weather left to us it's the perfect time to enjoy those last few games of basketball, football, soccer, and all of the fun outdoor cookout and tailgating games you enjoy. That being said, winter is coming.
With the impending drop in temperature, it's a good idea to start planning ahead for ways to keep yourself and your family entertained when the weather outside is frightful so here are some popular ways to have fun in the comfort of your own home.
Board Games
The great thing about board games is that there's a wide range of games for every age group and playing style. They can even sneak in some educational value to unsuspecting kids. Monopoly is a great way for the little Donald Trump in your family to brush up on both their math skills and their ruthlessness.
If you're looking to instill a little hand-eye coordination, games like Jenga can be played with as few as two people and still be fun, if not endlessly humiliating when you get beaten by a six year old with much smaller hands than you.
Video Games
I know, it's practically a sin to suggest children play video games as opposed to going outside and getting some exercise, but remember that these suggestions are for when the weather doesn't allow for outdoor fun. Besides, there are video game options that are fun for the whole family.
All three of the major game systems, Xbox 360, Wii, and PlayStation 3, now offer at least the option for motion capture, play that translates your movements either as a whole or through a controller into action in the game. All three systems have a number of party-style games that make use of this technology while encouraging group play, and some of them can be quite physically intense, causing the players to work up a sweat, perfect for getting some exercise when it's too cold to be outside running around.
Card Games
There are hundreds of games you can play with just a standard deck of cards, never mind whatever games you come up with on your own with that same deck. When you add in all of the specialty games with their own decks of cards it's easy to see how losing a rainy day to playing cards with your friends and family could happen.
Sports Games
There are some "indoor sports" games that you can play as well, with options being available for a wide range of budgets, age groups, and ability.
A billiards table is the perfect indoor game for the household with a game room reminiscent of a bar or pub. Adding a dartboard to the equation just completes the ensemble and offers up another game that can be played when there is already a game being played on the table.
Games like air hockey, ping pong, and Foosball are good for a younger crowd and can support numerous players, even at the same time. They also lack sharp objects like a dart board meaning that they're safer for those with smaller children that might want to play, but that shouldn't be allowed to handle something like a dart.
Have Fun
No matter what entertainment you choose to occupy yourself during the cold months ahead, be sure to enjoy it with friends and family, because it's honestly just not as much fun to play alone when you could be playing with somebody else.
