Indoor Versions of Outdoor Games

The leaves are turning and the mercury isn't climbing quite as high as it used to. Soon shooting hoops in the driveway or going out for a deep pass just won't be in the cards anymore. So what are you supposed to do when you still want to play your favorite games but the weather just won't cooperate? Play indoor versions of them of course.

There are a number of variations on your favorite outdoor games changed to be played indoors where the climate is controlled but the space is limited. Sometimes the games are only slightly changed, making accommodations for the space limitations. Other times the game bears only enough of a passing semblance so that it can carry the name without people scratching their heads. Here are a couple of each.

Slightly Changedr
Indoor basketball games keep the basic principal of the game in tact: get the ball through the net. Now it's true that things like passing, dribbling, and, to a certain extent, the slam dunk are no longer a part of the game once it's moved indoors, but if you're looking to work on your short jumps shot it's really your best option when the weather is poor.

Table tennis keeps most of the rules from traditional tennis in place and at the highest levels can even include the running back and forth with the "court". While a doubles game is certainly possible, the limited space to play the game makes the logistics of four people playing at once more challenging.

Using the Namer
Foosball, or table soccer if your prefer that name, does its best to have the appearance of an indoor version of soccer. However, whereas indoor basketball and table tennis still require you to move to play them, foosball only makes you spin a handle to turn the tiny little plastic men that hit the "soccer ball".

Much like foosball, air hockey tries to create the semblance of a regulation hockey rink, adding the same on-ice marks and even using a scoreboard similar to what you'd find at an arena where hockey is played, but the one on one nature of the indoor version of the games means that it's little more than living off the name. There's not even any checking. That being said, it's still a lot of fun to play.

Don't Forget to Have Funr
Whether you're working on your jump shot or spinning little men to wine a game of foosball, the most important thing is to have fun and to make sure you've got friends and family playing with you. Oh, and to stay warm – hypothermia is not fun.