Once upon a time, the trend of hanging around with the family for at least one evening a week, playing games, was commonplace. But as we moved into a high-tech, fast-paced world, a lot of family members lost touch, always dashing around, in search of the next 'in' thing. As a matter of fact, when you mention playing games to a lot of kids today, the only thing they can imagine is setting up a video game and sitting down in front of the TV. Finally, it seems like the universe is righting itself, taking the family back to a more traditional time, gathering around the wood console table that doubled as a gaming table.

The way you can tell the tradition is coming back around is to notice the number of wood console tables that are coming onto the market as a gaming solution. Some of the wood console tables have drawers that are specifically designed to hold the pieces for various games, and have slots that will hold your average board game. Other gaming wood console tables have table tops that are already a game board, offering checkers, chess, backgammon or a number of other games. The best game wood console tables for a family that likes variety are the ones that allow you to switch out one gaming top for another, so you can play a number of games on the same surface.

If you are worried about the effect on your d'cor of some plain wood gaming table, think again. Many of the wood console tables that are hitting the market with gaming options are for those with more discerning taste. Some of them have game board insets made of leather, with beautifully carved marble playing pieces. Others make sure that all the game pieces can be hidden away in carved drawers with ornate handles, so when you're not playing a game, no one will know the table is really a play surface.

If you have a family that doesn't always meet in the same room, you may not want to have to carry the wood console table from room to room to keep up with the mobile family unit. This is where a rolling table may come in handy. Some of the gaming tables on the market have casters, so they can be scooted around to a location that is the best for those getting ready for the game. You may also want to look for models with locking casters, so an inadvertent tap of a foot doesn't send the whole game for a ride.

It doesn't take much to get your family prepared for a setting that takes them back in time, and puts them in each others company. The concept may be foreign at first, and even cause for some stress as the kids try to fathom how you can play a game without a joystick and a television, but the results will be a family that is closer over time.