When the weather turns nasty, family time increasingly focuses on indoor activities. As you are considering various ways to have some family fun, don’t forget about throwing darts. Darts is a great activity because the equipment is cheap, great skill is not necessary and it can be competitive while being less prone to violence (though darts can be hazardous when used as a weapon). All you need are darts, a board and enough throwing space. Believe it or not, there are standard measurements for both the height of the board (5 feet 8 inches from the center of the board to the floor) and the distance for throwing (7 feet 9 1/4 inches from the wall to the toe line for throwing). On the other hand, does it really matter? It is usually a good idea to set up the board on a wall in an area where small holes in the surrounding surfaces won’t be a problem. You might even spring for a piece of plywood placed behind the board to catch errant darts flung by less skilled competitors. (There are also magnetic dart sets and boards for plastic pointed darts available that are less dangerous and less destructive.) After setting up basic safety rules (e.g., stand behind the current dart thrower, no throwing or acting like you are going to throw a dart at living being, etc.) and grabbing a pad and a pencil to keep score, you are all set. (Or, if you want to go pro, there is lots to learn about technique from sites run by serious dart aficionados.) Sometimes the simple pleasures are the best. Happy Darting!
