When we were growing up my mother didn’t want us playing on the couch because it was made out of leather and we would leave a mark. My sister and I would stop for a while but then start jumping on the couch again. Also when we were watching television we didn’t like to sit on the sofas but instead we would just lay down on the floor which would drive my mom crazy because she said we would get sick, since the floor didn’t have an carpet. Thus our neighbor told my mom about bean bags. The neighbor had one that she didn’t use anymore thus she lent it to my mom. My mom fell in love with it.
She was able to use it as an extra chair anywhere, and she could leave on the living room for us to jump on it and then move it to the television room where me and my brother could use it to sit on the floor. We could do with them whatever we wanted because that is what they are made for. They are made to be use as something you may not want to display when you have important company but to be use as something you use to lay on to take a nap, watch television, play monopoly. If you just want to relax and be comfortable then a bean bag is for you.
They come in different colors thus for example my mother got brown ones to put on the living room so they match the couches on that room, but then she got pink for my room and blue for the television room. Some Bean Bags also can have the back a little harder so that way you can have more stability when sitting on it.
If you haven’t heard of cornhole, you probably haven’t been to the mid west in awhile. The game is also known as bean bag toss and has been growing like wildfire in the mid west and beyond. Not only does it have two national organizations, but also a movie in the works and front page stories on Wall Street Journal. The game keeps growing as more and more tournaments are hosted each year. Most recently, a large tournament was held at Soldiers Field in Chicago. But what is this game all about?
Quite simply, cornhole involves 8 bags (4 per team) and 2 cornhole boards. Teams pair up in teams of two and then take turns tossing their bags at the opposing cornhole board. The game is simple to play, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. You know that by the hundreds of people you see lining the sidewalks of Chicago every weekend as they squeeze a few games in. Young and old line the streets as they play “Bags” (as it’s known in Chicago) and enjoy the nice summer weather. With a drink in hand of course!
So what is the real reason for the growth? Well, it probably has to do with the fact that there hasn’t been a true leisure summer activity to come along in awhile. Most games are either tiring (volleyball) or they tear up your lawn (horseshoes). Cornhole levels the playing field and brings everyone together in doing so.
With the growth in cornhole recently, there have been many community sites that have sprung up where players meet and discuss game topics. And with more players, there are more organizations that are organizing tournaments for charity or just for fun. A lot of bars in the mid-west are finding that putting out a cornhole set in their beer garden is a wonderful way to get customers into the door.
So pay attention, and if one summer evening you hear 8 consecutive thumping noises followed by a 15 second delay, cornhole might have arrived in your city.