While many would view the humble picnic table as just another piece of useful outdoor furniture, few understand the true power it possesses to transform space and the attitudes of those who use it. While that may sound like a grandiose purpose for a simple piece of lawn furniture, picnic tables can anchor behavioral change in people who find them in their environments. Much as an underwater structure becomes the foundation for a reef teeming with life, so too can the picnic table, umbrella, or bench become a waypoint in building a better a stronger community and shaping human habits.
How has the picnic table harnessed such power to change the human landscape? After all, it’s just a simple piece of furniture. How can it have such a profound impact on the communities we call home? Keep reading to learn more about the true power of a simple picnic table with umbrella.
Picnic Tables Are Practical
First off, a picnic table in an outdoor area serves the practical purpose of giving people a place to break bread, enjoy a brief respite from work or class, or simply sit for a moment. These practical purposes primarily drive the popularity of picnic tables, as they can be found in parks, schoolyards, office premises, hospitals, and around community attractions. Simply put, people need a place to pause whether it’s for a meal or simply to gather their thoughts. Picnic tables provide an affordable, simple way of providing a tool for that purpose.
Picnic Tables Are Decorative
Picnic tables may appear mundane, but they can become fanciful pieces of art that draw people in and make a statement about the community that placed them. While many are institutional in appearance, they are infinitely customizable and can be used as a vehicle for expressing community mores and traditions.
Picnic Tables Bring People Outdoors
Multiple studies have indicated that the human mind needs to be regularly immersed in the fresh air and open spaces of the outdoors. Picnic tables provide a venue for drawing people into green spaces where they can recharge and rejuvenate themselves in a natural environment. That can lead to increased productivity for employees and enhanced success rates for students in schools. The more time people spend outside, the happier and more focused they will be.
Picnic Tables Create Community
Strategic positioning of picnic tables at businesses, in public spaces, and on institutional campuses can even help create a sense of community among those who frequent those areas. Picnic tables provide a catalyst for drawing people together in a common space. There, people can observe one another, interact, and create a familiarity that breeds a greater sense of inclusiveness and community. Just the simple feeling of joining in an activity with other people can increase feelings of belonging among members of a community.
Picnic Tables Unite People
Picnic tables even take the sense of community a step further by providing excellent opportunities for interaction and individual exchanges. When picnic tables are present, people will undoubtedly share table space. In doing so, they are more likely to talk with one another and develop relationships that can lead to increased cultural understanding, tolerance of diversity, and inclusiveness. Friendships form and diversity flourishes. Just the act of interaction with other members of one’s community can open the mind and break down the walls of division. Through mutual understanding and acceptance, the dialogue that develops around community picnic tables can have a powerful transformative effect on a population.
If you’ve ever thought of picnic tables only as utilitarian furnishings, the community dynamics initiated by picnic tables may change your mind about their importance in public spaces. To learn more about the true power of the picnic table, contact Outdoor School Furniture at (888) 719-3330.
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