Finding family time

Life is so full-on these days that finding family time can all too easily slip down the list of things to do

There's no substitute for spending the odd half-hour of quality time together, though - it's just a case of finding activities you all enjoy and booking some time on the family calendar.

Try to make it a regular date - not necessarily on the same day at the same time, but a weekly event nonetheless.

If life without the TV or PC on seems like a long-ago memory, make this the time to bring it back, albeit temporarily. It needn't mean sitting in a quietened room with just a clock ticking for entertainment, but it will mean you can chat without the usual visual distractions of the computer or the background chat of the telly.

Indeed, with Nintendo's Wii console now becoming de rigeur in thousands of households up and down the country, more and more families are realising that you can combine fun and physical activity with an interactive, family slant, with games such as Wii Fit and the new Wii Fit Plus.

Low-level music is fine as accompaniment to your family time: maybe you could take it turns to play your iPods or choose a radio channel. Now all you've got to do is decide on the focus of your time together. Here are some ideas to try.

Call a board meeting!

Why not bring out your old board games and introduce them to the next generation? If you no longer have any stashed away, the classics are still available - and with junior versions of many games available, there's something for all ages.

Remember Cluedo, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Yahtzee and Pictionary, or the good old-fashioned card games Rummy, Cheat! and Uno?

Get the family together to play Wii Fit Plus

Gaming doesn't need to be a sedentary pastime. The new Wii Fit Plus offers 50 per cent more content and 60 plus exercises - ideal for the family to have some fun together and lead a healthier lifestyle!

It allows a group of up to eight people to compete against each other in a selection of games. There is even the option to create profiles for your babies and pets, making it a truly family experience!