It is always interesting to look at different kinds of families. No two families are exactly alike, but one goal every family should have is being healthy. Here are 5 activities to help you have a more healthy family.

• Sports. You do not have to do extreme sports to be healthy. Swimming and riding a bicycle are 2 great sports you can do as a family that are fun and do not have to be competitive or too strenuous. Another easy thing is to take a walk together. Older kids may opt out of this, but the younger ones will love it and so will the dog. Walking is probably the easiest sporting family activity you can do and get the best results from.
• Games. Sitting around together and playing board games is a great way to promote family health. This is a great time to bond together and create a real sense of family well-being and you can add to the fun with healthy snacks. If you have a competitive family, teach sportsmanship, congratulate the winner, but be a graceful loser. Competition can be good if you do it right, even Bill Gates of Microsoft said they played games on a Sunday afternoon as a family and winning mattered.
• Don’t forget outdoor games as well. Croquet, badminton, golf, putt-putt, ball tag, or just about anything that you can physically do as a family is a great way to stay healthy together.
• Travel together. Whenever possible include the family in travel activities. This might be a day trip to the mountains or a lake. Fishing, skiing, hiking, and sight-seeing are great ways to build a healthy family. Getting away from the day to day routines, everyone is in, is a healthy thing to do.
• You are what you eat. That is a corny thing to say, but it is true when it comes to family health. Everyone is so busy and the family meal has become a lost art form, so see if you can try and sit down together for a healthy meal, 2 or 3 times a week. If you are lucky enough to all be home at the same time try and do it more often, really concentrate on having a healthy enjoyable meal and let the kids take turn choosing what you will serve.

It seems in these days and times, everyone leads such a hectic lifestyle but that is no excuse for not working everyday at having a healthy family. It can be done; you just need to make a conscious effort to do it.