One of the fun things you can do as a family is to build a snow castle together. It doesn't have to be very big (indeed, it can be on the scale of a sand castle), but the idea is to get everyone involved in a fun family winter activity. Here are some things to keep in mind as you build a snow castle as a family:

Testing the Snow
The first thing you want to do is to make sure that the snow is appropriate for building. You want to make sure that the snow adheres to itself. Try making a snow ball. It should easily hold together. If the snow is too powdery, the snowball won't hold shape.

Making a Snow Castle Plan
Whether you are making a snow castle or a snow fort, it is important to have a plan ahead of time. Make a drawing or map out in the snow what you will do. Have an idea of how large you want your snow castle, as well as the different shapes you will need -- and how many you will need. When building a snow castle, you will have to make the snow into rough brick shapes.

Building the Snow Castle
Assign different tasks, depending on the ages and abilities of the family members. Build your snow castle in stages to make sure it is done in an orderly fashion. If you are making a small snow castle, use the same buckets that your children have for playing the sand.

While building your snow castle, make sure everyone has the proper winter wear. Snow boots, warm gloves, hats and scarves are essential. When the snow castle is completed, you can have snowball fights, besieging the castle or simple go inside for fun. It can also be a fun idea to come inside the house and look online at some of the famous snow structures that have been built. Some of them are quite elaborate.

And, of course, you should warm up with hot chocolate.