Today reading is the most important academic skill that your multiples can develop. Reading is required to do nearly everything in life from finding employment to finding your way through traffic. While reading skills are taught in school, you can enhance your multiples' ability to read by making reading a family value.

Family Reading Activities
Family reading activities are a great way to get your multiples excited about reading, as well as to reinforce the notion that your family values reading. Both of these things will help your multiples to develop a passion for the written language. Family reading activities include things like reading stories together and playing games that require reading. As your multiples learn how to read, you can take turns reading and listening.

Word/Picture Pairing
If you want to jump start your multiples' reading education, consider posting word cards under objects in your home. This is a common exercise for people trying to learn a second language, however, it works just as well when learning your first. You may want to start with basic items that your multiples use everyday like the refrigerator, doors, walls, chairs, booster seats, pictures, bookshelves and potty chairs. You can also focus your labeling activities on specific types of items such as clothing, rooms, animals, people and food.

Real World Reading Experiences
Another great activity that requires no preparation work is to simply read the signs that are already posted in the real world. You can take your multiples for a walk and read the signs that you come across such as "Stop," "Don't Walk," "Walk" and various street names. As your multiples learn to read, you can start to read more complex signs, such as those posted at historical points, landmarks and even in elevators.

Family Spelling Bees
Since spelling is a part of reading, it is important that you work spelling into your reading activities. For example, you can hold family spelling bees using your multiples' vocabulary words from school or you can make up your own list based on the words that you have been working on together. These spelling bees will help develop both spelling and reading skills as you take turns giving words to spell and spelling words.

There has been a great deal of snow falling all over the country, and this is the perfect opportunity to enjoy some family recreation time outside in the snow. Building a snowman can be a great family activity that involves all members.

Tips for Building a Snowman
The first thing you need to do is make sure that what is on the ground around your house (or in the park) is "packing snow." This is snow that holds together but is not that wet. You should test to see if the snow clumps when you gather it together. Form basic balls from the snow and add to them until they are too big to hold. You can use three balls or two.

Start with the base -- the bottom -- of the snowman. Roll your first ball around and around until it is rather large. You can take turns rolling the ball, so that everyone helps. Next, roll each successive ball so that it is smaller. (If you have older children -- teenagers -- you can have a race to see who can build a snowman the fastest or who can build the tallest snowman.) You can pack and smooth the snow so that it has the proper appearance. As you are setting one ball on top of the other make sure that you pack in some snow to hold the balls steady where the sections connect.

You can use any number of objects to decorate the snowman, including sticks, hats, carrots and rocks. The idea is to make the snowman your own with personality. Make sure you have your own warm clothing to wear outdoors, including coats, gloves, hats, boots and snow pants. Do not stay out too long, especially if it is very cold.

And of course, when you get back in the house, nothing is as delicious as a warm cup of cocoa.

In many parts of the country, the weather has remained relatively warm. This means that outdoor fall family activities are still very doable. One of my favorites is Frisbee golf. This is because it is appropriate for all ages – from toddlers to grandparents. It also allows time to talk with each other and enjoy the nice weather, since Frisbee golf does put a minimal amount of strain on you physically.

Playing Frisbee Golf
Frisbee golf is very easy to play. It is very similar to regular golf (only not as expensive). Buy a few Frisbees at the dollar store, so that you have one for each person or at least enough that only two or three people are sharing. Next, figure out a starting point. Look around and find some sort of a landmark, such as a fire hydrant, a tree or a mailbox. Decide how many throws it should take to hit the object (this is your par). However, this is not completely necessary. It is okay to simply count how many tries it takes to reach the object.

Take turns throwing your Frisbees. If the goal is a par 3, you should be able to reach the goal in three throws. Remember to throw the Frisbee lightly (there is no reason to be terribly violent about it), and do not use homes as any of your "holes." Keep track of how many tries it takes each person to reach the goal. When you decide to quit, add up the scores. As in golf, the person with the lowest score wins.

Make sure that everyone is dressed appropriately for the weather and wearing comfortable sneakers or walking shoes. Depending on the ages and health of the people in your family, you can make your course longer or shorter. Frisbee golf is great in a park, especially if you bring a picnic lunch and make a true outing of it.

One of the time honored family recreation activities in America has been Trick or Treating. This can be a fun activity for the whole family. In fact, even though I do not get candy from the neighbors (I leave that to my son), I still like to dress up in a witch costume. However, when you are Trick or Treating, it is important to keep some important safety tips in mind. You want your family activity to be safe as well as fun.

About.com offers some great Halloween Safety Tips for Trick or Treating

*Make sure your child is visible. You should have your child carry something like a flashlight or wear a glow bracelet or necklace. This makes them visible to others in the dark.

*Shoes should fit well. Sneakers may not be the coolest thing to wear with a cowboy costume, but they are the safer option. And really, the shoes are the least important part.

*Keep away from costumes that drag. If a costume is dragging on the ground, there is a chance that it will be stepped on and could cause your child to fall or contribute to other problems.

*Caution your children to walk and to avoid lawns. Keep your children's exuberance in check. Running, as well as cutting across lawns, can contribute to falling and tripping over items that may be hard to see.

*Avoid darkened houses when Trick or Treating. Not only are dark homes more likely to have hidden obstacles, they usually belong to people who do not wish to be bothered.

*Costumes should allow visibility and breathing. Make sure your child can breathe easily in the costume, as well as see properly. Also, make sure kids maintain a good temperature -- no overheating or costumes that are too thin in the cold.

*Flexible props. It is best to leave weapons at home while Trick or Treating, even if they are flexible. But if you must have that ninja sword, make sure it is flexible and does not resemble a real weapon.

Many families worry, especially with these tough economic times, about spending a great deal of money on family recreation. But family recreation is an important part of forging strong family ties. The good news is that there are plenty of great family activities available for very little cost. One of the things you can do to enjoy a variety of family activities year round is become acquainted with your local nature center.

Local Nature Centers
Many towns and cities have local nature centers. These centers are designed with the family in mind, and often offer activities for people of all ages. Nature centers offer interactive learning, as well as the ability to get out and enjoy nature as a family. Most nature centers put on programs, animal demonstrations, classes and workshops that cost very little or are completely free of charge. Sometimes, if you plan to use the nature center regularly, it is possible to buy a yearly family membership for a very reasonable price. This can allow you to take advantage of all the nature center has to offer.

Visiting the Local Nature Center
It is important to dress appropriately for the weather when visiting your local nature center. Wear hiking boots most of the year and make sure to have warm and sturdy snow boots if you go during the winter. Wear sweaters and jackets when appropriate and remember to dress comfortably during the summer months. Call ahead of time to see if some workshops and events require pre-registration. It is possible that large parties need to be pre-registered in order to be accommodated. Obtain a schedule either online or at the nature center so that you can better plan your family outings.

Family recreation can serve two great purposes; it can bring you closer as a family and also instill a love and respect for nature into your children. A nature center can provide all that is needed to accomplish both of these things - and do it at a very reasonable price.

As a child, I loved the occasions when my mother would bring me out to look at the stars. Last time we went camping, my son and I sat for a while gazing up at the stars and finding the brightly shining North Star, as well as looking at constellations like the Big Dipper and Draco (my son loves dragons.) Then it occurred to me: I could bring my son out for star gazing anytime, and we could do it with his dad. Star gazing is a great family activity, especially during momentous events like meteor showers and lunar eclipses.

Watching Meteor Showers
Even though winter is approaching, it is still possible to engage in star gazing. In fact, my next family star gazing activity will be October 21, for the Orionids meteor shower. (There are two more meteor showers beyond the Orionids and before the end of the year: the Leonids and the Geminids.) Since it will be cold, I'll be sure to bundle my son in a warm winter coat, and we will all wear scarves, hats and thick socks with our shoes. I plan to have hot chocolate and cider ready for when we go in. We are lucky enough to live far enough out that we can sit on our front lawn.

Other Tips for Family Star Gazing
It is also possible to go star gazing on an "ordinary" night. Beforehand, learn about stars as a family. It is possible to find star charts online, as well as buy astronomy books that can give information about the locations of constellations, galaxies and planets. If you think you will use it, consider buying a telescope that you can use as family to zoom in on various celestial features. Another great idea is to learn about other cultures and remember the constellations by reading about the legends and myths that surround them.

Star gazing can make for great family recreation, as well as a valuable educational experience.