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.

One of the most unique activities that you can participate in is snowshoeing. This is a fun winter family activity that can be accomplished by parents and children of a variety of ages. Indeed, snowshoeing is something that younger children can do. It has been said that if you can walk, you can snowshoe. It is a great opportunity to introduce your kids to fun outdoor winter activities. Additionally, snowshoeing can be a great forerunner to skiing. If you want to introduce your kids to skiing down the road, snowshoeing is a good start. You can even use poles to make it easier to get through the snow.

Snowshoeing can also be incorporated into sledding. Bring your sleds and use the snowshoes to help you climb the hill more easily. Then enjoy riding the sled downhill. In fact, bringing a sled is a good idea, since the kids might get tired after an hour or so. (And an hour is about right for young kids and outdoor winter activities.)

Also, it is worth noting (during these times of economic turmoil) that snowshoeing is also a relatively inexpensive. You can get pairs of snowshoes for between $100 and $300. Renting snowshoes is also inexpensive. Perhaps you should try snowshoeing as a family, and if you enjoy it, consider buying the shoes for outings down the road. Snowshoeing is often less expensive than skiing -- especially for larger families. And, of course, skiing can be difficult for the very young.

Another nice thing about snowshoeing, especially if you own your own shoes, is that you can go out near your home after a fresh snowfall. When you get snowed in, strap on the snowshoes and watch how your neighborhood becomes a different and adventure-filled place to explore. Plus, you'll be nearby so that you can go in and enjoy some hot chocolate or make some cookies when your adventure ends.

Ice candles can provide an otherworldly, magical quality to your backyard landscape. (Or put them out front as a winter time decoration at night.) You can make ice candles together as a family to enjoy each other's company and do a fun winter activity.

Making ice candles is fairly easy. All you need to do is create a holder out of ice. When you put little tea lights inside, the frozen ice distorts the light so that it looks a little different. In order to make the candle holder, you will need one tub or bucket (use an empty coffee can or a play bucket from the sand box). You will also need a tin can from canned soup or vegetables or a plastic cup.

First, place the cup or tin can inside the bucket or tub. Place rocks or weights inside the tin can or cup to hold it down. Next, being careful not to get water in the small cup or can, fill the bucket or tub with water. The water line should come to about an inch below the rim of the cup or tin can. This is the basis to form the ice candle holder.

Set the bucket outside on the porch to freeze. While you are waiting, you can play in the snow together as a family. Have a snowball fight or build a snowman. It may take overnight for the water to freeze, so go inside and have some hot cocoa and have a cozy evening.

*When the water is frozen, take out the candle holde*r. If the holder is stuck, run warm water on the outside of the bucket to loosen things up. Once you have the ice candle holder out of the bucket or tub, you can put a tea light or other small candle inside the holder. Set the holders you have outside and light the candles. Make sure everyone has hats and gloves, as well as warm coats. Watch the beautiful candles in their ice holders.

Playing in the snow is one of my favorite winter family recreation activities. Unfortunately, in the depths of winter, it isn't always easy to get outside; sometimes it's just too cold! So on days like this, it is a good idea to think of some indoor family activities that you can play.

Educational Activities and Games
Especially on a snow day, family recreation can benefit the kids when it is educational. Some of the educational and brain building things that you can do together include:

• Visualization
• Matching
• Word games (for the older children)
• Drawing games (such as Pictionary)
• Reading aloud
• Creating stories

Playing educational games can help children enjoy learning, as well as keep them sharp. My husband and I like playing Cranium games with my son on cold days, because they have active portions, as well as different activities that require different creative skills.

Getting Exercise on a Cold Day
If it is too cold to go outside and exercise, it can be done in the house. There are workout videos for children, and it can be fun to put on workout clothes and do some exercising together. You can learn to enjoy cardio, yoga and stretching together as a family. This is also beneficial, since it provides a chance to talk about health habits. You can prepare healthy snacks together afterward.

Other indoor family recreation activities that can be enjoyable, depending on your family's talents and tastes, include holding an indoor picnic in the family room, creating and performing a play, making music together and playing board and card games. All of these activities promote family togetherness and can give you a good chance to build fond memories.

There are plenty of options for indoor family recreation. There is no reason to let inclement weather keep you from having good family fun.

"I want an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle (BB gun) with a compass in the stock and a thing which tells time."

Just about everybody recognizes that Christmas wish made by Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story. The BB gun has been a traditional Christmas gift since at least Ralphie's time, and for those who are interested in a little bit of history to go along with owning a Daisy Air Rifle, why not take some time to visit the Daisy Airgun Museum in Rogers, Arkansas.

Red Ryder and Buzz Barton should bring back solid memories to some parents who grew up with their own rifles. While you can't actually find that really cool model that Ralphie would have sold his soul to own in A Christmas Story (because it never actually existed), you can see every other model that Daisy ever made. But the really impressive part of the Daisy Airgun Museum is that it goes well beyond just being a commercial showcase for the company's products.

This museum is also a history of the airgun itself. One of the most fascinating parts of the history of airguns is one that is incredibly important for kids to learn. An airgun is a gun; it's not a toy. It can do harm if handled improperly. When you take the kids to this museum, they will learn that even a powerful man like Napoleon Bonaparte recognized the dangers of putting an airgun into the wrong hands. He actually ordered anyone found with the precursor to Ralphie's 200-shot model air rifle to be put to death.

Another really cool bit of trivia that kids will love is that an astronaut used a customized air rifle to project himself through space. The Daisy Airgun Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

One of the great things about the new year is the opportunity to make resolutions and set goals for the coming year. One way you can stick to these resolutions is if you make them with someone else. Making New Year's resolutions as a family can be an excellent way to start the year. This year, consider making healthy resolutions that the whole family can work on in order to lead more healthful lifestyles.

New Year's resolution ideas for the family
One of the best ideas is to exercise as a family. You can resolve to go on walks or bike rides together two or three times a week (this also makes for great family recreation opportunities). You can also workout as a family. Working out can be a great father and son activity, as well as a bond opportunity for mothers and daughters. You can set aside money in the budget to get appropriate walking or running shoes, workout pants and other clothing so that everyone has what is needed to exercise comfortably.

Another healthy New Year's resolution is better eating habits. Set goals to eat good fruits and vegetables, as well as get appropriate amounts of dairy, carbs and protein. Talk about limiting soda and other sugary drinks and increasing goals to drink more water. Talk about limiting snacks or make resolutions to have healthy snacks, like apple slices and cheese sticks. Work together as a family to plan healthy meals and even make a goal to prepare some meals together each day of the week.

Try to keep family New Year's resolutions simple and doable. Write them down and post them prominently. Plan a time every three or four months to evaluate the resolutions and try to get back on track. Planning New Year's resolutions and keeping up on them are family recreation activities themselves. And preparing meals and going on outings together as a family can improve family togetherness while increasing the health levels of all members of the family.

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.

The La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles may not seem like the first spot in that dazzling town to settled in for a few hours of serious vacation time with the kids, but if you start with this crowd pleaser you will get the kids fired up enough to visit some places you want before ending up at Disneyland when the kids get bored on day three.

You may have heard many pop culture references to the La Brea Tar Pits in movies and TV shows, but do you know exactly what the attraction of big pits of tar really is? The location of the pits is the first thing that will strike the kids with amazement. These homes to ancient animal fossils are not located off in the distant hills of Southern California but rather smack dab in the heart of L.A. But it is those creatures that were found within the tar that will astonish and amaze the kids.

Just about every skeleton that is displayed at the La Brea Tar Pits is an authentic fossil from thousands and even millions of years ago. The one thing you won't find at the pits that many people probably think is the centerpiece is dinosaur fossils. The animals that got sucked into the pits were either mammals or birds. So while your little ones won't get the pleasure of enjoying an actual stegosaurus, there are plenty of wolves, eagles, sloths, mammoths and even a saber-tooth tiger or two.

If you kids have enjoyed the Ice Age series of movies, they will enjoy the La Brea Tar Pits. This endlessly fascinating little glimpse into ancient history surrounded by the concrete jungle of Los Angeles is like stepping back in time to the real Ice Age and bringing those creatures from the animated movies to life. And the work of the tar is not yet done. Even today, smaller critters continue to find their way into the pits and never come out. Just make sure your little ones are not put on display for future visitors.

One of the things that children love about Christmas is decorating the tree. It is possible to have a great family activity by making ornaments for the Christmas tree. It's a fun family activity that will help you create memories that will stay with your children for years to come. You can put up a small, three-foot tree -- exclusively decorated by homemade ornaments -- or you can add a few of the homemade ornaments to your main tree.

Classic Christmas Craft: Pinecone Ornaments
One of the classic homemade ornaments is the pinecone. You can get them from nature (make sure you bundle up if you go outside), or you can buy some at a craft store. (If you are at some craft stores, you can get scented pinecones as well.) You can make ornaments by putting glue on the pinecone, and then rolling it in glitter, which will stick to the pinecone. It is also possible to wind pipe cleaners around the pinecone or use sequins or spangles instead of glitter. We like to set the pinecones on branches, positioning them near lights. However, a pinecone hanger can be made with a loop of yarn.

Popsicle Stick Trees
You can make miniature Christmas trees out of popsicle sticks. Use a long stick or tongue depressor as the trunk. Next, lay additional popsicle sticks horizontally across the "trunk." As you move up the tree, cut the popsicle sticks so that they are progressively shorter -- resulting in a tree shape. Decorate the mini tree with sequins, glitter, small foam cutouts or anything else you can think of. Make a hanger using looped yarn.

Stained Glass
You can make ornaments that look like stained glass with a special kit. They are usually rather inexpensive. The kits come with plastic ornaments that can be painted with transparent colors. (Have your kids wear old T-shirts or a smock when painting.) When dry, the ornaments have the look of stained glass. They are especially attractive when hung in front of lights.

One of the things that I remember while growing up is that my siblings and I wore candy cane striped pajamas on Christmas Eve. My mom made them every year, and we enjoyed wearing them to bed, and then wearing them as we opened our presents on Christmas morning. My dad even had a pair of striped pajama bottoms that he liked to wear in honor of the occasion. Every year, we looked forward to the candy cane pajamas. It was a fun tradition that we are carrying on with my son - special Christmas pajamas. He loves them. And, besides, he looks so cute in them.

Christmas Pajamas
Having traditions is one way to build family memories and forge strong bonds between members. Having things that you do together as a family is important. Special Christmas pajamas may seem simple, but it was a lot of fun, and we have fond memories of it. How often does everyone in the family match? And starting a tradition of Christmas pajamas can be a fun way to spend a little time together.

You can get your children involved. I don't sew, but there are plenty of Christmas themed pajamas and nightgowns out there. You can go on a family shopping trip and have your children choose the patterns and material. They don't even have to match -- just as long as everyone gets Christmas pajamas. Or you can choose plain colored pajamas (red or green) and head to the craft store for appliqués, buttons, baubles and other items. Have a family night and decorate your Christmas pajamas with various items.

Create a Christmas memory book. Take pictures every year of family members opening their presents while wearing that year's Christmas pajamas. It is a fun way to preserve memories, and it will allow you to see how your family has changed and grown in their tastes.

When I was 14, my parents got permission to take me (and my siblings) out of school for a week so that we could go to Orlando, Florida on a family vacation in October. Because hardly anyone goes to Disney World in October (or Orlando on vacation for that matter), everything was relatively inexpensive: airfare, lodging (in a condo), entrance passes and car rental. Not to mention that we didn't have to wait in line for any of the rides. This experience has stayed with me for a looooong time. After all, my parents saved more than a thousand dollars on a family vacation for seven, just by choosing an odd time of year to travel.

Off-peak family vacations
The main trouble with off-peak family vacations, of course, is the fact that they often take place during the school year. It is usually possible to get a week or so off for the kids, but you will have to get the expected homework, and every day there should be time to study. We had to do homework each morning before we could head out for fun. That way, we didn't fall behind.

In addition to making sure that the kids keep up to date with their schoolwork, it is also important to realize that off-peak means different things to different destinations. You can usually get a cheap Christmas cruise to the Caribbean (although this is becoming less common as the practice becomes more popular), but try to get a cheap ski vacation at Christmas, and you are out of luck. Different hotels, airlines and destinations have differing definitions of "off-peak." This means that you need to localize your efforts and plan accordingly.

It is also important to dress for the weather. In the mountain west, it was snowing when we left in late October to head to Orlando. So we had to bring coats to the airport. But in Orlando, we wore shorts and T-shirts.

Family vacations are great opportunities to have quality time together and to build shared memories. And you can save money with off-peak family vacations.

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.

Family recreation can be both fun and beneficial to your community. Indeed, family activities that teach your children to enjoy being good members of the community are important. One of the things that you can do as a family is to do a neighborhood cleanup. This will help your children see the value of contributing to the community, and it can give you some quality time together.

Cleaning up the Neighborhood
In many neighborhoods, trash can be seen. This trash creates an unsightly mess and is a blight on the beauty of the neighborhood. By cleaning up the neighborhood as a family, you can teach your children important lessons about community involvement, being good to the environment and family togetherness.

Some tips for cleaning up the neighborhood include:

• Wear appropriate shoes and clothing for the weather. Right now, in the fall, is a great time to clean things up. Do it before the snow falls. But it may mean that a light jacket and some thin gloves are needed.

• Bring two bags: One for regular trash and one for recyclable trash. Teach your children that recycling is important, and teach them which materials go in which bag. You can sort the recyclables later.

• Everybody work together: Make sure the parents do work as well. It is your chance to set a good example, and the kids have more fun if the parents are helping.

• Consider making it a neighborhood effort: You do not have to do all the work alone. Coordinate a neighborhood cleanup party. You can get to know your neighbors as well as spend time together as a family. You can even have treats and games when you finish.

There are many opportunities to make family recreation a learning experience as well as something that is fun. When you engage in a neighborhood cleanup, the lessons you impart are lasting and so are the memories that you make!

Okay, you can't really get your kids a degree in foreign relations by visiting Denali National Park in Alaska and looking at Russia from atop Mt. McKinley, but it is still a worthwhile trip. There is probably no better spot in all of America to give your little Nintendo DS fanatics a taste of what the great American outdoors was like before kids reduced their interest in nature to when it appears on television.

Has your little one ever watched Balto or been thrilled by the fast-paced excitement of the Iditarod? What kid doesn't want to watch big husky dogs pulling a man on a sled behind them? And what about you? Did you ever have one of those Ansel Adams calendars pinned to the wall inside your kitchen? One of Ansel Adams' most famous sets of black and white photographs captured the majestic beauty of the aptly named Wonder Lake. Just the beauty of Wonder Lake will be enough to make your kids appreciate the incredible power of going on a vacation that doesn't feature roller coasters or even museums. No museum on earth can fully capture the sheer, overwhelming awe of the features on display at Denali National Park.

Denali, the most gorgeous of America's National Parks, is ideal for families that enjoy hiking, backpacking, fishing, climbing and all those things that people used to do on vacation before "virtually" enjoying a vacation became the standard. Sure, you could go down to the Country Bear Jamboree at Disney World, but wouldn't you rather show your kids what black bears and grizzlies look like before they are wiped off the face of the earth? In addition to bears, a visit to Denali National Park will probably result in encounters with caribou, moose and possibly even the elusive wolverine. Just remember, however, that wolverines in the wilderness aren't like the semi-domesticated types who play football in Michigan.