Though a parent's day is fraught with challenges, one of the hardest parts of any day is finding the time to accomplish your "must-do" tasks. Making dinner is often something mothers complain about, because by the time dinner time rolls around the kids are getting tired, hungry, and dad isn't quite home yet to help out. Rather than plop your kids in front of the television or computer, finding ways to involve your kids in the dinnertime routine benefits everyone in the family.

Plan Ahead
Don't leave the defrosting or the meal selection until 6 p.m. During breakfast or the car ride to school, talk to your kids about what you could have for dinner. Get everything you need ready in the morning, if possible, and make a list of things you might need to buy at the store or prepare ahead of time. Letting your children get involved in the meal planning and preparation can help mealtimes become less stressful for everyone.

Divide up the Responsibilities
Young children can't chop the veggies or use the food processor, but they could easily be taught how to set the table or fetch items for mommy from the refrigerator. Older children can make the salad, while younger children can help get the crescent rolls ready for baking. Give everyone a job for dinner, every night.

Set up a Second Kitchen
If your children are interested in cooking themselves, consider investing in a wooden kitchen accessory kit all of their own. Young children can set up their own kitchen and pretend to cook right alongside mommy or daddy. They'll be occupied, within your sights and entertained without the use of television or video games.

Rather than plop your kids in front of the TV or computer, consider finding ways to involve them in the dinnertime routine. Not only will you get to spend some quality time with your kids, but you'll teach them the importance of helping around the house.

There are a number of delicious treats that you can make with your children for Holidays . And while you can't take homemade treats to school anymore, it is possible for you to make treats for neighbors and friends. Baking is a great family recreation activity. It creates memories and encourages family bonding, teaches children a valuable skill and can be educational in terms of math and reading practice. Here is an easy, tasty recipe that you can easily do with your children:

Chocolate Caramel Bites
These treats are simple to make and good to eat. You need:
60 pretzels (square works very well)
Unwrapped Rolo candies
M&M candies (plain milk chocolate -- in the respective Holiday colors)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Get out a baking sheet or baking dish and lay the pretzels inside, along the bottom. You can line the bottom with foil in order to minimize any possible mess. Put one Rolo candy on top of each pretzel. (Have the kids count them as you go.) Next, place the baking sheet in the oven and heat for three or four minutes, until the Rolos start to soften and spread their shapes. Bring out the baking sheet and carefully place one M&M in the center of the melted Rolo.

Let the candies set. This can take an hour at room temperature or 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Leave the candies on the banking sheet during this time. Remove the candies from the baking sheet when they are set and put them in a sealed container. You can also use festively colored cellophane bags tied with ribbon and pass them out to friends and family with cards made from construction paper. (The cards can be made while you are waiting for the candies to set.)

This treat can be made for Easter, the 4th of July, Valentine's Day, Halloween or Christmas. Simply buy the M&M candies in their special holiday packages.

There are a number of fun family activities associated with holidays. One of the holidays that can be especially for kids (and parents) is Valentine's Day. It's a great time to teach your children about giving heartfelt messages -- no expensive gifts required. One of my favorite Valentine's Day crafts is the melted crayon heart. The heart can be given as a gift, or it can be taped to paper or cardstock to make a homemade Valentine card.

Making a Valentine's Day Crayon Heart
First of all, you will need the following items to make the melted crayon heart:

• Pieces from crayons (old and broken crayons are great for this), with the paper wrappers removed.
• Muffin tin with heart shapes (you can find these at most baking stores -- especially in February).

If you plan to mount the crayon heart in order to make a Valentine card, you will need these additional items:

• Heavy construction paper or card stock.
• Mounting foam available at most craft stores or art supply shops (double sided -- regular tape will not be strong enough).
• Scissors
• Markers

The first thing to do is heat the oven to 250 degrees. While the oven is warming up, send your kids in search of crayon pieces. Put the crayon pieces in the heart shaped muffin tin molds. It takes between 10 and 15 minutes for the pieces to melt into fun, swirled hearts. A cookie sheet placed under the muffin tin can catch overflow.

Let the crayon hearts cool. While this is happening, I like to increase the temperature in the oven and make sugar cookies with my son. When we're ready to bake the cookies, the melted hearts have usually cooled so that we can take them out of the molds.

If you plan to make cards with the melted crayon hearts, take the heavy paper and cut out large shapes (circles, squares -- or even larger hearts). Use the mounting foam to stick the crayon hearts to the heavy paper and use the markers to write a message and decorate to your heart's desire.

The decision to cut out or cut back on television and video games for young children might not be an easy one for your family to make. When screen time plays a big role in your family time, eliminating it can leave both children and their parents wondering what to do to fill the void. Making TV time and video game time family fun time, however, benefits your children and your family in more ways than you may realize.

Family fun time doesn't have to be a chore. Instead, make family fun time the time for your family to engage in something you enjoy. Select a game or a puzzle that everyone can enjoy. Play the family favorite Monopoly with a twist; Zappos Monopoly includes favorite Zappos brands that teenagers will recognize and adults will appreciate. Or if you have a house filled with little ones, consider purchasing a Melissa and Doug alphabet puzzle. Not only will you be spending time interacting with your children, but there's an educational component as well. Family fun time with puzzles and games is a great alternative to screen time.

If a family fun afternoon or evening with games and puzzles isn't your style, consider getting everyone in your house motivated and going outdoors. Enjoy the fresh air, go for a walk, take the little kids to the playground or consider a bike ride or a low-impact hike. Be sure to purchase comfortable and well fitting shoes for your children before you head out; consider New Balance Kids as one option to get you started with the youngest of children.

Whatever you do, you won't regret turning off the box and doing something with your children. Whether you decide to get outside and go for a walk or grab a board game and see who's got what it takes, spending time interacting with your children without television and video games can benefit everyone.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

I love to swim. And my love of swimming came at an early age, when my family went swimming together. Of course, it was mostly on family vacations when we made sure to go to the hotel pool, but it instilled in me a love for swimming. And it is a love I pass on to my own son. We try to go once a week, even in cold weather, since the wonder of modern convenience means indoor swimming is a possibility.

Start Swimming at a Young Age

It is best to start your children swimming at a young age. In fact, babies often feel an affinity to the water, since it resembles conditions in the womb. Get a swimsuit that fits, and bring your children to the pool often. My sister's kids have been visiting the pool since they were 6 months old. This allows children to grow up accustomed to the water. When they take swim lessons later, they will feel more comfortable and be more open to the experience.

Creating Happy Memories

Swim as a family. Children love doing things with mom and dad. When you both come to the pool -- and get in the water -- it makes the whole process more pleasurable. Additionally, it can be an inexpensive way to enjoy some family recreation. Check with your local pool. Most pools have a "family night" that comes with a discount for the whole family.

During the summer months, it can be fun to take your family swimming recreation to the ocean, a nearby lake or an outdoor water park. I've found that at the lake, no boat is necessary. Just take the kids swimming, set up towels on the beach and spend some time in the water. They will love it. For the outdoor water park, pack a picnic lunch and plan to make a day of it.

Swimming, whether indoors or in the open air, can be a great family recreation activity.