Winter can be hard work for families. Children get bored stuck inside, unable to let off steam. They will likely take out their frustrations on each other and the parents. After a few days, let alone weeks, of the Christmas holidays, nerves and tempers can become very strained. It is also hard to find activities for you and your children to exercise, and stay fit and healthy.

If you know where to look though, there are loads of great solutions out there to alleviate the boredom, get some fantastic exercise, and have lots of fun at the same time.

It’s brilliant if the parents and children can do these activities together; bonding as a family unit is important of course, but statistics have shown that parents participating in exercise and sport make it much more likely that the children will continue in this vein in later life.

To get things going, get outside as soon as there is some decent snowfall and go tobogganing together. It’s incredibly good exercise and a real laugh too. More than likely, you’ll combine it with a snowball fight, building igloos and snowmen too. And don’t forget making a snow angel; lie on the snow on your back and wave your arms up and down to make the wings.

For the more adventurous, there are lots of online resources to explain how to make an ice-rink in your backyard for ice hockey and skating.

In the snow, or on a wet day, find a muddy park or field, and find as many animal tracks as you can and try to identify them. You can also track each other in a game of hide-and-seek. Even simpler, get your young ones out after rain and just splash around in puddles. As soon as your child has learned to walk, they’ll love it.

There is also a large range of actual fitness equipment suitable for children so you can exercise whatever the weather, perhaps alongside you in your home gym. Everything from kid’s electric treadmills to junior cross trainers to mini exercise bike options.

On a more traditional note, a trampoline for indoors if you have space will keep your children occupied for hours. For something a little different, pick up a dance pad or mat; this is linked to a video game, you stand on the mat and follow the game directions, jumping from panel to panel on the mat in time with the music.

Games you classically associate with the summer are just as fun in the winter, and keep you warm too. Football, soccer, catch ball, Frisbee and kite flying all work brilliantly.

If the weather is just too awful to venture out, why not set up a play-zone indoors. Get rid of breakables, put lots of cushions and blankets and duvets down, and let the children, and parents, go for it. Climbing, jumping, wrestling, pillow fights, making dens and destroying them, whatever takes your fancy.

From classic outdoor fun to the latest exercise based video games, there is plenty to keep you going right through the winter months.

Click here for some fabulous Valentine craft ideas!

The following post was submitted by Maria R, one of our readers who sent her daughter to the Olympics in Vancouver.

Our daughter is currently 13, almost 14, and we decided about a year ago that we might just try to get her out to Vancouver to experience just a bit of the winter Olympics. She has an aunt, my sister, who is VERY into ice skating. Lori, my sister, had been getting my daughter somewhat interested as well.

So, about a year ago, I began to look into the possibility of sending the two of them out to Vancouver to take in one of the skating events. It turned out to be a fairly significant challenge to make it all come together, but very well worth it! I first had to make sure that the two of them were actually interested in the idea at all. They most definitely were. Then, I just had to wait for the tickets to go on sale. I think it was in about June of 2009. This part was tricky, because we really could not afford to send them to more than one event, and for me to pick their event was tough. I tried to purchase tickets for one event, but by the time I got a hold of Lori to confirm she would be interested in that event, it was sold out. After that, I just picked one, and made the purchase. It was an ice dancing event, and they were getting the absolute cheapest tickets available, which still came to about $200 each.

Then, it was on to transportation. Both of them are timid fliers, but 1500 miles or so would simply take too long by car or train. Our daughter would already be missing several days of school as it was. So, I booked flights. Then, we worked out transportation from Seattle up to Vancouver with a relative who lives fairly close by out there.

So, when the Olympics finally arrived, we sent the two of them off to experience the spectacle of the 21st Winter Olypmiad! They were both a bit nervous, but everything went just as smoothly as could be. They had a fantastic time, and really got to experience a bit of the world for a short time. I had bought several pins for them to try to trade with people out there, which they did. They ran into a group of people from China, and got a very nice pin from them.

They also met people from Israel, the Netherlands, Canada (of course), and more! It really was a once in a lifetime opportunity to get them there, and actually be able to say they have gone to the Olympics! I do believe that this was just about the perfect age to send a child to something as significant as this, as long as he or she can travel with at least one very trusted person. It was a lot of work, and rather expensive, but I do not regret it one bit…and neither does my daughter!

Here is the official site for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, which will be held from February 12-28, 2010.

Get into the spirit early by submitting a photo for their Countdown to the Winter Games. Your photo must be taken in Canada, at an outdoors or sports-focused setting and have one or more persons in the foreground.

They also created a portal called Edu, which is an interactive e-magazine which will enable you and your family to learn more about the 2010 winter games, the Olympic and Paralympics, and programs in sport, culture and sustainability.

Here’s a list of the sports you’ll see at the Winter Olympic Games:

Alpine Skiing
Biathlon
Bobsleigh
Cross-Country Skiing
Curling
Figure Skating
Freestyle Skiing
Ice Hockey
Ice Sledge Hockey
Luge
Nordic Combined
Short Track Speed Skating
Skeleton
Ski Jumping
Snowboard
Speed Skating
Wheelchair Curling