7 fun winter activities your family will love

Winter is coming and with it are opportunities to enjoy some good winter fun with the family. Here are seven ideas to get your engines running.

Take your family on a mushing trip they will not soon forget.

• Dogs, adventure and terrific winter scenery; what more do you need?
• Whether you like to rough it or rest easy in a lodge at the end of the day, you will find the company you need.

If you want to warm up, do a winter-themed science project with the kids.

• Mix a little boric acid in alcohol and make sure the acid dissolves.
• Douse a pine cone in this solution.
• Wait until it dries, put some cinnamon on top and burn it.
• Watch the colours dance in front of your eyes.

It may be a bit yawn-inducing to watch at the Winter Olympics, but actually playing the games can be enjoyable. This is especially true if your family is already familiar with playing shuffleboard.

Biking in snow is possible as long as you have a fat bike. These are bikes with specially designed wheels that are much wider than conventional bicycles to be able to ride better in softer conditions.

• If you are complete novices, you may want to take a lesson or two from a professional company in your area.

If heights and speed pose no problems for your intrepid family, winter zip-lining is the way to go. It is a wonderful way to experience the winter wonderland below. Classes are available starting with beginners and children older than seven.

One of the fastest growing winter sports around, skijoring requires one or two dogs, cross-country skiing equipment, a harness, skijoring belt and towline. Essentially you are water skiing in snow. This is another activity the whole family can enjoy.

All you need for these frozen ornaments are pieces of yarn, water, pie pans and baking tins of different sizes, natural materials like berries, shells and flowers and a freezer.

• You fill the pans with the water and the desired natural materials and line them with the yarn all around. L
• eave a string of yarn in the water for hanging later.
• Lay the mixture flat in the freezer until it is completely frozen.
• When is it frozen, warm bottom of tin with water, and take out the ornaments.

The long and cold winter doesn't have to be without fun and games. Take a little time to think outside the box and enjoy all of the activities the winter has to offer.