Winter is a wonderful season for outdoor fun—just ask my three young snow-loving kids. In fact, there are so many fantastic skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing resorts near New York City, it's difficult to choose.

But since I'm also a mom to a teenager with special needs who isn't into winter sports, that makes our decision all the more challenging. He is both physically and cognitively disabled, and the thought of struggling onto lifts, into gear, up hills and through crowds doesn't appeal to him—not to mention the possibility of wiping out. So my family needs a resort that's able to accommodate children of all ages as well as abilities.

Happily, there are some amazing adaptive winter sports programs at resorts within a few hours of NYC, and some are low cost or even FREE. Here are five ski programs for special needs families.

Is it just me, or has this winter brought more snow and more cold than usual?  Even this hearty New Englander can't think back to a more active winter.  Perhaps the weather seems a bit more magnified since we recently moved from the usually balmy shoreline to the base of the Litchfield Hills, but it seems mother nature is having her way with us this chilly season.  Perhaps she'll relent with a delightful spring and reasonably warm summer.  A Momma can dream, right?

This cold weather makes planning a birthday party for active, cabin feverish, snowbound kiddos challenging.  But, winter birthday celebrations need not be quiet, restful events, or even indoors.  We've come up with a few unique ideas for you to plan a winter birthday party to be remembered! Our Birthday Party Guide has even more fun options for you to consider.

So far during our month-long focus on New Rochelle, we've rounded up the top things to do and great places to play. For our final post on New Rochelle this month, we're taking a look at family-friendly eateries around the city. New Rochelle has lots of dining options and a wide variety of cuisine including choices from vegan to southern comfort and everything in between. Read on for our top picks for dining in New Rochelle with kids.

February kicks off with a bang, literally, with the firecracker-filled Lunar New Year Parade in Chinatown, one of our picks for the best things to do with kids in NYC this month. Even though it's the shortest month, we still found plenty of awesome fun for families in February, including cool events for the upcoming midwinter break and the annual BAMkids Film Festival.

For the first time ever, Super Bowl Sunday and Groundhog Day will coincide, and I admit, my family is way more interested in whether Staten Island Chuck sees his shadow than who wins the big game. Regardless of the rodent's weather prediction, we suspect that winter isn't going to end anytime soon. The upside: We see more sledding, skiing and snow tubing in our future.

If you need a fantasy escape from the polar vortex, check out our post about Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas on our Travel site. Just clicking through all the sunny photos should give you a blast of warmth, and perhaps inspire your next vacation. Looking for fun closer to home? Enter to win four tickets to family dance party Baby Loves Disco—there's even a special Valentine's Day edition coming up.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This weekend, two shows featuring Little Red Riding Hood hit the stage. Head to Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre and see what happens when Little Red gets mixed up with Porquoi pig. At the Bayway Arts Center, go back in time to the 1950’s and watch as Little Red is wooed by three princes. Feeling more artsy? Create a festive Mardi Gras mask at Not Just Art, or get to know artist Peter Max up close and personal at the Nassau County Museum of Art. For budding Super Bowl fans, head to the Sid Jacobson JCC for a day filled with sports. In the mood for some live music? Juvenile Hazard, a band comprised of elementary school students, rocks on at The Dolphin Bookshop. As always, check our events calendar every day for activities for the family.

Let’s hope the Groundhog doesn’t see his shadow this year so we can get through this cold as quickly as possible. To help celebrate the Groundhog this weekend, there are plenty of events around Westchester. And don't forget to enter to win FREE tickets to the Royal Hanneford Circus!

This weekend, check out the festivities at Almost Groundhog Day at the Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers, It’s Groundhog Day in Cross River, and Groundhog Day at Westmoreland Sanctuary.

Celebrate the Chinese New Year at Westchester Community College with an afternoon of Chinese cuisine, face painting, traditional Chinese kids’ games, performances, and more. For craft lovers, make a crafty Valentine’s Day bag at Michael’s in Hartsdale or your own Clay Valentine in Yonkers. Visit The Katonah Museum of Art and learn to stretch your body and your imagination as you learn yoga poses and listen to stories.

Read on for our top weekend picks. If you see something that piques your interest, click through to the event listing to view full details. Looking for more options? Be sure to check our Event Calendar for more fun happening this weekend and beyond.