A simple concept but one that always goes down a treat. There is nothing like a family picnic to bring everyone together and have a great time, not to mention getting out and about to burn some energy. It’s one of the few things a family can do together that doesn’t cost a small fortune.
If you want a fun family day without the expense, pack a lunch, some games and walk or drive over to your neighbourhood park. Weather not playing ball? No problem, turn the lounge into a fort and eat the picnic under the cover of fairy lights!
What’s for Lunch?
If you want to pack the perfect lunch, you could save yourself some time and nip to your local bakery, or you can get the kids to help you whip something up at home. Getting the kids involved will help guarantee they will eat all their lunch and keeps them busy till you head off. Some ideas for your picnic basket;
· Classic sandwiches, with fillings of their choice
· Twist on a classic – a wrap!
· A crowd favourite in our household – bacon and egg pie. Cook it in the morning, allow it to cool slightly, then cut it into slices and wrap it in tea towels to take with you
· Savoury or sweet muffins
· Chicken pieces
· Pizzas (you could make these on pita bread)
· Fresh vege platter with store bought hummus to dip
For the sweet tooth;
· Caramel popcorn served up in individual portions
· Fruit or fruit kebabs (if you have time to make something a little more fun)
· Scones
· Pikelets
· Cake!
· And don’t forget a thermos of hot chocolate to keep everyone warm before they start runing around (or maybe after)
A few small, lightweight ice packs will keep everything from spoiling, but you’ll probably be eating shortly after you get there, so it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
Keeping the Kids Busy
After lunch you can either send the kids to the swings (and enjoy some time in peace), or you could set up some games for them to play. Depending how energetic you’re feeling you can join in with the shenanigans, or sit back and judge the winners/keep score for them. Depending on the room in your car (and how organised you’re feeling), here are some ideas to get you started;
· Piggie in the middle (pack a soccer ball and they can run around kicking it afterward)
· Fly a kite if the weather permits
· Send then on a scavenger hunt (jot down some ideas before you go and no packing reguired)
· For the wee ones you could add some small cups and sauces and invite the cuddly toys to a teddy bears picnic!
· Egg & spoon race (then eat the eggs afterward)
· Three legged race
· Sack race
· Ring toss
· Frisbee (light weight and easy to pack!)
By the time you get home, the kids will be tuckered out and ready for bed, and mum and dad will appreciate it when they come to pick them up! The perfect end to a perfect day.