My family takes advantage of picnicking in The Woodlands as often as possible, but our picnics are almost always the same. But not anymore! I found this gem of a book - A Year of Picnics - at one of the libraries in Harris County, and the author has planned 20 different themed picnics for us to sink our teeth into. It's really getting my creative juices flowing! I can't wait to implement some of these ideas along with many of my own. Each picnic idea includes a menu, packing listing, and suggested activities. While a "Breakfast Picnic" might include playing games like hide and seek, walking along a creek, or eating homemade biscuits and jam, a Bird-Watching picnic might implore you to pack binoculars and a birding field guide plus a lunch that includes pickled eggs and birdseed cookies.
The Year of the Picnic!
Sandwich. Chips. Fresh fruit. Sitting on a blanket for a while and then watching the kiddos run off to enjoy the playground. Almost always at our favorite park. Nah, those picnics are a thing of the past for us! The year 2021 will be my year to step up the picnic game. Here are some ways we can pull it off.
Change the setting:
- Picnic at different parks with various features (over 100 in The Woodlands!)
- Use interesting blankets / quilts / table coverings, and switch them out so each picnic has a different feel
- Go picnicking at various times of day to enjoy differing types of crowd, lighting, and weather conditions
- Vary the picnic style - tent, canopy, grass, table...
Make food the star:
- Put TLC into the menu-planning and try out new recipes to keep the meals interesting
- Don't forget about specialty drinks - like chai tea or homemade raspberry lemonade.
- Use pretty food wraps and containers - presentation is everything!
Be active and engaged:
- Vary picnic activities with movement such as running, taking a walk, flying a kite, hula hooping, kicking a ball in an open field
- Bring along books - coloring books, joke books, storybooks, poetry books, the Bible
- Enjoy other activities such as card games, charades, Twenty Questions, building with clay
Add special elements:
- Bring along a bluetooth speaker and a playlist of great theme-appropriate songs
- Bring candles and a lighter for evening, romance-inspired picnics
- Invest in a face painting kit and surprise your child with a personal face-painting session
- Blow up balloons, bring a bubble machine
