How to Picnic Stress Free With Kids
What is a better mood enhancer than some fresh air, some sunshine and a fun carefree picnic?... I will wait...
As the weather warms up here on the Gold Coast and the daylight hours are longer, the parks and beaches are popular hang outs.
It is no secret that kids love the outdoors and it does wonders for their mood, which is why we love to go on family picnics!
Family picnics are a fun break away from the usual routine. But sometimes they can feel overwhelming and stressful. It can feel like you have to pack far too much stuff, but it doesn't need to be so complicated!
Here are our hot tips to make picnics with kids practical and fun!
What you will need
Food - Picnics don't need to be fancy. Pack a picnic filled with easy to eat finger foods so you don't even have to pack cutlery. You can even just pack seperate little lunch boxes so each child can sit with his or her own food to snack on.
Our favourite go to easy picnic food snacks are - Sandwiches, punnet of berries, bananas, muffins, pikelets, crackers, cold meats, sultanas, yoghurt, cucumber and carrot sticks.
(Fuss free sandwiches)
Drinks - We just take individual water bottles or juice poppers. Don't go overboard!
A bag and a lunch cooler - We always use our backpack and insulated lunch bag from our collection. Our lunch bags also include an icepack which is HANDY!!
(Check them out here) If you have cold meats or cheeses, it is recommended to use a cooler or insulated bag.
Blanket or picnic rug - Some parks have tables and facilities but sometimes there are none available. I always recommend taking a towel, a blanket or a picnic rug just in case. You don't want to have to sit on the ants!
Sunscreen- We always have sunscreen packed in our bag ready to go!
Hat - Even if you are at a shady location, kids like to run and have fun so we always make sure we have our Little Renegade Hat with us to protect little ones while they adventure.
Location - The beach, a nearby park, or even your backyard! Remember the location does not need to have a play area or entertainment. At the end of the day it should bring the family together to enjoy each others company and have some food together. Do not over think it. I would recommend choosing somewhere that is easy to access and easy to park if you really want to keep it as stress free as possible.
And look for a location that has some shaded areas so you don't have to pack an umbrella! (Less is more)
No toys required - Just for once try to pack as light as possible. Leave all toys at home. Play with what is in your surroundings. Collect shells, leaves and sticks, dig with your hands and get amongst nature. It is fun and also a sensory learning experience for your kids at the same time.
Another tip I have is to have a picnic go to bag ready to go for summer with a towel or picnic rug, sunscreen and hats pre packed. Then all you need to grab is some food and drink bottles!
Enjoy getting your shoes off and being out in nature with your kids. It will do you both, a world of good!