The snow has melted away and so has the school year. Summer has arrived! Finally, families are carving out time to make memories and enjoy this time together. What better way to enjoy the weather and your family than a perfect summer picnic? Check out these tips and tricks that will help you to plan and enjoy the best summer picnic ever!
Find The Location
The location for a picnic has to be well thought-out. There has to be space for the children to run around, but also some shade to keep you and your food at a comfortable and healthy temperature. Then, you’ll need to ask yourself these questions: Is our location walking distance from the car? Is there a bathroom nearby? What other environmental precautions or safety factors should I be aware of?
Read More: Safe Sunscreens For Your Family
Plan The Perfect Summer Picnic Menu
Sweet summertime gives parents plenty of time to come up with healthy, colorful foods. Ditch the PB & J for these healthy summer treats the whole family will enjoy!
Ham Biscuit Sandwiches 
Orange Iced Tea 
PB & J On A Stick 
Antipasta Pasta Salad 
Salami Roll-Ups 
Ruby Raspberry Slaw
Transportation To Summer Picnic Location
Whether your picnic is just outside your car or a few miles down the trail, your family will need to consider the way to transport not only yourselves, but your gear as well. Older children who wear backpacks to school can be a great help in carrying plates, napkins, and utensils in their backpack.
There is a lot of great gear out there for families to like to be on the go. Bicycle transportation for families has become a popular and reliable way to get around. For families with multiple or smaller children, there are lots of options, as well. From strollers with extra storage space to wagons that keep kids safe while helping you with your heavy load, as long as you have something reliable with room for your lunch and kids, this will take a huge weight off your shoulders while transporting everything you need for your picnic – literally!
Temperature Control
Depending on the ingredients in your food, you may need them to be temperature controlled for your summer picnic until you reach your location. There are several cooler options for families to use. A cooler with wheels is great for walking short distances, but it will be heavy, and if you are also tasked with carrying a small child, this can become quite challenging.
A backpack cooler is a hands-free way to carry your food wherever you need it, while keeping it at a healthy temperature. If you are not concerned about the temperature of the food, but just want to keep some drinks cold for later, freeze bottles of water overnight and put them in your regular shoulder bag or backpack to keep your beverages chilled in the summer heat. Freezing water in Ziploc bags works, too! Simply fill them halfway with tap water, make sure they are closed all the way, and lay them sideways (flat) in the freezer.
Regardless of whether you use a water bottle or a Ziploc bag, make sure you wrap the beverages inside another bag or a towel so the condensation does not wreak havoc on your other belongings.
The Activities
It takes a few moments to lay out your picnic blanket or set up the picnic table, a few more moments to eat, and a few moments to clean up. That leaves a lot of time for fun, outdoor activities!
There is always Red-Rover, Tag, and Hide-And-Seek, but if you want to take your summer picnic up a notch and make it the BEST picnic ever, check out these fun ideas for some outdoor activities for your family to enjoy together.
- Create a scavenger hunt based on your local environment.
- Make a leaf journal from a nature walk.
- Go Geocaching!
- Older children may enjoy a sponge race relay (and the buckets and sponges may come in handy when it is time to clean up!).
- If carrying lots of items with you is not something you are interested in, then a deck of cards has endless possibilities for games that your family can enjoy at your summer picnic.
Being outdoors is good for the body, mind, and soul. Enjoying a healthy meal with the people you love while being outdoors is the recipe for a summer picnic that will not only feed your belly, but your overall wellness, too!
WANT TO READ MORE?
Still planning to make the most out of your summer? Check out Daily Mom’s article on how to Fail Proof Your Most Outdoorsy End Of Summer Yet!
