The Picnic….

Great for weekends when you WANT to do something fun, but nothing too crazy.  Either grab some goodies already in the fridge or head to the store for yummy picnic items.  This might include cold cuts, cheese, bread, chips, drinks, etc. Or you can take a different -and more playful- approach? Remember, there are NO RULES to having a picnic! The more unconventional the better.

Examples:

• Pack only orange colored foods
• Foods that are petite or mini-sized
• Pick a cuisine theme such as Asian, Irish, or Italian.
• Focus on counting, pack only “8” of each item and then have your tot count and pack each one. Once there, add and subtract the items for additional math fun.
• Bake a cake to celebrate a milestone, imaginary friends birthday, good grades in school, you name it!

The Extreme…

Now here’s the fun part, deciding where to picnic! Make this playful parenting activity even more exciting by adding a dose of adventure. Instead of heading to the same park you visit every weekend, let chance guide your way.

Examples:

• Let the kids chose direction (North, South, East, or West) and then the distance (5-30 miles) You then drive North 18 miles (whatever they chose) and find a nearby spot to lay out the blanket and enjoy your feast.

• Write down a couple of predetermined places and drop them into a hat. Let the kids “draw” the winning picnic location.

• Break out a local map (or print one from mapquest.com) and blindfold your child. In classic “pin the tale on the donkey” style, let them put a pin on the picnic location.

Feel free to mix and match these suggestions to create a “extreme picnicking” activity that’s just right for your family.  Embrace the moment, take pictures, and cherish those adventurous smiles. Shoot me an email about your playful parenting moment and we might just feature you in our next newsletter!