Plan an Old-Fashioned Picnic For a Kid Outdoor Activity



Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006

by Nancy Johnson
Creative Child Activity Notebook

While the weather is pleasant, plan an old-fashioned picnic with your kids. This is a perfect kid outdoor activity to get back to some old-fashioned outdoor fun. Include the kids in planning and preparing for your picnic. Putting together a picnic is easy and well worth the effort.

Vote on the location for your picnic, which can be your neighborhood park, local nature area or even your own backyard! Decide on the day and time for your picnic. Picnics can be planned for breakfast or dinner, not just lunchtime. Make an easy menu that the kids can help prepare for, finger foods, fruits and vegetable sticks, healthy cookies and drinks. If you plan a breakfast picnic, make some hot chocolate for the cool mornings.

If you don’t have a picnic basket, the kids can decorate a plain cardboard box or use a plastic tub to carry the food and supplies in. Don’t forget the paper goods, utensils, cups and a tablecloth. You can also use a lap-size blanket throw or twin sheet instead of a tablecloth to lay on the ground.

Bring along the book Teddy Bear’s Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy to read aloud with younger children. For older children, the book Rattlebang Picnic by Margaret Mahy and Steven Kellogg is a lot of fun to read. These books can be found at your public library.

An old-fashioned picnic is not complete without fun games and activities. Bring a ball to play a game of catch, fly a kite if it is breezy day, go on a nature walk and see what you can find and organize relay races. Old-fashioned relay races include the three-legged race, sack races, wheelbarrow race, carry-an-object-in-a-spoon race and a kangaroo race (put a ball between your knees and hop to the finish line).

To remember this kid outdoor activity, bring your camera so you can take lots of photos of your fun-filled, old-fashioned picnic.

As a mother, grandmother, and child development professional, Nancy Johnson, shares over 20 years experience working with children and planning activities on her website, Creative-Child-Activity-Notebook.com. Check it out for more school age child activity ideas including learning, holiday, party, cultural, and nature child activity ideas.

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