We all know the feeling – it’s a gorgeous summer evening, and you’re ready to have an outdoor picnic with your family. But you have no idea how to go about it! Kids can be picky eaters, so coming up with something they will love can be tough – especially if you don’t know how to cook! We’ve got some easy outdoor picnic ideas for kids that will guarantee that everyone has fun and enjoys their meal. Even better? They are all super easy to make and simple on your wallet!
Go Creative With Kid-Friendly Dips
One of my favorite ways to get kids excited about an outdoor eating adventure is to involve fun finger foods! Dips are one of the best ways to do that. Go for spinach and artichoke, pimento cheese, hummus or even watermelon salsa dips. The tangy and sweet flavors from these dips will excite kids’ taste buds enough that they’ll forget how healthy they really are. Plus prep work is super simple and clean up is a breeze.
Use Different Colored Paper Plates And Napkins
Fun color paper plates and napkins are easy to find and inexpensive to buy. Since they’re disposable, you don’t have to worry about keeping them clean or whether your kids will break them. And when it comes time for cleanup, you can just throw everything away. This makes it easy and convenient to plan a fun picnic with your family or group of friends!
Don’t Forget To Bring The Toys
Outdoor toys are a great way to keep kids occupied for hours and are perfect for picnics and other outdoor adventures. They get a chance to use their imagination and explore — what could be better? If you’re looking for outdoor toys that will make your picnic the envy of the park, here are our favorite picks: frisbee, bean bag toss game, soccer ball, and a whiffle ball and bat set!
Include Something They Can Do Together
Group activities and games are great for picnics because it encourages children to learn team-building skills, problem solving and communication. The activities below are not only fun, but they also aid your child’s development and help her make new friends. Bubble wands, water guns or balloons even a game of duck, duck, goose could be a great addition to an outood picnic.
Know The Weather Beforehand
Whether you’re hosting a kid-friendly picnic or visiting with family, knowing what kind of weather to expect beforehand is key. Luckily, there are tons of free weather apps out there that you can use to keep an eye on things—like The Weather Channel and Dark Sky.
Also it never hurts to have a back up plan – or rain date in your hip pocket in case things get a little wet!
Pick A Theme And Stick To It
If you’re a parent, then you probably already know how fickle kids can be. Get them excited about an activity and they’ll eat it up; do something too far outside their interests, though, and there’s no way they’ll go for it. The same is true for picnics—and by thinking through your theme in advance and making sure to stick to it, you can make sure everyone at your picnic has fun. Here are some ideas to get started: superhero, zoo animal, red/white/blue theme, fancy theme (finger sandwiches anyone?!), and silly hat.