Spring is the perfect time to start some fun family traditions by having an outdoor picnic. This creates special bonding time with your kids, and a time to make memories they will never forget. It can also be a super inexpensive way to spend time away from home with your kids. Picnics are a perfect way to soak up the beauty of nature, get off the electronics and enjoy the sunny day. You can plan these family fun picnics in different places such as a local park, or a beach. It really depends on what you have available around where you live..
Here are some family fun picnic ideas that are guaranteed to make your family picnic memorable and fun. Plus you can use them no matter where you decide to have your picnic.
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1. Themed Picnic Baskets
Why not add some family fun with a themed picnic basket? You want to make sure these themes are kid friendly. One way to create a theme is to create a picnic by colors, a teddy bear picnic, super hero picnic, an underwater adventure picnic, fairytale forest picnic,
Picnic by Color-You can choose a color for your picnic and pack food items with that color for the day. If you choose for example the color red, you would pack sandwiches with red jam, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, cherries, tomato salad. Be creative. For more ideas on color picnic ideas you can check out this post by gryphon house.
Teddy Bear Picnic- Bring some bears with you and your family to help make this idea come to life. Bring along some mini sandwiches, fruit, and small treats. Maybe even their play tea set, as we all know how much bears and stuffed animals love make believe tea!
Super Hero Picnic– Have everyone in the family dress as their favorite super hero. To create super hero food for your picnic, you can cut sandwiches into shape like stars or shields and fruit tray with red, white and blue. You can also make celery with peanut butter and chocolate chips and thin pretzel rods with a square cheese piece attached ( to resemble a hammer).
Under The Sea Themed Picnic– For this theme you can make fish shaped sandwiches and have snacks such as green grapes ( for seaweed) and mozzarella balls ( for some pearls). Create a blue drink so it has the illusion of sea water. (by a fewshortcuts.com). Have some shells to explore with and you have a perfect under the sea picnic!
2. Fun Easy Outdoor Games For Picnics
The simple classic outdoor games such as frisbee, soccer, or kickball, football and a simple game of catch are always a guarantee for fun. Easy to bring with you and low maintenance to keep your kids entertained. Another idea for a fun family picnic is a scavenger hunt. This one isn’t so easy but you can find already created scavenger hunts on places like Amazon and Etsy.
Etsy – This one is simple. Just print out and check off as you find the items. Your kids will have a ball running around looking for them!
Amazon- Here are enough for the whole family to hunt together! Maybe you can make teams and see who works well together.
3. Create a DIY Pizza Picnic
This is a great idea if you have a picnic at a place with a grill or you bring your own portable grill. If you’re up for that then great, a pizza picnic will be lots of fun! Make sure to pack pre-made pizza dough,(not the kind you have to roll). Also pack a variety of toppings such as sauce, and cheese, pepperoni, meatballs. Make sure these items are already slices and ready to put onto the pizza. This picnic will be one that the family will always remember!
4. Art Themed Picnic
Pack some sketchbooks, paint sticks which make for easy paining and no water, crayons and colored pencils. Look at the nature surrounding you at the picnic and let that inspire some creative art work. For your little ones bring along some coloring books or magic marker coloring books.
5.Musical Picnic
Bring some musical instruments – these can be as simple as a triangle, xylophone, a flute or bongo drums. You can use these toddler instruments and play some kids music in the back ground while they bang away and make music.
6. Stargazing Picnic
Enjoy a night time picnic with your family, or have an early dinner and enjoy some family fun time later in the evening. Create a comfortable and relaxing zone with blankets, pillows, sleeping bags and whatever else you can think of to make your gazing at the night sky comfortable and relaxing. Bring some binoculars so you can see the starts better. You can even try downloading and using a stargazing app to identify constellations and planets.
Conclusion
Planning a a fun filled family picnic with these fun ideas can turn a simple family outing into an extraordinary adventure. It’s not just about the food but making lasting memories with loved ones. Whether exploring new themes or engaging in playful activities, the goal is to enjoy every moment and create a tradition that your family looks forward to season after season.
Here are some other ideas for nicer weather:
I'm 40 years old and a mom of 2 three year olds and a first grader. I am also a Special education teacher. My passion has always been to help people, which is why I started this blog.