Picnics are fun, but planning them can sometimes get frustrating. So to help you out, I decided to give you a simple 6 step guide, which I personally follow, for planning the perfect family picnic. If you need extra help, you can also consider Hiring a picnic setup service that will help you out in planning the perfect family picnic.
#1 Picking a location
The first thing to do while planning a picnic is to decide on the location. Given how overwhelming and hectic the city life is, and how we’re so used to eating indoors only, we choose a picnic spot that’s a bit far away from all this. In most cases, we follow a small checklist while picking the spot, which consists of three main points – away from the city, close to nature, and not crowded.
If you want, you can check out the public parks or gardens around your area, and see if they’re any good for a family picnic. We, however, rendezvous to someplace that’s at least a few miles away from our town.
#2 Checking the weather
Sunny days are the best for family outings, especially when you’ve got a picnic planned. If not completely sunny, at least try to ditch the rain and snow. However, avoid going out when the temperature is a bit too hot for your liking. You wouldn’t want to get all sweaty at the picnic. Besides, such hot conditions will likely end up spoiling some of your food as well. Hence, pick a more comfortable weather, where the sun is shining, the temperature is optimum, and the wind speed is moderate, such that you can stay cool even under the sun.
We recommend you check out the weather forecasts for your desired picnic spot a couple of days before your picnic. Check the temperature, wind speed, humidity, etc. Also, see if you can check the Air Quality Index (AQI) of that place, just to make sure that it’s safe from all sorts of pollution. We found Tomorrow very accurate for running these checks. We’ve been using it for a while now and make sure to give it a quick look every time we leave for one of our family picnics or outings.
#3 Deciding on food and beverages
The picnic food basket is arguably one of the most important parts of the picnic. After all, what’s a family picnic without some good food? The recipes for your picnic should be delicious, nutritious, and easily packable into small to medium-sized containers or boxes. The food should also be packed in a way such that it stays warm, and doesn’t spoil easily.
As for drinks, we like to avoid colas and energy drinks. Instead, we prefer fresh seasonal juices and carry them in small bottles.
#4 Packing the essentials
Food isn’t the only picnic essential; there’s a lot more that you need to take along with you.
Start by picking a small bottle of sunscreen; you wouldn’t want to get a sunburn while outdoors. Mosquito repellent or a small can of bug spray comes next (we usually carry both). Then, if you’re taking your baby with you, pack some baby wipes and some diapers. For you and the rest of your family, you should consider carrying a change of clothes, just in case.
You should also carry a first aid kit, blanket, cutlery, and anything else that you might need. Also, don’t forget to take a trash bag with you as well. You wouldn’t want to make a public place dirty.
#5 Planning some family entertainment
A picnic with just food and gossip will feel boring, especially for your kids. So instead of just sitting around and talking, you should introduce some entertainment.
We carry UNO or a board game with us to play after we’re done with our meal. Sometimes, the kids take a soccer ball with them as well. If your family isn’t interested in physical activities, maybe you could take turns telling stories or reading from a book.
#6 Setting some ground rules
Ground rules are very important in any family outing, especially if your kids are around the ages of 7 to 13. The ground rules should be in place to keep you and your family members safe.
For us, the rules are very simple – no pushing or pulling, no wandering off on your own, trash should be thrown in the bin or the trash bag, no disturbing other people, no throwing stuff, and so on. We believe that these simple rules can help us enjoy ourselves even more.
