Guest Post: Enjoying A Picnic Together In February

It’s bitter cold at the moment, and we’ve all been stuck inside for far too long. Your kids are no doubt starting to get very bored, and you’ve a.) Run out of ideas for entertainment, b.) Run out of budget for the ideas you have or c.) Both of the above. The answer to your problem is quite simple, and doesn’t need a big budget either. Have a picnic with them. Yes, a picnic in February! That’s the fun bit it’s something unexpected and exciting.

The picnic can take place in a sheltered area. Ideal for this are garden sheds, alternatively garages or patios with roofs will work. The preparation of both the shed and the food are part of the fun. Depending on how far you want to go with decorating the picnic area, you can either opt for the traditional picnic blanket and basket or create a winter themed wonderland using paper cut out snowflakes and aluminium cut out ice flakes. A white bed sheet can be stapled to the shed’s floor to imitate snow, and streams of different shades of blue crepe paper can hang across the ceiling imitating icicles. You can also make a small ice cave in a corner of the shed using blankets and pillows with covers in shades of whites and blues. You could even add some cuddly toy polar bears to hide amongst the ice land. This is all entirely up to you and the kids.

The preparation of the food should definitely be done together as this is part of the picnic fun. Dips are good fun, as they’re really tasty and encourage the kids to eat some vegetables, as they need something to dip with. Sandwiches are, of course, tradition, but you could consider a pasta salad. The pasta is easy to make and you can ask your kids what they want to add. Mayo, tuna and sweet corn is a popular combination, as well as tomatoes, cheese and some tomato puree.

Banana fairy cupcakes are ideal for dessert. Just add 2 eggs, 100g self-raising flour, 100g margarine, 100g brown sugar, and 1 old banana to a bowl, then mix it all until smooth. Pour the mixture into cupcake holders and bake for 15-20 minutes at 200⁰C/ Gas 6. Yellow frosting or icing makes a great addition to the cupcakes, and you can all get creative by adding sprinklers or edible glitter.

Now, pack it all up in your picnic basket and off to your picnic you go. Consider some activity after the picnic, too. You could take a board game with you, as something to do together once everyone has eaten their fill. Or play some word association games, such as finish the story, when someone starts a story with one sentence and every person gets to add a sentence.

You’ll be able to enjoy each other’s company and have a fun day out without leaving your home or bursting the bank. 

Post Supplied By Tiger Sheds