Beauty...
Be your own
kind of beautiful
Be your own
kind of beautiful
The weather is warming up my friends! I couldn’t be happier to enjoy more time outside with my family. I’m truly looking forward to a summer filled with fun with my motley crew. Brooks and I are always game for a picnic. We love heading to the park or even as far as our backyard for a little fun in the sun. Especially now as a extra busy #everydaysupermomma of two wonderful babies, I absolutely cherish the opportunity for some special one on one time with my little man. Below are my 7 top tips for fabulous kid-friendly picnics.
Sun protection is a must! Make sure you pack your sunscreen and bring a shade cover like an umbrella or something like this amazing A-frame tent I found on Etsy. My Brooks is obsessed with fort making these days! We made our fort especially perfect by adding a Royal Velvet sheet making our space extra cozy and inviting.
Don’t let your picnic blanket be an after thought. Ditch the dingy old blanket from years’ past in favor of something nicer. You don’t have to spend a fortune for a lovely blanket that is fabulous picnic worthy. Like this beauty from Royal Velvet. Who says you can’t have the matching pillows, too?!? Think about how nice it would be to have a little back support while you are lounging in style. Try adding a few pops of color to the picnic party with this cute galvanized bucket, which is perfect for serving snacks. I mean, who can resist one one of my picnic snack finger food favorites, fruit skewers. What picnic is complete without a ball to bounce around?
There is NO reason to drag a ton of paper and disposable products into the park. Be chic and earth friendly by using Melamine plates and cloth napkins like these from Royal Velvet. I’m also a big fan of stainless steel bento boxes. If you are in the mood for utensils, then these eco-friendly ones made from Birchwood might be exactly what you need. Your goal should be to leave your picnic space cleaner than you found it. Give Mother Nature a hand by picking up a little extra trash! #EverydayEarthDay
For a mealtime picnic, add a little flair by delineating the space with placemats. This is especially helpful for toddlers who are learning table manners. Not that I expect perfect manners on a picnic, but part of learning is the consistency and practicing. Working on the “please”, “thank you” and becoming familiar with table time rituals. Make it fun and enjoyable so your little is engaged with the process.
Be ready for any potential “Royal Moments”, like an impromptu picnic adventure by keeping your picnic basket stocked with your Royal Velvet favorites. I keep my picnic basket in my car, so I’m always prepared for the fun!!
Make sure you bring activities to keep your pint sized crew properly occupied. Keep the games simple. There is no need to bring sand to the beach, but a little fun goes a long way. I recently found a “bug house” at the craft store. I paired it with some mini toy dinosaurs and created a game of hide and seek. I hide the dinos (while Brooks pretends to not look) and then he goes on a dinosaur hunt, placing all of his ancient reptilian buddies back in the bug house. I’m not gonna lie, I much prefer this method over catching real bugs. Or how about a kite? I have many fond memories of flying kites with my Dad growing up.
Keep it easy breezy and less messy by making finger foods. Brooks loves a peanut butter and banana roll up and who doesn’t enjoy strawberries stuffed with Nutella?
A great trick I’ve found to serve watermelon is by using cookie cutters to make cool shapes. I’m also a fan of making fruit skewers. Just make sure you cut off the sharp tip of the skewer before serving to your littles.
Check out my stuffed strawberry trick below. Super simple to make using a melon baller. Nutella is good for you, right?
Where is your favorite place to go for a picnic? Do you have any picnic traditions? Wherever your picnic may be, I wish you good times (those royal moments), great snacks and no ants. (or real bugs!!!)
