Free or Low-Cost Outdoor Ideas for Children #11: Picnics

Why Picnics are the Parenting Hack We All Need

Nothing says “Summer is Here!” like sitting on a blanket in the sunshine, with a sandwich in one hand and a cool drink in the other – especially if it costs next to nothing! Picnics are awesome family outings: easy, cheap, flexible, and tantrum-compatible. You don’t need fancy gear, gourmet snacks or even a proper plan (although remembering the crisps is advisable).

And since today is International Picnic Day, I thought – what better time to share our favourite ways to turn a humble packed lunch into a proper family day out? Whether you’ve got toddlers, teens, or a mix of both, there’s something here to keep everyone happy!

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What to Pack (That You Won’t Regret Carrying Later)

Picnics can easily get out of hand on the food front. Sure it’s fun to grab a bunch of savoury snacks you wouldn’t normally eat from the supermarket, but the price can easily get out of hand. We nearly always try to just take what we’d normally have at home for lunch, which keeps the costs down to basically zero! Here are some ideas to keep it simple:

Picnic Packing List:

• Sandwiches (cut into fun shapes if you’re feeling extra)
• Chopped or nibble sized fruit (grapes = always a win!)
• Veggie sticks (& hummus or your favourite veggie dip)
• Crisps or crackers
• Bite sized cakes (make some fairy cakes or flapjack the day before!)
• Mess free toppings for crackers, like cheese and cucumber (pre slice before you go!)
• Water bottles / juice cartons
• Cool packs (to keep fresh items and drinks nice and cool)
• Wet wipes (non-negotiable) or paper towels
• Rubbish bag (leave no trace!)
• Picnic rug or a plastic-backed blanket
• SPF, hats, and layers – British weather, say no more 🤣

Bonus Ideas: Bring a flask of hot chocolate for picnics on cooler days, or for summer – frozen yoghurt pouches double up as mini ice packs!

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2. Where to Go (That’s Not Your Own Garden Again)

You don’t need to go far to make it feel like an outing. Try:

• Local parks with shaded spots and playgrounds
• Country walks with a halfway-point picnic stop
• Woodland openings (hello stick dens and bug spotting!)
• Hilltops with a view – even a small hill feels like an epic adventure to little legs

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3. Activities to Do From the Picnic Mat

If your children are like mine, they’ll demolish the food in 3.6 minutes flat and then ask what’s next. So here are a few “picnic plus” ideas to keep them entertained:

🐞 Nature Scavenger Hunt

Print a list, or make one up on the spot: “Find a feather, a shiny stone, a leaf bigger than your hand…”

👉 Try our scavenger hunt printable – print and pack before you go.

🎨 Picnic Blanket Crafting

Bring paper, crayons, or flower-pressing kits. Try making nature based rubbings, or start an outdoor journal.

🧺 Blanket Bingo

Make a list of things you’re likely to see: dog walkers, cyclists, ants, clouds shaped like dragons…

🤸‍♂️ Mini-Games

• Cloud Gazing
• “Sleeping Lions” (for tired parents)
• Simon Says, I Spy, or a story-building game

👉 Some of these fun ideas could work well on a picnic!

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4. Easy Ways to Extend the Adventure

Once they’ve had a snack and a rest, they might be up for:

• A mini trail or nature walk
• Building a stick tower, or even a den
• Rolling down hills (childhood rite of passage)
• Bug hunting with a magnifying glass

Bring a kite, a football, frisbee, or even a skipping rope. Small things = big fun!

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Final Tip: Let Go of ‘Perfect’

There will be squashed sandwiches, someone will step in something, and no one will want to help pack up. That’s the picnic promise 😉.

But you’ll have photos of grass-stained knees and chocolatey grins, and that’s what matters!