Pack a Picnic

By Elizabeth Wells

What better way to welcome the warm weather than a picnic! After months of eating at the kitchen table or around the coffee table, a change of scenery is much needed. The robins and bluebirds provide the music and in many places, the bugs are at a minimum. The kids are raring to get outside, so pick a spot -- park, backyard, or the beach -- and plan a picnic.

Ask the kids to help with the planning. What's the menu? Just snacks or a full meal? PB&J, cold fried chicken, and hero-style sandwiches are favorites that the kids can help assemble.

When Lynda Hannan's local group of preschool moms and their families prepared for a picnic lunch at an Easter egg hunt, Lynda had Jack and Katie help stuff the eggs they donated. "I told them this was a practice hunt before Easter."

Picnic activities:

• If you're by the ocean or at a park with sand, pack empty butter and yogurt containers to build sandcastles.
• If you're landlocked, bring backyard toys, a ball, or even a board game.
• Play physical games like Simon Says, Red Light-Green Light, and Hot Potato.

Appreciate the budding season:

• Explore the growing progress of trees and bushes.
• If the leaves are already out, see if they are setting blooms for future berries.
• Notice the return of native birds, and observe their nesting habits.
• If April showers threaten your picnic plans, simply move the party inside. Stretch a blanket over the family room floor and go with juice boxes or cups with lids to prevent messes. Use a poster board and make a big, bright sun.

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