Young childrens picnic games
Picnic activities to you
Small childrens picnic games should not pose too much of a problem because, when they are under 6, they just love being active and running (or trying to!) around in the open air. |
To let them run around to their heart's content, choose a location where there is plenty of room to let off steam! More difficult is making sure you keep a close eye on them!
Remember to have enough drinks available as they get dehydrated quickly when they’re running around, especially on a hot day.
A simple summer pleasure is blowing the "clocks" off dandelions. Teach them how to blow the downy white seed ball and see if they can scatter the fluff in one puff. Folklore says that if you make a wish when blowing, your wish will come true!
Toddlers are enchanted by bubbles, so it’s a good idea to take a few bubble kits on the picnic. You can blow for them and let them try and catch the bubbles.
To make your own bubble solution mix 500 ml of water with 125 ml of washing-up liquid and 175 ml of glycerine (buy at chemists). Glycerine makes the bubbles bigger and longer lasting. Add different scent extracts to make scented bubbles - orange, vanilla, mint, lemon or almond. Help your children guess the scent in each pot. |
As far as childrens games go, nursery rhyme games like Ring-o’-roses and Three Blind Mice are always popular and small children will always have fun on a picnic just by running around, chasing each other or playing Follow my leader.
Bouncy Happy People is a great site for toddlers' toys in UK and Europe. You'll find everything from trampolines and trikes to wooden toys and pocket money ideas to keep little ones entertained.
I love their scrunchy bucket because it packs into such a tiny space and the little ones love it on a beach or to collect things in anywhere at all.
After a spell of energetic childrens picnic games, sit them down on the blanket and read them some stories.
Face painting is also amusing for little ones – remember to add a mirror as well as the face paints to your picnic list.
Or take a few things from the dressing-up box and let them play make-believe. With a few scarves, shoes, hats and costume jewellery, then can transform themselves!
Not really a game, but a Teddy Bear’s Picnic is of course a classic way to entertain both toddlers and bears!
Let them feed their bears with milk and biscuits.
Read them a copy of The Teddy Bears' Picnic or sing along to the cassette.
You can also make a game out of part of the menu, by hiding items such as carefully wrapped pieces of fruit, marshmallows, or sweets around the picnic area and letting them play hunt for dessert!
If the little ones need an afternoon sleep, they should be well protected from the sun – and warm enough if it’s chilly.
A play-tent or “den” made out of material draped over sticks can provide shelter as well as fun for them.
