Let's Have a Preschool Picnic!

Here are some ideas for having a picnic with young children in your preschool program. Remember picnics can be just as fun indoors on a dreary day.

Start out by decorating your own picnic blanket. An old flat sheet works best. Let the children paint on the sheet using either tempra or fabric paints!

Play a picnic game Have children sit in a circle. In the middle of the circle have a variety of picnic items such as napkins, a thermos, a paper plate, a sandwich, a fork, a banana etc., Have all the children close their eyes. Select one child to be the "Hungry Ant" That child removes one item and hides it behind their back. When children open their eyes have them guess what the "Hungry Ant" took away.

Sing some songs at your picnic.

Let's Pack a Picnic Basket
A-tisket, A-tasket,
Let's pack a picnic basket.
We'll fill it up with food to munch.
What's in our picnic lunch?

Ants at the Picnic (tune: "Skip to My Lou")
Ants at the picnic, what'll I do?
Ants at the picnic, what'll I do?
Ants at the picnic, what'll I do?
Guess I will eat real quickly!

Read some picnic story books.

A Summer Picnic by Richard Scarry
Little Critter's the Picnic by Mercer Mayer
Once Upon a Picnic by John Prater
The Bears Picnic by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Find picnic baskets, picnic backpacks, and ideas at Picnic Fun