How to Have an Indoor Picnic

So, summer is starting to feel like a distant memory as the rain pelts the kitchen window. The kids are watching television and are starting to get restless, what can you do that’s fun and easy to organize? An indoor picnic may sound like an easy way out, but if planned correctly it can be just as much fun as an outdoor picnic. Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of space in your house, try to improvise and clear a small area when you can lay down a table cloth.

Let the kids know that you are going to plan an indoor picnic and ask them if the would like to invite anyone along – teddies included! Try to devise a theme for the picnic that will make it even more fun, like a teddy bears picnic, or a clowns picnic where you can face paint the kids. If you want to do a little extra planning why not ask them to dress up and bring the outdoors indoors? Decorate the room you will use for your picnic with foilage and fairy lights to make it like a mini adventure for the kids.

Music is a great accompaniment but try not to have the television on it will only serve as a distraction for the kids.

Although your guests might not be able to run around the living room there are plenty of fun games that you can play. Pass the parcel, musical chairs or even a mini treasure hunt in the house are great indoor games as long as they are well supervised. With no nasty insects or powerful rays from the sun you don’t have to be worrying about making sure the kiddies are well protected.

The food preparation is the most straightforward as you will have all you need there. Keep it simple and try not to worry about hot food just because you have the kitchen there. Make the same as you would if you were having an outdoor picnic, that way it will be much more authentic! Avoid using crockery and opt for plastic plates and glasses that will not break and are easy to clean and resuse.

Keep a bin liner handy and some cloths ready to wipe up any spillages. Clear the room of anything that is valuable and delicate. Why not switch any hanging photos for something more inline with the theme that you have planned for the picnic.

If parents want to make food for the kids why not suggest they donate a present that can be used as a prize for one of the games instead? More often than not too much food is made and thrown away. Get some goody bags together and if there is food leftover that will keep give them to the kids to take home and eat. Depending on whether you are a strict parent or not it can sometimes be a good exercise to ask the kids to help you tidy up. Make sure that you have a camera handy to capture the fun of the day and print out photos to give to their parents.

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