How to Have an Indoor Picnic


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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.

Lauren McNeal invites you to take a look at the latest picnic baskets offered at Epicnicbasket.com. Specialists in picnic backpacks, picnic supplies and outdoor gifts, you’re sure to find something to your liking.

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Choosing Healthy Snacks for Kids


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Snacks are an important part of every child’s well-balanced diet. An afternoon snack will give kids a great energy boost which will help them to focus more on their after school homework and give them the energy they need to go outside and run around rather than lounge on the couch and watch TV.

One weight loss tip for kids is to try and provide them with healthy meals and also encourage them to engage in regular physical activities. Providing them with healthy snacks is very crucial. If your child is already overweight, you will be forced to make some changes to his or her diet. You don’t have to be too concerned about counting calories, carbohydrates or even fat grams. Furthermore, it will be difficult to keep an eye on your child’s diet especially if he or she eats at school.

If your kids love nuts as well, try dry roasted nuts.

They are crunchy and flavorful. But make sure they do not overeat. Healthy snacks can bring harm too. Eat moderately. Learn how to make our own pizzas so that we can control and decide for the ingredients to use.

Have kids help prepare meals and see what is going in to their own food. Being aware of what makes up good food vs. bad food is part of the equation. Consuming only one food type is not the answer, but rather eating healthy consistently Make sure kids are getting the right balance of vitamins and minerals daily through the consumption of various healthy food sources.

Admittedly, this might be a bit more time-consuming especially during the first few days; but once you get the hang of things, this simple tip can eliminate about 90% of the fatty foods from your home. Stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables for snacks and keep out all things fattening from your cupboard and ref.

Nutrition is another challenge of raising children, but it doesn’t have to be. It is your duty as a parent to ensure that even your picky eater gets enough fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. Fruit is a great replacement for sugary candy and junk food, and fresh fruit juices and water are great alternatives to colas. Yogurt and granola bars offer healthy snack choices for after school.

Do get overweight kids involved in regular day to day physical activity, such as working to school, or parking a few blocks from the school and walking. Slowly increase the distance that you walk. Walking has been found to provide surprisingly good benefits for those wanting to lose weight as it develops your cardiovascular system while building muscle and burning fat, without over taxing the body.

Children need to eat lots of different foods including large amounts of vegetables, legumes, fruits & whole grains; and small amounts of dairy & meats to get all the nutrients needed for growth & good health. Macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Fats and Protein) are the body’s main source of fuel. Micronutrients (Vitamins and Minerals) are needed for many body functions.

Do NOT do your child’s homework for them! Helping can easily turn into giving them the answers if you’re not careful. This is not doing them any favors. Kids need to learn responsibility and problem solving skills on their own. Try to guide them without giving them the answers.

Prepare your fruit and vegetables and put them in see through containers in the fridge, so you kids know where they are and can easily access them. Having these fat burning foods on hand will be great for your diet as well.

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