Do you miss the good old days when kids played outside ‘til the streetlights came on? These days, we keep tabs on our children a lot more, which means they don’t get outside quite as much. Try our “Park Picnic Challenge”—pick a park, pick a picnic, and pick a challenge. You can swap these out for a multitude of fun combinations sure to give your kids quality outside time.
PARK:
Parrish Womble Park, 1201 Grigsby Ave.
PICNIC:
Mason Jar Salads! Pour vinaigrette dressing in the bottom of a jar, then layer sog-resistant proteins such as beans, whole-wheat pasta, or chopped chicken, then pile in your greens and veggies. When you’re ready to eat, simply shake and eat. You can also use disposable cups, sticking the fork through the lid. Super convenient and healthy, to boot!
CHALLENGE:
Film a nature walk. Let members of the family take a video with their smartphones of something big and something tiny. The game is to try and find stuff that’s unique and/or overlooked: itty-bitty bugs, super-tall trees. Come back and share your videos with one another, then follow it up with some online research to turn this activity into a truly teachable endeavor.
PARK:
Jones Park, 405 School Days Ln.
PICNIC:
Snack necklaces! This one is great if you don’t want to eat a full meal at the park, or you’re going with a gaggle of kids and don’t want to break the bank. String pretzels, gummies, cereal, and anything else that’s round with a hole in it on necklaces for the kids to wear and munch on. This is a modern, slightly healthier take on candy necklaces. Even better, you can get your kids to help make them beforehand.
CHALLENGE:
Create a scavenger hunt. Challenge your kids to find something beginning with each letter of the alphabet. If they need extra motivation, bring a prize for the first to complete the mission. If you’re short on time, draw letters out of a hat. something tiny. The game is to try and find stuff that’s unique and/or overlooked: itty-bitty bugs, super-tall trees. Come back and share your videos with one another, then follow it up with some online research to turn this activity into a truly teachable endeavor.
PARK:
Bass Lake Park, 900 Bass Lake Rd.
PICNIC:
Picnic breakfast! Got a little one who naps in the morning? Get out of the house beforehand and pack a sweet little picnic breakfast. Bring a Thermos of coffee, another of milk, and waffle sandwiches: Smear peanut butter or cream cheese on a waffle and pile on strawberries, blueberries, and sliced bananas. Top with another waffle and you’ve got a convenient sandwich…maybe even the best thing since sliced bread.
CHALLENGE:
Channel your inner cartographer. Bring art supplies and have your children draw maps of the park, noting interesting features and different terrains. When everyone is finished, compare maps and talk about how everyone look at things just a little differently.
PARK:
Veterans Park, 600 Bikram Dr.
PICNIC:
Pack a muffaletta! The muffaletta sandwich, originally brought to New Orleans by Italian immigrants, is the perfect upgrade to your typical sandwich lunch. It’s named after the round, focaccia-like loaf of the same name. You can find recipes all over the internet, but a classic muffaletta consists of layers of olive spread, salami, mozzarella, and other Italian meats and cheeses. You basically cut the loaf in half, horizontally, make one giant, round sandwich, let it rest, then slice it as you would a pie. Yum!
CHALLENGE:
Start a rock collection. What better way to capture a little bit of the outdoors than by bringing a little piece of it home with you. Task your child to hunt for variety: see how may different colors, shapes, and textures he or she can collect by summer’s end.
