Though everyone’s lives have completely adjusted due to the pandemic, this time at home has required a new level of creativity as a mother of a toddler. My community of mom friends are constantly sharing new ideas and activities for our littles (including every imaginable diy craft), and one of my best suggestions has been to have a nice picnic in the yard whenever possible.
My daughter, Maison, and I have come to love our picnics, and since the weather in California permits us to be outdoors often, we’re able to do so about 4 days a week. It checks off all the boxes, especially for M: being in nature and soaking up the sun, running around as much as she wants, experiencing a change of scenery, and the best part — being able to make a total mess while eating. Strawberry juice dripping onto the blanket and grass is so much better than the sofa!
Listed below are some of the essentials to make picnicking a little more chic:
–A PATTERNED BLANKET: adds a lovely element of brightness. I tend to like patterned or color-blocked blankets over solid ones since they look more layered. I’ve made the mistake of actually buying a black picnic blanket in the past thinking it’d be easy to keep clean, but it was definitely one of the worst purchases as it was so dark and flat! The one pictured is currently out of stock, but there are similar ones here and here
–A PROPER WOVEN BASKET: even if it’s just to carry food & drinks a few yards away, you can put everything in at once so you don’t have to go back and forth. Plus, it’ll definitely come in handy when going to the parks and beaches someday, hopefully soon
–FRUIT BASKETS: will keep the spread organized and prevent the fruits, veggies &/or bread from getting bruised and squished
–A TRAY (or any flat surface): will prevent your drinks from spilling. I also have a ton of other tray suggestions in this post and this post. Cheese boards are also great for holding, sorting and separating snacks.
–CLOTH TOWELS: for any spills — we try not to use paper towels or napkins to reduce waste
Whether or not you have kids, this is a great way to change up the routine with your s/o (or whoever you’re staying at home with). Getting dressed in normal clothes and having a romantic backyard picnic can do wonders!
Shop the post:
Patterned Blanket // Picnic Basket // Fruit Baskets // Circular Tray // Cheese Boards // Cloth Towels // Shatterproof Stemware
x GLL