Are you planning a forest picnic with your family?
They’re a good opportunity to leave the world behind and bond as a family unit. There are a heap of other benefits too!
Benefits of going for a forest picnic:
- Reducing screen time
- Connecting with nature
- Eating together as a family
- Building family connections
- Encouraging curiosity
- Slowing down and creating memories
Planning your forest picnic
There’s no need to spend much time on planning your picnic. You will get more out of the experience if you do a little bit of minor preparation though.
Still, I’m a big fan of doing things on the fly, so you don’t always have to be prepared. The point is to just go!
What to take:
- Food. You can’t have a forest picnic without delicious lunch, or treats.
- Picnic blanket
- Water (please use a reusable water bottle)
- Backpack filled with these explorer tools (magnifying glass, binoculars etc. see the full list)
- Mosquito spray
- First aid kit and compass (depending on how deep in the forest, or bush you go)
What to wear
- Wear closed-in shoes
- clothes perfect for the weather
- Bring a raincoat if you think it might rain
- Wear a hat
Get the most our of your forest picnic
Here’s how to get the most out of your experience:
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Put your phone away
No really do it. This is a time to disconnect from screen time and reconnect with family.
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 Encourage your children to use their senses
Children will be able to hear, smell, see and feel things they may have not before. Imagine your child hearing cicadas and birds flying past their heads, smelling the rainforest, feeling ferns, moss and river rocks and seeing an array of wild animal in front of their eyes.
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Get your body moving
We all know it’s important to stay healthy. Go for short hike and explore the area. It’s great for your fitness and the best part is that it doesn’t feel like exercise!
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 Explore
Look up, look down, look in places your wouldn’t usually. Exploring after your meal will get your kids excited about sharing all the things they find in their natural world with you. Don’t forget to check out what’s in out explorer kit to help encourage curiosity.
One more benefit of taking the kids on a forest picnic
But wait, I forgot that a picnic out in nature also has one more benefit…
(insert here: the picture I forgot to take of three sleeping  children)
It tires them out!
So what are you waiting for? This weekend your going for a forest picnic!
Love the pics Penny…and the bathmats idea is actually genius my dear! Love how tired they get when they have spent the day outdoors!
I never thought of a forest picnic. We usually had picnics at parks. As a matter of fact, we took our (almost 2 yr old) great-nephew on a picnic to the park last Saturday. He loved the little squirrel that came around while we were eating. Just think of all the fun things we might see while picnicking in the forest!
A forest picnic is a great idea. We only just discovered a small patch of rainforest near our house that we have taken the kids bush walking in. We don’t go far but we all enjoy it.
We go through the same question every weekend as well! Doesn’t seem like it should be that hard does it? We head outdoors all the time now – even when it’s cold and windy. Even if at first we don’t really feel like it, once we’re there, we are revitalised! Always so much to explore, learn and discover.
Looks like your bunch is little enough to enjoy a picnic in the backyard just as much. They are really cute
I love this post! It’s so exciting that your new place is right next to such a beautiful reserve!
My family and I are in need of a forest picnic. Thank you for sharing. We also have a few books that encourage us to look and listen while on bushwalks. Must pull them from the bookcase before we go.
Disconnecting to your phone and reconnecting to your family is one of the best tips for a well-spent family picnic. . 🙂