When the sun is beating down, water is an essential way to stay cool and
enjoy the day. Pack a great lunch and head to the nearest water park. But
beware, many water parks don’t allow food in the area, but usually provide
picnic tables outside the venue for eating.
Better yet, create your own water park in your back yard. Purchase a slip and
slide, a few kids pools, a wacky sprinkler, and you are ready for fun. Conduct
water slide races, sprinkler high jump competitions and bobbing for water toys
(make sure the water stays clean).
Keep snacks on a picnic table or designated eating area, place a cooler full
of fun drinks in a few places in the yard and keep the sunblock station in
working order every hour on the hour.
The kids won’t grow tired of their own private water park for hours, and
adults can join in when they aren’t sunbathing.
Outdoor festival picnic
Most towns have at least one festival every year – whether it is surrounding
music, arts or crafts. Look at the festival schedule and plan a picnic around
it.
If it is a music or arts (plays, monologues, ballet, etc.) festival, take a
big blanket, plenty of great food and find a spot that will offer your family a
good view, but enough room to enjoy the festivities. You don’t want to sit
right up front where people will more than likely be standing. After eating,
pick a family partner and groove to the tunes, having the other family members
snap candid photos of your fun escapade. Be sure to bring binoculars so your
family can see the activities up close without being shoulder to shoulder in
the crowd.
The Lovers Picnic
If you find yourself sans children for an afternoon or during dusk, plan a
special picnic just for the two of you.
Find a secluded location, maybe on a lake, in a field with wild flowers –
somewhere very aesthetic but also with a good view of the big sky.
Pack a few bottles of wine (don’t forget the wine opener), cheese and fruit
and other finger foods that you both enjoy. Don’t forget the tray to place the
food and wine on.
Bring a large blanket, and maybe even an air mattress and pillows so you
have a comfortable seating arrangement.
And who can go wrong with a portable CD player softly whispering some Miles
Davis or similar jazz tunes to set the mood? In the same bag, stick in a few
candles so when the darkness falls and you are unwilling to move you can still
make out where the food is located.
After setting up your area, have you and your lover relax. This setting
allows you to get away from the day to day grind and actually focus on each
other – something that is rare! Discuss your dreams, interests and hopes –
anything that comes to mind. Feed each other cheese and fruit, pour the wine –
just enjoy what the evening has to offer.
And when night falls, lie back and stare at the stars. You may find it
addictive – it is rare that you have a chance to see them so clearly in town
because of light pollution – so take it all in.
Who knows, you may get a few deep kisses and find yourself making out like
when you both were kids – which is very refreshing and exciting at the same
time.