http://www.fridayschildmontessori.com/blog/picnic-perfection/ It won’t be long until summer is here, and with the warmer weather come more chances to get outdoors and relax.

1. Picnic Perfection
www.fridayschildmontessori.com

2. It won’t be long until
summer is here, and with
the warmer weather come
more chances to get
outdoors and relax.

3. Anywhere outside on a
sunny day is good for a
picnic, whether it’s a park,
the beach or even your
back garden.

4. If you have a cricket player
in your family, a picnic is
the perfect activity so you
can support your cricketer
while keeping the rest of
the family entertained and
happy.

5. Picnicking can be as
elaborate and sophisticated
or as relaxed and casual as
you want it to be.

7. But no matter what style of
picnic suits you and your
family, you’re going to need
some basic equipment.

8. First of all comes what
you’re going to take the
food in.

10. A wickerwork picnic basket
is traditional for picnicking
English style, but given the
climate here on the Gold
Coast, an esky is usually a
whole lot better.

12. Lukewarm cucumbers
aren’t particularly
appetising.

13. The next piece of
equipment is something to
sit on, which reduces your
chance of putting your
bottom down on an ants’
nest.

15. These things to sit on could
be cushions and a blanket
or folding chairs – whatever
is easiest to carry.

16. A lot of picnic food can be
eaten without plates, if you
plan properly, but it’s wise
to slip in a couple of plates
to prepare food on,
especially if your picnic
involves anything that
needs to be sliced or cut.

17. As children learn by
watching (one of the key
principles of Montessori
learning), it’s best if you
don’t slice the tomatoes in
your hand,

18. even if you can – this is
something that you don’t
really want them trying to
do. Picnic plates come in
three types – plastic, paper
and china.

19. If you prefer not to risk your
chinaware, then plastic and
paper are the other options.

20. Of the two, paper is better,
as it is biodegradable,
meaning that you can stick
it in a compost heap or rip it
up to use as tinder with a
charcoal barbecue, if you
have one.

21. Paper plates are also good
additions to a make-and-do
craft box for small children:
punch a couple of holes in
the side, add string, cut
eyeholes and decorate the
front and you have a mask.

22. If you have to get plastic,
look for sturdier plastic
plates rather than the flimsy
sort that cracks easily and
can only get used once or
twice.

24. Plastic plates also have
their uses for encouraging
children’s artwork, as they
make great palettes for
mixing colours.

25. However, if you want to stick to
Montessori principles and not
mix equipment, it’s best to
designate a special plastic plate
for use with the paint rather than
getting out one of the plates set
aside for picnics.

26. You will also need
somewhere to put the food
as you dish it out.

27. In a lot of parks, you can
find handy picnic tables,
but if you’re finding your
own spot or going in your
garden, then you’ll need a
blanket to spread out for
the food to go on.

28. Alternatively, just keep the
food in the esky and use
the closed lid as a table to
prepare food on, if you
need to.

30. Picnic is always fun at
Fridays Child Montessori