Picnic Perfection www.fridayschildmontessori.com

It won’t be long until

summer is here, and with

the warmer weather come

more chances to get

outdoors and relax.

Anywhere outside on a

sunny day is good for a

picnic, whether it’s a park,

the beach or even your

back garden.

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.

Picnicking can be as

elaborate and sophisticated

or as relaxed and casual as

you want it to be.

But no matter what style of

picnic suits you and your

family, you’re going to need

some basic equipment.

First of all comes what

you’re going to take the

food in.

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.

Lukewarm cucumbers

aren’t particularly

appetising.

The next piece of

equipment is something to

sit on, which reduces your

chance of putting your

bottom down on an ants’

nest.

These things to sit on could

be cushions and a blanket

or folding chairs – whatever

is easiest to carry.

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.

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,

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.

If you prefer not to risk your

chinaware, then plastic and

paper are the other options.

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.

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.

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.

Plastic plates also have

their uses for encouraging

children’s artwork, as they

make great palettes for

mixing colours.

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.

You will also need

somewhere to put the food

as you dish it out.

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.

Alternatively, just keep the

food in the esky and use

the closed lid as a table to

prepare food on, if you

need to.

Picnic is always fun at

Fridays Child Montessori