Have you picnicked lately? July is National Picnic Month. The idea of a picnic always excites me; I’m just not real good at pulling one off—you know, packing the picnic basket and actually getting to a picnic location. About midway through, I’m thinking the shady spot in the backyard looks quite nice!
As a teacher, I was guaranteed one picnic outing a year. Each May or June, my students and I looked forward to a picnic lunch with their across-town pen pals. We’d meet at a local park, where we ate our packed lunches and played. Luckily, in all my years of teaching, this end-of-the-year picnic was never rained out. There was one year when a young lad broke his ankle, but I’ll save this memorable experience for a future blog!
What picnic-themed learning activities do you have tucked inside your picnic basket? Perhaps a center, a writing prompt, or a math activity? Please dish!
Happily,
Diane
There is a park in town that all of the kids go to. So, when we get to the Spring theme in my classroom, I set up the dramatic play center to look like that park. I put out a picnic basket filled with supplies. The students have a great time.
It’s neat to listen to them tell each other about the fun they have with their families & friends when they are at the “real” park. They often reenact that fun. It’s cute to watch. 🙂
I can remember those last day school picnics, they were soooooooo much fun!!!!!
I like to resevere picnic days at the park for science chats. We go on nature walks, dicuss trees and their cycles, weather, bugs, animals, really anything the children can think of. I carry a bag with my first aid kit, list of children, so forth; but I also bring rubbing paper for leaves, and baggies for pine cones or other interesting finds. I bring “bug kit” with plastic tweezers and magnifying glasses for the kids: they really enjoy getting hands on and looking at bugs or anything that they can find.