Have A Picnic In Your Own Backyard

Everyone knows that you don’t have to go far for a great picnic. Just make some sandwiches and snacks, lay a blanket on the lawn, and you’re ready … even if it’s just the usual fixin’s AND it’s your own home! Enjoying a few hours outdoors is easy – just invite over your favorite people, fill a cooler with some food and drinks, and enjoy yourselves in a casual but fun setting. After all, isn’t that what spring and summer are all about?

Always in favor of simplicity, these ideas will help make your backyard the perfect place to host a picnic for two – or 10 – with little fuss.

Here they are!

1. Keep the food simple. Sandwiches, salads, and non-perishable items like chips and cookies are big crowd pleasers and don’t spoil. When you’re picnicking in your backyard, you don’t have to worry as much about forgetting things … just run inside! Easy!
2. Make one signature drink and have a few soft drinks and juices for kids. Nobody wants to play bartender at a picnic!
3. Create an atmosphere that’s different from your own backyard by setting out folding chairs and blankets. Bring out a wireless music player if you have one and set the tone. It should feel like a picnic in a real park.
4. Plan a few games for the kids. Croquet, badminton, horseshoes, whatever you and your friends enjoy. You could go a little crazy and have a trampoline or volleyball net for a splash of extra fun.
5. Remember to take photographs of everyone having a great time. After the party, you can send the actual photo (not an email or a Facebook tag) with a thank you note. That way, you’ll be giving your guests a memento and showing them you’re glad they came to party in your backyard! Photos tend to live online nowadays, but sending a real pic is easy and shows you went the extra mile.