A picnic in the winter? Indoors with the kids? Sure - and bring the house plants!

By Carrie Lamont (carrielamont) February 24, 2008

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When the kids - and you, too - have been stuck inside for days, shake it up a little... have a picnic - inside! The very idea of a picnic indoors will confuse their little brains enough to give you a minute to think.

Having a picnic inside is a strange enough concept that it may make your kids give you funny looks when you announce it, but if they're just the right age, they'll go along with it. This is not an occasion for fried chicken and apple pie, but may be worth hard-boiled eggs and absolutely calls for cutting the crusts off the bread if that's how they like their sandwiches. Make a pitcher of lemonade - not a thermos of hot chocolate. Spread a tablecloth or a beach towel on the floor. If you usually use a picnic basket for picnics in the summer, then use it. (Be strange, but not too strange.) Use the tacky plastic summer cups and plates.

Surround your picnic site with house plants - just use whatever you have around. Have something on the sound system - my mother used to use a vinyl record (remember those?) of bird calls, or Tijuana Brass, the one with tropical sounds in the background. Maybe steel drum music will keep their little feet tapping. I'm sure nowadays you can download birdsongs for free onto your MP3 player, and then broadcast it through the house. Maybe even perfume the air?

And here's where everyone starts to giggle. (But you, Dear Reader, must maintain the suspension of disbelief.) The checkered tablecloth is on the floor. (You are sitting on the floor, too, of course.) You have the music of bird song field guides playing (without narration, if possible). If you spring for an entire CD of bird song, you will totally convince your small diners that they are not, in fact, on the floor eating tuna fish, but Somewhere Else entirely with the lush tropical flora of Florida (or is it still the living room?) in the background. You're all munching away on your egg salad discussing the weather ("is this the nicest spring day in history, or what?"). Never mind if it's cold and gray out the window.

Pack for all contingencies. You may find you need sunscreen and bug spray as well - it may not keep away the mosquitos but it ought to be good for a laugh. Sunglasses and hats may help keep the sun out, even if there isn't any. Consider binoculars for bird-watching - migratory birds as well as equatorial species often are spotted near the heating vents!

[This is also a fun birthday party idea for little children. Have everyone's celery and carrot sticks along with a half a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich, a juice box, and a party noisemaker in a brown paper lunch bag.]

So don't let the weather OUTSIDE determine what you do INSIDE! Here's the next answer to "what can I do-o-o-o-o?" Pack up the picnic basket, collect your children, and set off for the great indoors.

About Carrie Lamont   Carrie has two teenage daughters, which is exhausting all by itself. She has been married for seven delightful years to her husband, who works for an airline, facilitating Carrie's frequent need to travel. She is forever coming up with crazy and irreverent schemes and trying to get others to do it her way, but is learning to be humble as she ages. Carrie has a masters degree in Music, and sings as she gardens a small urban plot from her wheelchair.

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Subject: how fun

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Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on February 24, 2008 at 7:20 AM:

I'm long past the small children space but a little game playing is good for grownups too!!

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Posted by Seandor (from Springfield, MA) on February 24, 2008 at 3:42 PM:

Yes - a picnic for grownups - complete with fine wine . . . who knows where it could lead??? lol

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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on February 24, 2008 at 4:33 PM:

I actually never did this with my own kids, but I certainly remember my mother doing it with me and my siblings. I could always do the getting down to the floor part, it was the getting back up part that was in question!

Where's Grammyphoeb? I remember wanting to tell her this was coming up!

x, Carrie

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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on February 24, 2008 at 6:05 PM:

Great memories Carrie - and now we do it with our grandbabe :) Loved it!

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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on February 24, 2008 at 6:09 PM:

Thanks, Dea. You actually do this? My family is not the only nutty family? Guess not, ha ha, what was I thinking?

x, Carrie

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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on February 24, 2008 at 6:34 PM:

We're as different as they come Carrie - some may think it's nuts, but we call it fun :)

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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on February 24, 2008 at 6:37 PM:

LOL. It's fun to me! x, Carrie

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Posted by roybird (from Santa Fe, NM) on February 24, 2008 at 8:30 PM:

I have done this with a pre-school class. It makes for a great winter break. Thanks for reminding me.

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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on February 24, 2008 at 9:33 PM:

Really? It's great to hear! x, Carrie

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Posted by grammyphoeb (from Upper Hudson Valley, NY) on February 25, 2008 at 6:31 AM:

I missed it yesterday Carrie but I'm glad you mentioned it in another thread. Yesterday morning I didn't check the articles cause Colin spent the night so I was busy in the morning. After he left and I had some time, I just spent the time catching up on the threads. It is a wonderful idea Carrie and I'm sure Colin will love it. It will give us something fun to do this week. We'll have peanut butter and jelly, milk and fresh fruit!! Eleanor

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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on February 25, 2008 at 9:46 AM:

My mother honestly did this when i was a kid, and I remember it! Nowadays they have "wear PJs to school day" and stuff but nothing so completely convincing, I think. I mean, it's still school and you never forget that. I actually was thinking of Colin when I wrote this - I hope he has fun with it! I realize he may not appreciate the finer points of whether you're using the SPF you need for indoor sunburns, but that's for advanced picnickers.
x, Carrie

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Posted by CapeCodGardener (from Mid-Cape, MA) on February 25, 2008 at 5:43 PM:

Carrie, this is a darling idea and I'm going to use it with my two young grandkids next time they come over. I'm going to call it a beach picnic and we'll all wear bathing suits (probably draped with towels, etc., because DH likes to keep the house temp down around 65 F!)
The photos were so cute. What a nice memory to have of your mother.

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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on February 25, 2008 at 6:01 PM:

She remembers it too! x, Carrie

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Posted by Bettypauze (from Victoria Harbour, ON) on March 11, 2008 at 1:31 PM:

Now that would take away those winter blues..another DG member just posted that she set up a blow up swimming pool in basement so that the children could have a day at the beach during March break..

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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on March 11, 2008 at 3:27 PM:

That's brilliant! Why did my mother never think of that? I had a deprived childhood!!!!
xxx, Carrie

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