With summer winding down and the kids heading back to school soon, make the most of the last few warm days of August and head outside with your family for a quintessential summer activity- a picnic!

Whether you picnic in the park, at the beach, or even at the dinner table, here are some essentials for making your picnic perfect:

• Make sure you set the picnic mood with a fun tablecloth, whether the traditional red and white checked, a fun beach towel, or any type of table-sized cloth.
  
• Don’t forget to bring some simple games along for after you eat – a deck of cards, a soccer ball to kick around, badminton, a frisbee, anything that has you enjoying the fresh air!
  
• If you picnic in the house, use paper plates & napkins, and add a candle or two for an outdoor feel

Now, for the food…picnic food should be simple, easy cleanup time, and most importantly – mess free! For kids, here are some essentials to pack:

• Little PB & J sandwiches, or other tea-size sandwiches for easy eating
  
• Put together some kebobs with fruit that’s in season (think watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries) or mix up a quick fruit salad
  
• As for drinks, bring along a thermos of fresh lemonade and individual juice boxes for the kids
  
• And of course, no picnic is complete without ants on a log (celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins on top).

Don’t forget some non-edible essentials like sunscreen, bug spray, a flashlight, and a camera to capture all of the fun! Pile everything into a basket or a bag (or one of our fun buckets!), and you’re set to picnic! Check out our Picnic Essentials Pinterest board, too!