A cement mixer rumbles past and a bus wheezes to a stop in front of our picnic blanket. My five-year-old grabs another fistful of Goldfish Crackers and cheers as a firetruck wails past. Before having kids, I never would?ve noticed this strange triangle of grass with a view of the train tracks that is surrounded by roads on all sides, and I certainly wouldn?t have pegged it as a perfect picnic spot. But when picnicking with kids, ?perfect? sometimes has a different aesthetic. A GO train zooms by and my daughter claps her hands. ?This is the best picnic ever!? she insists, and it very well might be.
Instagram will make you believe that picnics have to be colour-coordinated affairs, complete with gingham, idyllic views, fig-dotted charcuterie boards and high-end baskets, but don?t believe those perfect little squares! Picnics can be simple and easy, and when you can?t stand the thought of strapping your kids into their booster seats for yet another meal or sweeping up smushed blueberries from the far corners of the kitchen, toss some crackers and cheese in a bag and head outside.  Here are five quick tips to get you and your kids picnicking this summer:
1. Don?t overthink the food
I like to go simple on a picnic and bring food I know the kids will eat (because who needs another food battle). Sometimes I?ll throw containers of leftovers into the picnic bag, sometimes I?ll go the sandwich route, but I generally take a snack approach to picnicking?crackers, cheese, pickles, berr...