Invited to or hosting a teddy bear’s picnic and wondering which to bring to make it really great? Aside from a teddy bear/soft toy, there are lots of cute and imaginative items you could add to make it really special and fun for a toddler. Here are our top picks for how to create a great teddy bear’s picnic, from cupcakes and crockery to garden games and treasure hunts.
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A fun way of preparing food for a teddy bear’s picnic can be to ask every guest to bring a plate of food to share. So one child could bring fruit, another sandwiches, another crackers, jellies and so on. Just be sure to check allergies if you’re using this idea.
2. Yummy Cupcakes On A Stand
You can get a cardboard cupcake stand really cheaply from places like Card Factory or The Works. Set this up in the centre of your picnic rug with mini cupcakes on for each child (and their soft toy). They’ll enjoy seeing the cupcakes as a centrepiece and you can even set the teddy bears up in a circle around the cakes. Here are some fun bakes to make with your toddler to bring to the picnic.
3. Cute Crockery For The Soft Toys
As well as plates and dishes for your little one, adding in a toy picnic set that the children can seat their teddy bears round can make it really fun.
4. A Real Picnic Hamper
Does your child enjoy opening and shutting boxes? A real picnic hamper can make them feel really grown-up and like they’re on a proper picnic. An adult-sized hamper will also have oodles of space for all the extra bits and bobs, too.
5. Colourful Bunting Or Streamers – Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Whether you’re going for nursery colours, or just your toddler’s favourite colour /patterns, a string of colourful bunting can make the occasion feel extra special. Not sure what to hang it from? A nearby tree can be ideal, or even some playground equipment.
6. Creative Paper Plates And Felt Tips Or Crayons
Want a crafting activity before getting stuck into all that food? With paper plates and some colouring pens, you’ve got an easy go-to activity all ready on the rug. You can ‘award’ prizes at the end for ‘most colourful’, ‘stripiest’, ‘best picture’ etc. at the end. Everyone can get a prize – maybe ask children to choose a cake or other treat from the picnic spread.
7. Perfect Party Hats
Party hats can be fun, but don’t worry if your child doesn’t feel comfortable wearing one. Why not pop one on a nearby teddy or soft toy?
8. A Cute Book – Teddy Bear’s Picnic
There’s nothing better than snuggling up on a picnic rug while listening to a favourite story in the fresh air. So pop your toddler’s favourite board book into the bag while you’re packing the picnic.
9. An Amazing Musical Instrument/Party Blowers
Fancy a song at the end of your picnic? With a few shakers and bells, the children at the picnic can join in too. Embrace their sense of rhythm and make those trees come alive with the sound of music! Party blowers make a horn-like noise and unfurl when you blow them. So depending on how noisy you want your picnic to be, you can always substitute in tambourines, castanets or paper to crinkle!
10. Brilliant Building Blocks
Some children can find eating in a group a bit intense, so an easy thing to do is bring a tub of plastic or wooden blocks which can be set up to one side of the rug. Then it’s easy for a child to access if they fancy a bit of downtime.
What Games Can I Bring To A Teddy Bear’s Picnic?
Spice up your teddy bear’s picnic with some fun and simple games that everyone can get involved in.
1. Garden Games Or Jigsaws
Giant Jenga or Connect 4 can be a real winner (with the adults too) and provides a focus for the children after they’ve finished eating. Giant jigsaws can be easy to set up on the rug, too, but you may need a tray.
2. Pretend Money – Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Why not set up a small treasure hunt for before or after the food? Hide twenty or so plastic golden coins around the immediate area and see if everyone can find one. They can bring the coins to the picnic rug and pop them in a box to collect them back in or exchange for a small prize.
3. Soft Toys Hide And Seek
If you’re in a wood or garden, you could run an alternative treasure hunt idea where the children hide their soft toys (with adult supervision, of course!) up trees and in the undergrowth for each other to find. Just ‘bear’ in mind (see what we did there?) that some children might not want to part with their most favourite soft toy, in which case you could run it as a ‘preloved’ soft toy hunt, where every child ‘wins’ the toy they find. Ask other adults to supply the toys or use this as an opportunity to clear out old toys from home.
4. A Lucky Dip – Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Fill a box with scrap paper/tissue paper and hide one treat or surprise for each child inside. You can go really eco with a lucky dip. Simply ask each parent to bring an unwanted toy or party gift they’re ready to pass on to someone else.
5. Brilliant Beanbags
Beanbags are great for getting some of that energy out! With just a few beanbags you can do some simple throwing and catching games. If that hand-eye coordination just isn’t there yet, try throwing into a bucket or container, either in teams or individually.
What Can You Bring Instead Of A Teddy Bear To A Teddy Bear’s Picnic?
The words ‘teddy bear’s picnic’ is music to some parents’ ears, but can strike trepidation in some. What if my child doesn’t actually own a teddy bear? Or even like any soft toy? Don’t worry, there’s a multitude of cute and imaginative toys you can bring instead, all while staying within the remit of a teddy bear picnic.
1. A Painted Pebble
Some children get attached to objects (like rocks and stones) far more than soft toys, so why not bring your favourite pebble along to the picnic? Super cute and inconspicuous, your toddler can hold their painted pebble in their hand or hide it under the corner of a plate.
2. A Toy Dinosaur Or Unicorn – Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Who says your child’s favourite toy dinosaur or unicorn can’t come along too? Hard plastic dinosaurs are ideal as they’re easy to wipe clean after all those sticky fingers! And we all know that toy unicorns love picnics.
3. A Toy Car
Hot Wheels style cars are super cute and small enough to pop in a bag or pocket.
4. A Lego Minifigure or Duplo Person/Animal
Bring your toddler’s favourite Duplo figure or Lego friend. You can set these up at the side of the plates to enjoy the food too!
Also look at our blog about making a trail using your Lego figures hidden round the garden – this can be a really fun activity to do.
5. A Cute Umbrella – Teddy Bear’s Picnic
You can’t go wrong with an umbrella! Whether it’s rain or shine, a cute toddler umbrella will help keep your little one (and their friends) dry or protected from the sun.
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