Spring is a very busy time of the year; with baseball, recitals, graduations and all the end-of-the-year traditions, sometimes, family times of togetherness seem to get pushed out.

A quick family picnic can be put in the schedule of spring-time business. A picnic is not hard to plan as you try to keep the family together. The Eastern Shore offers a perfect scene for quick or prolonged family picnics — whatever fits your schedule. 

Picnics can take on the form of an inexpensive family activity carefully planned out. The youngest of children to your older children enjoy the planning, the outdoors and delicious foods of a picnic.  Whether there are just two family members or more, take the time with your child to enjoy special togetherness that a picnic offers.

Even your infants and toddlers can be a part of the meal-planning process. It’s best to keep the meal simple to tasty foods that both children and adults enjoy. Language skills and thinking skills can be developed and encouraged when planning a family picnic. Making a list of foods that they would like to take on their picnic can be a part of a language arts lesson. Letting them see the list as you go over the different foods they want to bring can encourage reading readiness in your young preschooler.

Picnic baskets — whatever form or size — are not that expensive. Picnic baskets can be made from brown paper bags and vegetable baskets, and actual picnic baskets can be purchased very inexpensively. Ask your child what is needed in the picnic basket. Guide them to respond to the simple necessities of plates, cups, utensils, napkins and wipes to clean hands.

Let your young child count out the necessities that are needed for your family and friends; this is a math lesson. 

Have your youngest child place the items in the picnic basket. This teaches that young preschooler about sorting or even patterning. Be sure to grab a quilt or blanket for your infant to crawl on; bring the stroller as well.

When you get to your picnic destination let your young child set the table. This covers the math skills of one-to-one correspondence and patterning.

Capture the fun of spring, as a family!

Beth Pinyerd lives in Daphne and serves as director of younger children at Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort.

Her column appears regularly in The Bulletin.