6 picnic ideas to keep the kids (and adults) away from gadgets

Filipino picnic usually is "pigging out."

Sometimes, families go on picnic but kids are still glued to their iPads and mobile phones while lying in the greens. It doesn't make sense to go out and keep attached to the gadgets. That's why I don't like the idea of having wifi in the parks. Sorry Dubai.

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In picnics, outside the eating time, usually parents are chatting while the kids are on their own. The time should be an interaction for all.

For picnics to make more sense, here are 6 ideas we could do to promote more personal interaction, active physical and mental boost, and REAL FUN.

1. Play board games
 Scabble, snakes and ladders, chess, monopoly, checkers, clue-do, uno and even jenga. These board games don't cost that much in toy stores in Dubai. You'll only realize how fun, engaging and challenging it is when you start.

2. Play Pinoy traditional games
Patintero, tumbang preso, piko, chinese garter, luksong baka, mataya-taya. These games don't cost a thing. The picnic is also a great way to introduce these traditional street games to our kids. Let's see if they'll laugh at us when we show how they're played.

3. Share book reviews
Surely there are spots in a park that is ideal to talk about books - just in case you're done dissecting what happened to Game of Thrones or your favorite Netflix series, and you're running out of topics to discuss.

4. Let kids get dirty
Go to parks with playgrounds and let them slide, stumble and get dirty on the sandpit. Unlike in the Philippine streets, there's no asphalt to worry about bruises and scratches. Just keep an eye on them.

5. Leave the ball at home
Balls are for hard courts and fields. Play non-ball sports like frisbee, badminton or fly kites on bigger parks.

6. Parlor games
To relax is not just to sit or lie down in the mat. To relax is to also sweat out doing some recreational activities. Prepare small prizes to encourage everyone to be competitive, somehow.

To make these happen, you must leave the iPads at home, and keep mobile phones away from kiddos.

See! We could do more than just eating and chatting, right? I'm sure there's more, lemme know in the comments please.

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Second photo from Photobucket