Picnics and barbecues are some of the most fun events during the summer. If you’re planning on hosting your own summer event, especially for family, there’s a lot of preparation that will go into this. Here are some steps to plan a great summer picnic for your loved ones:

1. Reach Out

Most likely, you won’t be able to cook and prepare enough food for the entire party. For specific dishes like potato and macaroni salad, or even certain condiments and accessories, reach out to another family member to see if they can help. Don’t be shy if someone offers to bring something – the more the merrier!

2. Venue

Choosing the perfect venue for this event is crucial for what you’re looking to do and how many people will be attending. If you have a big enough backyard, that’s certainly the best option since you don’t have to reserve anything. If not, look for scenic areas or parks where there are no fees and there’s plenty of room for everyone.

3. Shopping List

For a party of such magnitude, it’s important to plan out all the necessary foods, ingredients, and groceries well in advance. Start making a list the week before so that you’ll remember certain essentials throughout the week to add to the list.

4. Ice Up

One of the tricky essentials that may get overlooked is multiple bags of ice and coolers. Since you’ll likely be outdoors in the hot summer months, there are plenty of foods and beverages that need to stay cold all day long. Depending on how much food you have, make sure you have enough cooler space to account for it.

5. Ready the Grill

The last thing you want to happen is have a grill mishap after all the preparation you’ve done leading up to this big event. Make sure your propane tank has plenty of gas for cooking all day. Also, it’s important to clean all excess fat and grease off the grill before the event to avoid any accidents. Caked-on grease is a fire hazard, and you probably don’t want that on your food anyway.

6. Fun and Games

Picnics and barbecues are not only about the food and drinks – make sure to plan out some fun summer activities! Try to set up a scavenger hunt ahead of time to keep the kids busy for hours. Bring board games, a Frisbee or football, or bocce ball for more games for your family and friends to enjoy.

Written by Alicia Overby - Founder & President of Baby Elephant Ears

Alicia is wife, mother, and creator of Baby Elephant Ears. Baby Elephant Ears was created out of parental concern, not financial desire. In 2005, when their second child was an infant, he cried all the time and just couldn't seem to get comfortable.

After seeking advice and suggestion from the medical community and alternative medicine, they eventually ended up in the chiropractors office where their baby was successfully treated for asubluxation, discomfort most likely the result of the strain during labor, which was now being exacerbated by the normal lack of infant neck strength. Only proper neck, head, and back alignment would offer him relief. When they couldn't find a product to give their baby the necessary support, Alicia took matters into her own hands and crafted her own infant support pillow. The first Baby Elephant Ears was born!

For more information, visit www.babyelephantears.com.

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