Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Picnic Planner: Free Printable Planner for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Picnic Planner is a free printable planner for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children plan what food and drink to pack, what to sit on and which game to play. They draw or write in the boxes, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Page 1 has four boxes: Food I will pack, Drink I will pack, Something to sit on, and A game to play. Children can draw or write in each one, so it suits early writers and keen artists alike. As a suggestion, talk about who is coming and what you might carry before they start. Page 2 gives you notes and answers to check against.
- Food I will pack
- Drink I will pack
- Something to sit on
- A game to play
Ways to make the planner your own
Colour and label
Once the boxes are filled in, children can colour their drawings and add a word or short label to each one. This turns a quick plan into a neat poster to keep.
Plan for a theme
Pick a theme together, such as a teddy bears' picnic or a beach picnic. Ask how the theme might change the food, the seat and the game.
Make a tick list
Children can copy their choices into a short list on scrap paper. They tick each item as it goes into the bag. This is a good way to practise listing.
Plan a wet weather version
Fold a spare sheet of paper in half. Plan a sunny picnic on one side and an indoor picnic on the other, then compare the two.
Why plan a picnic?
A picnic is a meal eaten outdoors, often in a garden or park or on a day out. It is a familiar idea for most Year 2 children, which makes it a friendly way to practise planning. Children already know what they like to eat and play, so they can focus on organising their ideas rather than on something new.
Planning helps children think ahead. They decide what they need, put their ideas in order and make choices. A short list is also an early form of writing with a real purpose. When children see a list turn into a real bag of picnic things, they understand why making one is useful.
Check for allergies before packing any food, and ask an adult to prepare it. Adults should do any cutting, cooking or handling of hot food and drinks. Children can plan, draw and help to pack things that are safe for them to carry.
Skills and curriculum link
- Planning ahead
- Listing
- Making choices
- Drawing and writing ideas
- Talking about reasons
What children will be able to do
- I can list food and drinks for a picnic.
- I can list the kit we need to take.
- I can tick things off as I pack.
Ideas to help you guide the planning
- Think about the dayAsk what the weather might be like and who is coming. Different days and different people mean different choices.
- Think about carryingEverything has to be carried to the picnic spot. Ask which things are easy to carry and which might be awkward.
- Think about keeping food safeSome foods need to stay cool, and some people cannot eat certain foods. An adult should check both before anything is packed.
- Think about sharingA picnic is often shared. Ask whether everyone will enjoy the same food and the same game.
Key words
- PlanTo decide what you will do and what you need before you do it.
- ListA set of things written down one under another so you do not forget them.
- ChooseTo pick one thing from several things.
- KitThe things you need to take with you for an activity.
- AllergyWhen a food makes a person ill. Some people must never eat certain foods.
- TickA small mark that shows something is done or packed.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the four box headings aloud together. Let your child say what they might put in each one before they draw or write.
- Talk about each choice the first time. Ask, "Why did you pick that?" and listen to the reasons.
- Check against the notes and answers on page 2. Praise the thinking as well as the finished boxes.
- Come back to it another day, or plan a different kind of picnic. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Pick from a list of foods. Write down five or six foods and drinks on scrap paper and read them aloud. Let your child point to the ones they like best, then draw them in the boxes. Use pictures if writing feels hard.
To stretch confident children
Write a shopping list for the picnic. Ask your child to copy each food and drink from the planner onto a list. They can add how many of each they need, then tick items off as they are bought or packed.
Make it a game
Have a real picnic in the garden or at the park. Your child packs the bag using their plan and ticks things off. An adult prepares the food and handles anything hot. Then play the game they chose.
Talk about it
- What would be your favourite thing to eat at a picnic?
- Why did you choose that thing to sit on?
- What would you forget if you had no list?
- What would you take if the weather turned wet?
- Who would you invite, and what might they like?
- Which game could everyone play together?
Take it off the page
Indoor teddy picnic
Spread a blanket on the floor and invite some soft toys. Children set out pretend food, then say what each guest would like to eat and drink.
Draw a picnic map
Draw a picture map of a pretend picnic spot. Mark where to sit, where the game will be played and where the bag goes.
Pack the bag
Choose five safe things from around the house, such as a blanket, a book and a ball. Put them in a bag, then write a list and tick each one.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Talk about each choice and keep it relaxed. Check for allergies before any real food is packed, and let them draw if writing is tiring.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas, so it suits mixed ability groups, and it fits well with a topic on summer or on food.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider crafts plan alongside books, outdoor play and everyday talk. Brothers and sisters can each plan their own picnic and compare choices. The sheet is free to print again, so it can be revisited a few weeks later.
Where this fits in your child's learning
Before this sheet, children often draw pictures, label them and talk about what they like. They also learn that writing can have a purpose, such as a note or a short list. Planning a picnic builds on those first steps by asking them to sort ideas into groups.
After this sheet, children can move on to longer lists, simple shopping lists and short pieces of writing about a plan or an event. They can also start to think about numbers and amounts, such as how many of each item they will need. Making lists for real jobs keeps the skill useful.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What food would you choose, and why?
- What would you forget if you had no list?
- What would you take if the weather turned wet?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Picnic Planner for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Younger children can join in with support, and older children can use the stretch idea on page 2 to make it more challenging.
- What will children practise?
Children practise planning, listing and choosing. They plan food, drinks and kit for a picnic, and they can draw or write their ideas in the boxes on page 1.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another group, and use it as often as you like.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Give them a list of foods to pick from. Read the list aloud together, then let them point to their favourites and draw them. Drawing counts as a good answer on this sheet.
- Is Picnic Planner suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Children can add colour if they wish.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can add their own colour with pencils or crayons when they draw their picnic.
More like this
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.