A picnic can be a lot of fun, especially during beautiful and sunny Spring days. But sometimes we have to take the party inside – be it because of weather, global pandemics or other factors. An indoor picnic is the perfect way to enjoy time with the family or your partner. And it’s as easy as clearing out a space in your living room and making sure creature comforts are within arm’s reach.
This also applies if you ever feel like having a picnic during the Winter months, when it’s way too cold to even think about heading outside. And kids love it just as much as adults. So here are our favourite indoor picnic ideas.
Now let’s get started!
Location
The home picnic is the most comfortable and cozy option, because everything is easily accessible. No one knows your house better than you, so pick the most comfortable and spacious area.
If you have a garden or a spacious roof/ balcony, you could move your picnic there. You still get the benefits of having all the necessities around you while technically being outside – it’s the best of both worlds.
Bring out your blanket
Take out your favourite, cozy blanket and lay it down. You won’t have to worry about it getting dirty or covered in bugs. So if you have an attractive blanket or throw, you could use that.
Make sure to maximize your floor space. It should feel really spontaneous and fun.
Turn off technological devices
You want to make this as authentic as you can. This may be an indoor picnic, but the difference should stop there. Cellular devices and TV can sometimes take away from moments like this.
So turn off the TV, remove any laptops or phones. Maybe keep one phone nearby for mandatory picture taking.
Set the Scene
Just because it’s an indoor picnic, doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of greenery. If you have large indoor plants, gather them around the picnic area to set the mood. Some plants are natural born air purifiers, so you’d have that going for you as well.
Just make sure they’re not toxic to pets, if you have any. If you want to know more about this, here’s an article we wrote on plants that can be hazardous on your pet’s heath. Not every plant is deadly though. Here’s an article on plants that are safe to have around pets.
Get Comfortable
The great thing about a picnic indoors is that you don’t have to spend hours on damp, dirty soil. After you’ve laid out a cozy blanket, deck the space out with cushions or snugly pillows. You could even create a fun fort with your kids. Another option is to add some aromatic scented candles. The options are endless.
Choose Suitable Food
Even though you’re not going anywhere, you could still go all out with the food. This is a great way to get your kids involved as well.
Some indoor picnic treats: think cheese platters, finger foods, fruits and nuts, ham platters, finger sandwiches – the works! It should be a relaxed and flexible kind of situation. Leave the roasts for Sunday lunches.
For more inspiration, here’s an article from Chowhound on how to pair cheese with Summer fruits. Or, if you have a more sophisticated palette, try these recipes.
Prepare cocktails beforehand
When you’re stuck indoors, cocktail hour is any hour. Of course, you should always remember to drink responsibly. But when is a better time to dish out some great Cosmopolitans than an indoor picnic?
Remember to whip up a large batch of your favourite cocktail/s beforehand so you can top up as much as you want with little fuss. Here’s an easy cocktail recipe to get you started.
Serve with style
If you have an old picnic basket lying around, bring it out for the occasion. It’s cute to use, and it’ll help a lot during the gathering and cleaning up process.
Since you don’t need to worry about transporting food too far, ditch the plastic storage containers for pretty platters and bowls instead. Even indoor picnics can be elegant – maybe even more so than the traditional outdoor variety since it’s logistically easier.
Add music/ games to fit the mood
You can’t exactly play a board game successfully outdoors amidst tall grass and flowers. You’d be more focused on trying not to lose anything than you are playing the game.
With an indoor picnic, things are obviously much different. You could use this time to play loads of your favourite board games with the family, and spend some real quality time with them. Consider playing some music to further set the mood, and possibly sing along to.
The Spruce Home have some great indoor games you could play with your kids that will keep everyone entertained. Click the link to find out more.
Add your own special touch
This is where you can really turn an ordinary picnic up a notch. If you have a working fire place, why not roast some marshmallows? You could eat them as is, or make s’mores. If you have a huge library at hand, read aloud to each other. Got a guitar lying around? Sing along to tunes together. The world’s your oyster.
While a conventional outdoor picnic is fun and great, an indoor picnic offers its own list of amazing attributes. Once you’ve had a picnic free from bugs and sticky grass, you may never go back to the real thing.
