Thinking of a fun activity to do with the kids this summer?
Have you thought about fruit picking?
It’s a really fun and relatively cheap way to entertain little ones ( and big ones!) as you usually only pay for the amount you eat. The only downside is, it’s really is a fine weather activity, as fruit is not best picked when wet, as it can get squishy and moldy. But being outside in the fresh air is a great way to spend a few hours and showing children where their food actually comes from, is a worthwhile activity. It might even encourage healthy eating and is a brilliant way of getting a perhaps fussy toddler to eat their now 7 a day recommendation! And, whilst it’s true you can get fresh strawberries all year round, nothing beats the taste of a just picked strawberry- especially if it’s being handed to you by a very proud toddler!
A bit of handy advice! Make sure you think about what your child will be dressed in! There is no point kitting them out in their finest dress or t-shirt, as they are guaranteed to get a bit (OK, a lot!) of bright red juice on their clothing, as they sample what they’ve picked. Maybe one dress code essential is a bandana bib, as this will help protect what they are wearing. Whatever you decide make sure it’s nothing too new, if you are worried about stains. Best to wear closed toe shoes or wellies too.
But why stop with just picking strawberries? There are all sorts of berries to choose from, including blackberries and raspberries, as well as vegetables like carrots, broccoli and even sweet corn!
All you need to do is check out where your local PYO Fruit farm is and which fruits and vegetables are in season.
Extend the activity at home If you want to, you can extend this activity at home, by making fruit pies, smoothies or vegetable juices - you might just want to check out our messy play aprons first! So what do you think- will you give it a go?! PS - don’t forget to pack the suncream, a sun hat, bandana bib and maybe even a change of clothes!