Picnic Safety

It's a lovely day and what better way to spend your time than loading up the car and setting off to the countryside for a family picnic.

In theory that's a great idea, but in practice, there are many picnic safety elements to take into consideration to ensure your day is as enjoyable and trouble free as possible.

Listed below are a few picnic safety pointers.

* Before laying out the blanket and unpacking the food and drink, have a good look around the site you have chosen making sure there are no obvious problems on the ground and surrounding areas.
* Picnic safety affects everyone, and although the enjoyment of the picnic is intended for all family members, children have a tendency to stray off sometimes and do their own thing. Make sure to keep them involved with setting up your picnic and within close proximity for the duration of the day
* Be sensible with your choice of clothes for your picnic. Depending on the landscape of your site, you may need to wear clothes which will protect you from bramble bushes or bracken. If you are planning to stay out all day, take a warm top and a pair of jeans with you in case it comes in a bit chilly later.
* With picnic safety in mind, it makes sense to check in with the park ranger or station if you are picnicking in a supervised area. It is best to inform the ranger of your location so he will know where to find you should an emergency situation arise. If swimming is one of the activities you will partake in whilst on your picnic, the person in charge of the park will be able to tell you about safe bathing and likewise, which areas are off limits.
* Most of us love animals and you are likely to come across various species whilst picnicking. You should make sure your children are educated about proper behavior towards animals, both the wild ones and the ones which belong to other picnicking families. Once again, the park ranger will be able to advise you about type of animals you may encounter in the park.
* Keep an eye on the weather - you may need to pack away quickly if the rain decides to fall.
* Picnic safety is not just about location. You are going to be eating some delicious food throughout the day so you must ensure you always handle food hygienically and keep it chilled and out of the sun. If you do not do this, it can lead to stomach upsets or even worse, food poisoning. Have lots of water available to prevent dehydration.
* Take care of your skin, and especially the children's skin when sitting in the sun for a long time. If you are not used to the rays, make sure you use a high protection sun screen and spell your time in the sun with time in the shade. Wearing a hat is always a good idea too! Just in case you get too much sun on your head, a hat will stop the dizziness and nausea.

So now you are aware of all the picnic safety tips, as long as you put the tips into practice, there is absolutely no reason why you should not have a fantastic day out with the family.