Paper Crafts for Kids Two and Older: Picnic Time Basket

Kids two and older can make their own picnic basket and food plates with this paper craft for kids.

A play picnic basket made of paper can go along on a real outside picnic. Or, the paper craft picnic basket is a wonderful distraction on a rainy day or other day when the weather forces kids to stay inside.

First, make the paper craft with kids following these detailed instructions. Then enjoy the picnic!

What you Need to Make the Paper Picnic Basket

glue for paper, like Elmer’s Glue
four plain paper plates (what fun is a picnic for one person?)
one brown or white lunch bag (one for each picnic basket)
recycled magazines

Paper Craft Tools for the Make Picnic Time Basket

washable markers in all of your favorite colors
crayons
child-safe scissors

Adults: Paper Crafts Preparation

Use the recycled magazines you’ve been saving for kids crafts and cut out pictures of different healthy foods.

You can even do this ahead of time, and store the images in a collage file for future use in any kid craft or paper crafts.

Family magazines like Women’s Day or Family Circle, and others have many advertisements for food. Cut out the glossy food pictures so kids can use them in their picnic basket.

Here are some ideas on food pictures to cut out of magazines. Try to find healthy food pictures, to set a good example for little ones (HYPERLINK).

Some food images to cut out for paper crafts, including this picnic basket kid craft:

cheese
milk cartons
chicken or other meat
fresh fruit
vegetables
yogurt
one or two treats like a juice box, cookie or ice cream cone

Kids Craft Time: Make the Picnic Basket

With the bag still folded and flat, cut the top half of the bag off.

!Adults – For children 2-3 who do not yet use child scissors, you can cut the bags ahead of time.

Some design ideas: draw flowers or vines or other pictures that remind you of outside.

Or, draw lines up and down in one color, and then straight across in the other direction, to make criss crosses. That will make your paper craft picnic basket look like a real picnic basket!

Kids Craft Time: Prepare Picnic Food

Pick your favorite food images and glue them to the paper plates. You can use these plates when you have a pretend picnic.

What you Can Do With the Paper Picnic Basket

Kids – Take the picnic basket outside along with your favorite healthy snack, a bottle of water, and a parent or older sibling. Bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic.

Or, ask your parents for a blanket so you can enjoy a pretend picnic inside. You can still have a snack and a some water. Invite some friends, turn off the TV and play your favorite music.

Enjoy your new paper picnic basket.