picnics:- is it me or are they are waste of time with toddlers?

[Spanglemum]

hi all,
with the sun having come out this week me and DD aged 17 months have been on a couple of picnics with some other mums and toddlers and older children.
At home DD eats in her high chair or occasionally sits on flooor for a snack but at both the picnics she just ran around with the food, grabbed other kids food, walked across the picnic blanket, climbed in all the other buggies, threw food etc etc. She was much worse than the other kids her age
I have decided to avoid picnics til next summer. I got completely frazzled and so did she, partly because she didn't really eat enough. I don't think she understands the concept of being outside and sitting still.
She's no angel but she's not like this normally

any tips?

Put her in the pushchair to eat. some people have children that sit - some people do not. I do not - and I am pretty sure nothing can be done to remedy this. sit her in the pushchair, feed her, then head away from the eaters!

Perfectly normal IME. Suggest trying to give her a big snack in the morning, and having a decent one ready for the afternoon, and not worrying about whether she eats at the picnic itself. I also make sure that I have one or two of her favourites for the picnic (currently chunks of beetroot!) so that she'll eat something, which I let her do whilst wandering around. It's only natural to be curious and want to explore when given the opportunity.

I know how you feel. I think the easiest way to avoid it, if you have it with you, is to strap her in the pushchair to eat. It's like a highchair but more fun as it is outside! I don't think either of my DSs ate much at a picnice though - too much going on. I suppose the only option is to plan to have an early tea (if you have a lunchtime picnic) to make up for it.

Can't help much more but I think the pushchair is your best bet. If she isn't happy perhaps some of the other mothers could be persuaded to do the same thing so she doesn't feel left out whilst the other children rush around.

DO you think she just got over-excited with the novelty of it all? But have to agree, at 17 months, she just won't get the concept of it . It'll be much easier next summer!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. i like the ones about the pushchair and the bog snack before and after.

hapy picniking those that can cope with it!