Teddy Bear Picnic

I apologize in advance. This is one of those memory posts I can refer to when someone says, "how did we do that teddy bear picnic thing last year?"

Of course the next problem will be remembering I created this post.  ;>)

It was a case of necessity:  field trips cost money. Plus we had waited too long to call The Gilbert House to secure a date that worked for our schedule.

An email went out to parents a few days prior to the picnic and permission slips went home the day before. Children were asked to bring a small stuffed animal that could go outside, an umbrella and their backpack.
The night before, lunch bags, mini bagels, whipped cream cheese, baby carrots, sliced apples, mini cookies and short bottled water, were purchased.

When they arrived they wrote their names (could decorate next year?) on a lunch bag and put it in their cubby. After carpet time they had two jobs to complete before we could pack up and walk to the park: make their lunch and put their foam kite together.

Parents manned the lunch assembly table. Lunch items were portioned into baggies (carrots and apples together). Children spread cream cheese on their mini bagel half before putting it into a baggie.
Bear faces were drawn with sharpies on their foam plate kites. Adults poked holes for the strings, children taped string and tails onto the plate.
At pack-up time, everything (even stuffed animals) was tucked into backpacks. A red wagon was brought along for blankets and any needed extras. We opened umbrellas on the way to the park for our parade.

Foam plate kite: bear face drawn on bottom of the plate, hole poked about 3.5" from top, string pushed through from bottom and taped to other side, 2 light weight strips for a tail taped on.
Prep: String was cut and a craft stick was taped to one end. Tails cut.
Brainstorm ideas on how to make this a longer task for the children. Maybe bear face could be drawn and cut from brown paper and then glued on? Be sure to do test plates first.