Essential Beginner’s Guide: Pack These 6 Items for Your First Picnic

▲The soul of a picnic is the picnic mat—make sure to bring one that’s both pretty and big enough. (Photo provided by Lailai)

Tourism Center / General Report

Spring, with its blooming flowers and gentle breeze, is the perfect season for an outing or a picnic. Lay out a beautiful picnic mat, bring your own adorable homemade treats, and enjoy playful moments with friends—or simply relax alone, admire the scenery, or read a book. Seeing everyone’s Instagram posts filled with spring picnic photos must have gotten you inspired. Here are 6 essential tips every beginner should know before their first picnic, telling you what “gear” to prepare to help you nail your first picnic experience right away.

1. A Picnic Mat That’s “Big” Enough

When it comes to picnics, the picnic mat is absolutely key. Beyond the pattern, size and material are also important considerations. Most picnic mats are made from waterproof materials to prevent ground moisture or spilled drinks from seeping through. Picnic mats come in thin or slightly thicker versions—if you’re worried about getting sore after sitting for a while, opt for a slightly thicker one. When choosing a mat, also pay attention to the dimensions, as most products list the length and width, so you can estimate how many people it can accommodate based on your height.

2. Food That Won’t Spoil Easily and Is Easy to Carry

Presentation matters for picnics. What kind of food can look good when arranged, be convenient to eat, and not spoil easily? Consider bringing cookies, sandwiches, sushi, bread, fruits, salad, drinks, etc.

3. A Picnic Basket with Insulation and Cooling Features

Once you’ve prepared the food, it’s time to find the right container. Cute food containers + a picnic basket become quite important here. While wicker picnic baskets have great ambiance, they usually lack insulation or cooling capabilities. If you insist on using a wicker basket, it’s recommended to pack items in containers first, then place them in small cooling bags before putting them in the basket, or directly choose a picnic basket with insulation and cooling features.

4. Tissues, Wet Wipes, and Other Cleaning Supplies

Outdoors isn’t as convenient as at home, so bringing tissues, wet wipes, and other cleaning supplies is essential. You won’t miss them until you need them—whether it’s wiping your hands after eating or cleaning up spilled drinks, tissues will come to the rescue. Want an elegant picnic? Don’t skip the cleaning supplies.

5. Sunscreen and Mosquito Protection

Picnic spots are often in parks, riverbanks, or large grassy areas, where mosquitoes are hard to avoid. Getting bitten can really ruin your mood, so bringing mosquito repellent spray for touch-ups is a must. If you want to connect with nature without getting sunburned, sunscreen, umbrellas, and hats are also indispensable.

6. Small Tools (Forks, Plates, Cups, etc.)

Arrive at your picnic spot, take in the view, snap some photos—and now you’re getting a little hungry. Time to dig into the carefully prepared meal, but eating with your hands might feel a bit crude. If you’ve brought cute little forks along with plates and cups, having a set of utensils per person is not only hygienic but also looks great.