What do you take to the park, a basket or a backpack?

[LizzieMum]

Just curious in what other parents do in regards to the local park.

Our backyard is terrible, so I plan to use our local park quite a bit.  I have an image in my head of taking a basket containing a bit of food, some water, some nappies (diapers), perhaps my jacket, my phone and car keys.  We might sit on the ground for a while and eat our lunch or have a feed and then a play.

When the kids are a bit older, they could run off and play on the equipment and I will help them on the equipment, but I can just see my basket of stuff disappearing (someone steals it) when my eyes are off it for a second.

Would I be better off keeping my stuff in a backpack and when we move over to the play equipment, just sling the bag over my back and that way I don't have to worry about keeping my eye not only on the kids but on my stuff too?

[MJB]

I take a basket for picnics. My big kids don't need me to watch or help them at the park, but I chase my toddler around and keep an eye on our stuff at the same time. It'd be a pain to pick everything up every time she ran off. I keep diapers and my phone/wallet in my purse, which I can carry with me. 

[crunchy_mommy]

Well it depends where you live. Around here, people just leave their stuff wherever and no one takes it, but I would imagine that would be different in NYC or something. The only people at parks and playgrounds here are families with kids or people jogging -- nothing sketchy. Though I wouldn't leave a purse out, that's too tempting... but no one is really interested in a lunch bag or basket of clothes and diapers.

If you're really worried, you can pack a basket with the food etc. and have a small backpack/purse/whatever for your keys & wallet and keep that on you. For certain places we visit, I lock my wallet in the car (sometimes taking out my license & credit card to bring along) and keep my keys in my pocket.

But I'm guessing you don't live in the US, so I'm not sure what it's like where you live!

[*bejeweled*]

I'd take a basket and then have a little tiny bag I could wear diagnonally across my chest. I'd keep my credit cards and keys and phone in the little bag. That way I'd be hands free, but able to keep the important stuff on me.

[AnnaBees Mama]

We don't really use baskets in our house because we don't have any. We use a backpack (large or small depending on our needs for that outing) or a big beach bag. In our neighborhood, bags are fine to be left alone but within sight. I do like to carry my phone and car keys on me though (either in DD's carrier or in my pocket).

[limabean]

Whatever I use to carry a picnic to the park is too big to lug around the playground, so I leave it on the picnic blanket or bench and just carry a tiny bag with my keys, phone, and wallet while chasing the kids around the playground. A small messenger-style bag is nice because it leaves you hands-free. I guess a backpack would be nice for that too, but you'd still probably want to leave the majority of your picnic stuff on the ground. 

[LizzieMum]

Wow, thanks for the suggestion of a little bag for me and a basket for the big stuff.  I didn't think of that, lol.

I already have the perfect purse, it does sling diagonally across my body and I am hands free.  You're right, who would want to steal lunches and a blanket (well, only someone desperate) and if it goes, it's not the end of the world.

Thanks so much 

[pianojazzgirl]

Yes, I do what others have suggested: a bigger bag left on the bench/blanket, and a purse that I carry with me.

[mommariffic]

We are lucky we have a small park on my street so I normally go with some water and my cell phone. 

Other times I just bring a big tote and I leave it wherever  -- I try to stay within eyes-view of the stuff but my motto is if someone wants to steal the $10 I keep and dried fruit go for it. I don't like being weighed down by a backpack so yeah, I just trust it won't get taken. 

[funkymamajoy]

I take a basket or cloth bag with our food and a small back pack with a change of clothes for the toddler. I can usually see our stuff so I don't cart it along with me. My phone and keys are in my pocket, purse is left in the car.

[WildinTheory]

I never leave home without my stroller.  Not that either of my kiddos sat in it that much, but I love how I can load it up with all the stuff we need.  Waterbottles on top in the holders near the handle bar.  Keys and phone in the zippered pocket.  Beach blanket in the basket underneath.  Bag over the handle bars loaded with diapers, snacks, a hat or two, suncreen, and all kinds of thing (cash in case we need it, etc.)  That way, when I park the stroller off to the side of the playground all of our things are together, up off the ground, easy to move if we're heading somewhere else.  I live in a place where it's perfectly safe to leave your stroller nearby on one will touch it.  Plus I like not having to carry whatever we need.  We can include a frisbee, a ball or pretty much anything we need without any trouble.  It's not exactly "travelling light" but it works for us.

[meemee]

dd loooooved loved loved the basket so that's what i took. 

and wore pants with pockets where i put my wallet (i stopped carrying a purse for a v. long time and still dont really do so coz of all the treasures that landed in there) and keys and phone in.

i didnt really care about the basket. just left it somewhere out of the way if we were finished. if someone wanted our lunch more power to them. at least i fed a hungry soul.