Woohoo! Summer’s here! Time to break out the BBQ and head to the park for a…

Ah. That’s right. That whole social distancing thing is still happening – and it’s as important as ever. But let’s face it: we’ve been doing our best for a while now. Don’t we all deserve a bit of sunshine?!

London-based designer Paul Cocksedge sure does. His latest invention, called Here Comes The Sun, is a specially designed picnic blanket that ensures safe distances. Each person gets their own pad, while the rest of the “blanket” provides precise social distance guidelines.

The artist says he chose the design for its “pleasing shape” and because it reflects the natural way humans gather.

The best part: You can make your own!

Image source: Dezeen

Luckily for all of us, Cocksedge is a generous guy. His picnic blanket is an open-source design, meaning anyone can create their own. You can download the instructions from this link.

He made his own version out of felt, which he says is easy to cut and doesn’t fray – but you can use any material you like.

“Because of the open source nature of this we’re excited to see what else people experiment with,” he says. “You could use an old bedsheet, or maybe collage together some leftover materials you’ve got, like a jacket or a pair of jeans.”

We expect it to be a hit this summer – but let’s hope it’s not as popular next year.

And sadly, ants don’t seem to be following the rules… you’ll still have to ward them off. But at least you’ll be outside enjoying the summer!

What do you think – will you be heading out to the park this summer? If so, would you use one of these blankets?