Company family day ideas everyone will remember

A family day is when a company opens its doors, or heads to a park or country venue, so employees can bring their families along. Done well, it does more for team spirit than many a company dinner: people get to know each other away from their desks and children see where their parents work. Here are some company family day ideas, including the part that is most often improvised and most noticed: the food.

Before you start: four key decisions

The date

A Saturday in spring or early autumn is the most common choice. Avoid bank holiday weekends and school holidays. Give at least two months’ notice so families can save the date.

The venue

It could be your own premises, if there is outdoor space, or a park, a country estate or a sports club. Check there is shade, enough toilets, covered areas in case of rain and power points for the carts and activities.

The timing

Four to six hours is ideal. Any longer tires out young children; any shorter and people don’t have time to relax. A late-morning to mid-afternoon format, with lunch in the middle, works very well.

The guests

Ask on the sign-up form how many adults and children are coming, and their ages. That lets you size activities and food, and flag allergies and intolerances in good time.

Activity ideas by age

• Little ones: face painting, craft workshops, storytelling and a quiet play area.
• Ages 6 to 12: treasure hunts, giant games, team challenges and a workshop with something to take home.
• Teenagers: skill challenges, video games or simulators and anything with a leaderboard.
• Adults: inter-department tournaments, a guided tour of the company and, above all, time to chat.
• Everyone: a branded photo booth and a prize-giving at the end.

A good rule: always have something going on for every age group, but don’t pack the schedule so tightly that nobody can breathe.

Food: why carts suit a family day

At a family day, food has to be easy to eat standing up, appeal to children and adults alike and be served without endless queues. Food carts tick all three boxes, and they are an activity in themselves: children love watching candy floss being spun or waffles being cooked.

In the morning: something sweet to start

The waffle cart makes around 50 an hour and fills the venue with the smell of breakfast. Pair it with fresh orange juice for anyone who wants something lighter. Remember that waffles contain gluten, egg and milk.

At lunchtime: savoury and quick

The hot dog cart serves around 50 an hour and goes down well with every age group. It works with steam and needs about 30 minutes to heat up before the first batch, so switch it on before lunch. A vegan version is available on request. For more variety, add mini burgers or pizza.

In the afternoon: the children’s moment

• Candy floss. The candy floss cart is the children’s favourite. You can choose the colour: the company colour looks great in photos.
• Popcorn, sweet or salted, in boxes printed with your logo.
• Ice cream, soft-serve or artisan, on hot days.
• Slushies. In summer, the slush cart serves around 50 cups an hour, free from gluten and dairy. Keep it in the shade.

A sample timetable

For around 300 people, employees and families together:

• 10:30. Arrival and welcome. Waffle cart and orange juice.
• 11:00. Activities by age group begin.
• 12:30. Savoury carts are switched on.
• 13:30. Lunch with two or three savoury carts spread around the venue.
• 15:00. Tournaments and team challenges. Candy floss, popcorn and ice cream or slushies open.
• 17:00. Prize-giving and group photo.
• 17:30. Goodbyes.

How many carts to have

Most savoury carts serve around 50 portions an hour. If 300 people eat over an hour and a half, you need at least three savoury carts so nobody waits too long. The afternoon sweet carts cope better because people drift over at different times. We will help you adjust it to the sign-ups.

Add the company brand, warmly

A family day is an internal branding exercise. Brand the carts with your logo, print popcorn boxes with a message for families or make the candy floss in your corporate colour. A friendly touch such as “Thanks for coming” works better than a sales message.

You will find more ideas for days like this on our corporate event food carts page.

Common family day mistakes

• Planning it only for children. Adults need to enjoy it too, or they will leave early.
• One queue for food. With a single food point, lunchtime turns into a long wait. Spread several carts around.
• Long speeches. A short welcome from management is enough; the day belongs to the families.
• No plan B for rain. Book a covered area even if the forecast is good.
• Switching carts on late. Some, like the hot dog cart, need time to heat up before serving.

Checklist

• Date fixed and two months’ notice given.
• Sign-up with number of adults, children, ages and allergies.
• Venue with shade, toilets, cover and power points.
• Activities for every age, with free time in between.
• Food from carts: something sweet, something savoury, plus gluten-free and vegan options.
• A photographer or photo booth and a prize-giving to finish.

Frequently asked questions

Can the carts work outdoors?

Yes. They need a power point nearby and must be under cover if rain is forecast. Ice cream and slush carts work best in the shade.

Which carts have options for people with allergies?

Popcorn and nachos are corn, so gluten-free; slushies contain no gluten or dairy; vegan hot dogs, burgers and pizzas are available on request. We send you each cart’s ingredient sheet.

Do you organise the activities too?

Our speciality here is food carts, but United Events organises complete events. Tell us what you need when you request a quote.