Event Planning: 25 Company Family Fun Day Tips
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Last Updated: September 9, 2026
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Reviewed by Event Study Team
- Event Industry Insights
A company family fun day is an organised workplace event where employees can bring their families together for a day of activities, entertainment, food, and socialising. Businesses organise these events to show employee appreciation, encourage family engagement, strengthen team relationships, and improve morale.
A well-planned family fun day can also support a positive workplace culture by giving employees an opportunity to connect outside their usual work environment. This article covers the key areas of planning, including activities, safety, food, accessibility, entertainment, event organisation, and post-event follow-up.
How Do You Plan a Company Family Fun Day?
Plan a company family fun day by defining its purpose, estimating attendance, setting a realistic budget, choosing a suitable date and venue, creating a planning timeline, assigning responsibilities, and coordinating suppliers. Starting with these basics gives the event a clear structure before you arrange individual activities and entertainment.
1. Define the Purpose
Decide what you want your fun day to achieve before planning activities. Focus on appreciation, team building, or celebrating milestones.
2. Set a Realistic Budget
Set a clear budget before making bookings. Prioritize key areas and keep a contingency fund for unexpected expenses.
3. Choose Date and Time
Pick a practical time for employees and families. Weekends are ideal to avoid work and school schedule conflicts.
4. Choose a Venue
Select a venue that comfortably accommodates guests. Check parking, accessibility, and facility needs beforehand.
5. Plan Layout & Zones
Create separate zones for activities and rest. Clear layouts improve crowd flow and prevent congestion.
6. Plan for All Ages
Offer a mix of activities for different age groups. Cater to young children, teens, parents, and mixed groups.
7. Team Games & Sports
Include simple games to encourage social interaction. Relays and team challenges build energy and fun.
8. Inflatables & Attractions
Add high-energy outdoor attractions like bouncy castles. Always verify supplier credentials and safety measures.
9. Fairground Games
Incorporate quick classic games for all ages. Hook-a-duck and mini-golf allow flexible participation.
10. Professional Entertainment
Hire magicians, DJs, or performers to maintain engagement. Entertainment fills gaps between scheduled activities.
11. Main Focal Point
Create a central stage for announcements and shows. A main hub gives the event clear structure and flow.
12. Interactive Workshops
Provide creative craft or science stations. Workshops offer a calm alternative to high-energy sports.
13. Catering & Food
Offer varied food for adults and kids. Plan food stations to reduce queues and accommodate dietary needs.
14. Water & Drinks
Provide accessible hydration points across the venue. Essential for warm weather and active outdoor days.
15. Seating & Rest Areas
Set up shaded seating and quiet zones. Guests need spaces to relax, eat, and take a break.
16. Accessible & Inclusive
Ensure step-free access and inclusive options. Cater to varied mobility, sensory, and dietary needs.
17. Risk Assessment
Identify safety hazards and establish controls. Protect guests across inflatables, food, and sports.
18. First Aid Procedures
Set up clear first aid points and emergency routes. Ensure trained medical staff are on-site.
19. Bad Weather Backup
Prepare indoor alternatives or marquees. Have a solid plan ready for rain, wind, or extreme heat.
20. Manage Suppliers
Use clear contracts and schedules for vendors. Coordinate arrival times and precise staff responsibilities.
21. Promote Early
Announce the event well in advance. Use emails, posters, and registration forms to track numbers.
22. Clear Signage
Place visible signs for facilities and zones. Good directions reduce confusion and direct traffic.
23. Prizes & Giveaways
Offer medals, small toys, or brand merchandise. Rewards encourage active participation in games.
24. Capture Memories
Hire a photographer to record highlights. Collect natural team and family photos with proper consent.
25. Collect Feedback
Send post-event surveys to attendees. Gather insights on activities and catering to improve future events.
1. Define the Purpose of Your Family Fun Day
Start by defining exactly what you want the company family fun day to achieve. The purpose could be employee appreciation, family engagement, team building, community building, or celebrating a company milestone. A clear objective helps shape every other event decision.
Employee Appreciation
If the main goal is recognising employees, focus on relaxation, entertainment, food, and enjoyable activities. The budget may prioritise catering, prizes, live entertainment, and comfortable facilities.
Family Engagement
For family engagement, design the event around different ages and interests. Include children’s games, family-friendly entertainment, food options, and activities that parents and children can enjoy together.
Team Building
If the goal is team building, choose activities that encourage communication and cooperation. Team games, sports, challenges, and interactive activities can help employees build relationships in a less formal environment.
Community Building
A family fun day can also support community building by bringing employees, families, and colleagues together. A welcoming venue, shared activities, food areas, and informal entertainment can encourage people to interact.
Celebrating a Company Milestone
For a company anniversary, major achievement, or other milestone, the event may require a more celebratory format. Consider branded decorations, speeches, awards, entertainment, photography, and activities that reflect the company’s achievement.
The purpose should influence the venue, activities, budget, catering, entertainment, and overall event design. Defining the objective first makes it easier to decide what to include and where to allocate your resources.
2. Set a Realistic Event Budget
Set a realistic budget before booking suppliers or confirming activities for your company family fun day. A clear budget helps you understand what you can afford and prevents unexpected expenses from affecting the event later.
Venue Hire
Venue hire can be one of the largest costs. Consider the space required for employees and families, parking, seating, toilets, indoor areas, outdoor facilities, and any venue-specific charges.
Entertainment and Activities
Budget for games, sports, inflatables, performers, DJs, children’s entertainment, workshops, and other activities. Get clear quotes and check whether equipment, staff, and setup are included.
Catering
Include food and drinks for employees and family members. Consider different dietary requirements and whether children need separate meal options. Check whether catering includes service staff, equipment, and cleanup.
Equipment and Staffing
Allow for tables, chairs, marquees, sound systems, activity equipment, signage, registration staff, event staff, and security where required.
Insurance and First Aid
Budget for appropriate event insurance and first-aid provision. The requirements can vary depending on the venue, activities, attendance, and event format.
Transportation
If transport is being provided, include coach hire, parking arrangements, shuttle services, or other transportation costs. This can be particularly important when the venue is outside the usual workplace location.
Prizes and Extras
Set aside money for competition prizes, giveaways, decorations, branded materials, photography, and other optional extras. Small costs can add up quickly when planning for a large group.
Keep a Contingency Fund
Keep a contingency fund for unexpected expenses. Additional equipment, supplier changes, weather-related requirements, extra staffing, or last-minute requests can increase the final cost.
A detailed budget should separate confirmed costs from estimates and include a contingency allowance. This gives organisers greater control over spending while leaving room to respond to unexpected requirements.
3. Choose a Suitable Date and Time
Choose a date and time that works for employees and their families, while considering weekends, school holidays, seasonal weather, and the type of activities planned. Giving employees plenty of notice can also improve attendance and make it easier for families to plan ahead.
Consider Weekends
Weekends are often suitable for company family fun days because employees and children are less likely to have work or school commitments. Saturday or Sunday events can also provide enough time for a longer programme of activities.
Check School Holidays
Consider school holiday dates when many employees may have children at home. However, avoid assuming every family has the same schedule. Check employee availability before confirming the date.
Think About the Season
Seasonal conditions should influence the event date and format. Summer can be ideal for outdoor games, picnics, and sports, while colder or wetter months may require an indoor venue or reliable covered areas.
Plan for the Weather
Weather can significantly affect an outdoor family fun day. Have suitable shelter, shaded areas, or an indoor backup space where possible. Check the forecast as the event approaches and establish a clear plan for weather-related changes.
Check Employee Availability
Consider existing company schedules, major projects, holidays, and other commitments. A date that works for the business may not work equally well for employees, so gathering availability before booking can help maximise attendance.
Give Families Enough Notice
Send a save-the-date and event information well in advance. Families may need time to arrange childcare, travel, personal commitments, and other plans. Early communication also gives organisers more accurate attendance estimates.
Choosing the right date is not simply about finding an available venue. It is about selecting a time when employees and their families are most likely to attend, enjoy the activities, and participate comfortably.
4. Choose a Family-Friendly Venue
Choose a family-friendly venue with enough capacity, convenient transport, suitable facilities, and safe spaces for both adults and children. The venue should support your planned activities while providing practical facilities that make the day comfortable and accessible for everyone.
Check Capacity
Make sure the venue can comfortably accommodate the expected number of employees and family members. Allow enough space for seating, catering, entertainment, activities, walkways, and emergency access rather than planning around the maximum capacity alone.
Consider Parking and Public Transport
Look for convenient transport options. On-site or nearby parking can help families travelling with children, while good public transport connections make the event easier to reach for employees who do not drive.
Check Toilets and Family Facilities
Adequate toilets are essential for a family event. Check the number and location of facilities, along with accessible toilets and suitable baby-changing facilities where needed.
Assess Accessibility
Make sure the venue is accessible to people with different mobility and accessibility needs. Check for step-free entrances, accessible toilets, suitable pathways, seating, lifts, and accessible parking.
Review Catering Facilities
Check whether the venue allows external catering or has its own catering facilities. Consider kitchen access, food service areas, refrigeration, seating, and arrangements for different dietary requirements.
Look for Indoor and Outdoor Spaces
A venue with both indoor and outdoor areas can provide greater flexibility. Outdoor spaces can accommodate games and activities, while indoor areas provide shelter from rain, excessive heat, or other changing weather conditions.
Check Emergency Access
Emergency access should be clear and suitable for the event. Confirm the location of emergency exits, access routes for emergency vehicles, first-aid arrangements, and any venue-specific safety procedures.
Before booking, visit the venue where possible and assess how families will move through the space. A suitable venue should be enjoyable, practical, accessible, and capable of supporting the event safely.
5. Plan the Venue Layout and Activity Zones
Plan the venue layout by dividing the site into clearly marked activity zones for children, sports, food, seating, entertainment, first aid, toilets, and quiet areas. A well-organised layout makes it easier for families to find activities, reduces congestion, and helps staff manage the event safely.
Create Clearly Marked Zones
Give each area a clear purpose and location. Children’s activities should have enough space for safe movement, while food and seating areas should be positioned away from busy games and entertainment spaces.
Useful zones may include:
Children’s activities and games
Sports and team activities
Food and refreshments
Seating and relaxation
Main entertainment
First-aid point
Toilets and baby-changing facilities
Quiet or low-stimulation area
Registration and information point
Plan Crowd Flow
Consider how people will move between different areas. Keep walkways clear and avoid placing popular activities, food queues, or entertainment entrances in narrow areas where they could create congestion.
Separate Busy Activities
Keep high-energy activities away from quieter spaces where possible. Sports, inflatables, and children’s games may require more room and should not interfere with seating, dining, or quiet areas.
Make Important Facilities Easy to Find
Clearly signpost toilets, first aid, food areas, exits, and activity zones. Simple signs can help families navigate the venue without repeatedly asking staff for directions.
Allow Enough Space
Avoid overcrowding individual activity zones. Consider the expected number of participants, queueing areas, equipment, staff positions, and safe movement around each activity.
Include a Quiet Space
A designated quiet area can give children, parents, or other attendees somewhere to take a break from noise and activity. Position it away from loud entertainment and busy walkways.
A thoughtful layout improves both the guest experience and event safety. Walk through the planned site before the event and identify potential bottlenecks, blocked routes, or areas where activities could interfere with one another.
6. Plan Activities for Different Age Groups
Plan a mix of activities for different age groups because a single activity is unlikely to suit every guest at a company family fun day. Young children, older children, teenagers, parents, and mixed-age families can have different interests, abilities, and attention spans.
Young Children
Provide simple, supervised activities for younger children. Suitable options can include soft-play areas, face painting, crafts, storytelling, simple games, and age-appropriate inflatables.
Older Children
Older children may enjoy more active and challenging activities. Consider sports, obstacle courses, treasure hunts, team games, and interactive challenges that encourage movement and friendly competition.
Teenagers
Teenagers often prefer activities that feel more independent and competitive. Options could include football challenges, gaming areas, team competitions, music-based activities, or other interactive entertainment suitable for their age group.
Parents and Adults
Include activities and entertainment that adults can enjoy too. Food areas, live music, quizzes, demonstrations, social games, and relaxed seating areas can give parents opportunities to participate rather than spending the entire event supervising children.
Mixed-Age Activities
Mixed-age activities can bring families together. Family races, team challenges, treasure hunts, simple sports, and interactive games can allow children and adults to participate as teams.
Provide Choice
Offer several activity options rather than expecting everyone to follow the same schedule. This allows guests to choose activities that match their interests, energy levels, and comfort.
A varied programme helps make the family fun day more inclusive and enjoyable. Plan activities according to age, ability, safety requirements, and available space rather than simply adding as many activities as possible.
7. Organise Team Games and Sports
Organise inclusive team games and sports to encourage employees and their families to interact, compete, and have fun together. Activities should be adapted for different ages and abilities so that participation feels enjoyable rather than overly competitive.
Relay Races
Relay races are simple, flexible, and easy to adapt. Create teams with a mixture of employees and family members and adjust the distance or rules for different age groups.
Football
Football can encourage teamwork and friendly competition. Consider short matches or skills challenges rather than full-length games so more people can participate throughout the day.
Tug-of-War
Tug-of-war can create an exciting team atmosphere. Organisers should establish clear safety rules, use suitable equipment, and make sure participants are grouped appropriately.
Sack Races
Sack races are a fun traditional activity for children and adults. Different races can be organised according to age or ability to make participation fairer.
Cricket
Simple cricket games can work well for mixed-age groups. Short formats, simplified rules, and soft equipment can make the activity more accessible to beginners and younger participants.
Obstacle Courses
Obstacle courses can provide an energetic challenge for different age groups. Use age-appropriate equipment and ensure the course is properly supervised and safely separated from other activities.
Team Challenges
Team challenges can bring employees and families together without relying on athletic ability. Quizzes, puzzle challenges, target games, and cooperative tasks can give less sporty participants another way to get involved.
Encourage Interaction
Mix employees and family members into teams rather than keeping groups separated. This can encourage people who do not normally work together to communicate, cooperate, and build stronger social connections.
Keep the focus on participation and enjoyment rather than winning. Providing different levels of difficulty, clear rules, and alternative activities helps ensure the family fun day remains inclusive for everyone.
8. Add Inflatables and Outdoor Attractions
Inflatables and outdoor attractions can make a company family fun day more exciting, especially for children and teenagers. Options can include bouncy castles, inflatable slides, obstacle courses, climbing walls, and similar interactive attractions.
Choose Age-Appropriate Attractions
Select attractions that match the ages and abilities of your guests. Younger children may need smaller inflatables and simpler activities, while older children and teenagers may enjoy larger obstacle courses or climbing attractions.
Check Supplier Credentials
Use reputable attraction suppliers and check their relevant credentials, insurance, equipment inspection records, and safety documentation. Ask the supplier what safety standards and operating procedures apply to each attraction.
Confirm Supervision
Make sure attractions are properly supervised throughout the event. Trained operators should manage participant numbers, enforce age or height restrictions, and stop the activity if conditions become unsafe.
Review Safety Requirements
Check the safety requirements before booking. Consider installation space, anchoring, weather conditions, electrical requirements, participant limits, protective equipment, and the required distance from other activities.
Plan for Weather
Outdoor attractions can be affected by strong winds, heavy rain, or extreme weather. Agree with the supplier in advance on when an attraction must be closed and whether an alternative indoor activity or backup plan is available.
Manage Queues and Capacity
Allow enough space for queues and safe movement around each attraction. Clear signs can show age restrictions, capacity limits, and basic safety rules, helping staff manage participation efficiently.
Inflatables and outdoor attractions should add excitement without compromising safety. Check the supplier, equipment, supervision, insurance, and operating requirements before confirming the booking.
9. Include Traditional Fairground Games
Traditional fairground games are simple, entertaining, and suitable for a wide range of ages, making them a useful addition to a company family fun day. Activities such as hook-a-duck, ring toss, coconut shy, mini golf, bean-bag games, and prize stalls can encourage friendly competition without requiring complicated instructions.
Hook-a-Duck
Hook-a-duck is particularly suitable for younger children. Participants use a small hook to collect floating ducks, with simple scoring or prizes making the game easy to understand.
Ring Toss
Ring toss is an accessible game for children and adults. Players aim rings at targets from an appropriate distance, making it easy to adjust the difficulty for different age groups.
Coconut Shy
Coconut shy can add a traditional fairground atmosphere to the event. Participants throw balls at targets, with the game adapted to suit the age and ability of the players.
Mini Golf
Mini golf can appeal to children, teenagers, and adults. Simple courses allow families to play together while encouraging light-hearted competition.
Bean-Bag Games
Bean-bag games are easy to organise and require minimal explanation. Players can throw bean bags at targets or into marked holes, with different distances used for different age groups.
Prize Stalls
Prize stalls can give participants an extra incentive to take part. Small prizes, tokens, or certificates can be awarded for winning games or achieving specific scores.
Easy for Different Ages
The main advantage of traditional fairground games is their simplicity. Most activities can be understood quickly, allowing guests to join without lengthy instructions or specialist skills.
Use a mixture of games with different difficulty levels so children, teenagers, parents, and older family members can all find something enjoyable. These simple attractions can also help create a relaxed and nostalgic fairground atmosphere.
10. Hire Professional Entertainment
Professional entertainment can keep a company family fun day lively and engaging, particularly during breaks between activities. Depending on the audience and budget, businesses can hire magicians, balloon artists, face painters, stilt walkers, children’s entertainers, DJs, live bands, and other performers.
Children’s Entertainers
Children’s entertainers can organise interactive activities that keep younger guests occupied. Magic shows, storytelling, puppet performances, games, and character entertainment can provide structured activities between other attractions.
Magicians and Performers
Magicians and roaming performers can entertain guests without requiring everyone to sit in one place. They can move between activity areas and provide short performances throughout the day.
Balloon Artists and Face Painters
Balloon artists and face painters are popular options for younger children. They can operate from dedicated activity stations and give children something to take home or enjoy during the event.
Stilt Walkers
Stilt walkers can create a memorable visual attraction and add energy to the event. They are particularly useful for welcoming guests or entertaining people while they move between different areas.
DJs and Live Bands
DJs and live bands can provide music for the wider group, especially later in the day. Choose music and performance styles that suit the mixed-age audience and overall event atmosphere.
Maintain Energy Between Activities
Entertainment can fill gaps between scheduled activities and prevent periods of inactivity. Short performances, roaming entertainment, and music can keep guests engaged while teams change activities, food is served, or equipment is prepared.
Choose entertainment based on the age range, event objectives, venue, schedule, and budget. Professional performers should also provide clear information about their requirements, performance times, equipment, and setup needs before the event.
11. Create a Main Event Focal Point
Create a central attraction or stage area where guests can gather for major activities, performances, announcements, and celebrations. A clear focal point gives the family fun day structure and creates shared moments where employees and families can enjoy the event together.
Host Group Games
Use the main area for activities that involve larger groups. Family races, quizzes, team challenges, dance activities, or interactive games can bring people together and create a lively atmosphere.
Schedule Competitions
Competitions can provide a shared highlight during the day. Organise short challenges or finals that allow teams to compete in front of other guests without making the event overly competitive.
Feature Performances
Use the stage or central area for scheduled entertainment. Children’s shows, magicians, DJs, live bands, demonstrations, and other performances can give attendees a reason to gather at specific times.
Hold Prize Ceremonies
A prize-giving session can provide a memorable closing activity. Recognise competition winners, participation, or special achievements with small prizes, certificates, or company-branded gifts.
Share Important Announcements
The focal point can also serve as the main communication area. Organisers can make schedule announcements, introduce performers, explain safety information, and direct guests to different activities.
Make It Easy to Access
Position the focal point where it can be seen and reached easily without disrupting other activities. Provide enough standing or seating space and keep walkways, emergency exits, and access routes clear.
A well-planned focal point helps connect the different parts of the event. Instead of guests simply moving between separate activities, it creates shared experiences that can strengthen employee and family engagement.
12. Provide Interactive Workshops
Interactive workshops give guests a creative and engaging alternative to sports and high-energy activities. They can include craft sessions, circus skills, science activities, cooking workshops, art stations, and creative challenges, making them suitable for different ages and interests.
Craft Sessions
Craft activities can be ideal for younger children and families. Guests can make cards, decorations, simple models, or other creative projects while working at their own pace.
Circus Skills
Circus skills workshops can introduce participants to activities such as juggling, plate spinning, or other age-appropriate skills. Instructors can demonstrate techniques and provide guidance throughout the session.
Science Activities
Science workshops can combine learning with entertainment. Simple experiments, demonstrations, and hands-on challenges can keep children engaged while giving families an educational activity to enjoy together.
Cooking Workshops
Cooking sessions can provide a practical activity for children, parents, and older participants. Choose simple recipes and check food allergies and dietary requirements before the event.
Art Stations
Art stations offer a flexible activity that guests can join without committing to a fixed session. Painting, drawing, colouring, and other creative activities can work particularly well when guests have different schedules.
Creative Challenges
Creative challenges can encourage teamwork and imagination. Groups might build structures, design objects, solve creative problems, or complete themed tasks within a set time.
A Quieter Alternative
Workshops provide a quieter alternative to physical activities such as sports, inflatables, and obstacle courses. They can be especially useful for guests who prefer calmer activities or need a break from busy areas.
Offer a mixture of structured workshops and drop-in creative stations where possible. This gives families greater flexibility and ensures that the fun day offers something beyond high-energy entertainment.
13. Offer Food for Adults and Children
Provide a varied catering selection that works for adults, children, and guests with different dietary needs. A company family fun day can involve several hours of activities, so convenient food stations, snacks, and drinks can help guests stay comfortable and energised.
Provide Children’s Meals
Offer simple, child-friendly meals that are easy to eat. Options could include sandwiches, wraps, pasta, pizza, fruit, or other familiar foods. Consider smaller portions and easy-to-handle serving options for younger children.
Include Vegetarian Options
Provide suitable vegetarian choices alongside the main menu. Make sure these options are clearly labelled so guests can identify them easily.
Plan for Dietary Requirements
Ask attendees about allergies and dietary requirements before the event. Catering teams should receive accurate information and clearly identify foods containing common allergens where appropriate.
Add Snacks
Provide convenient snacks throughout the day. Fruit, biscuits, crisps, sandwiches, and other easy-to-serve options can be useful between activities, particularly for children who may not want a full meal.
Include Desserts
Desserts can add a fun element to the family menu. Ice cream, cupcakes, fruit-based desserts, or other simple treats can appeal to both children and adults.
Use Convenient Food Stations
Food stations can make catering easier to access and help reduce long queues. Consider separate areas for main meals, children’s food, snacks, drinks, and desserts, depending on the size of the event.
Keep Food Areas Accessible
Position catering areas away from busy games and narrow walkways. Provide enough tables, seating, waste bins, and space for families to move safely around the food service area.
Good catering should be varied, clearly labelled, and convenient rather than overly complicated. Planning food around the ages, preferences, and dietary requirements of your guests can make the family fun day more comfortable for everyone.
14. Provide Plenty of Drinks and Water Stations
Provide plenty of drinks and easily accessible water stations throughout the venue, particularly for outdoor family fun days during warmer weather. Guests who are active throughout the day need convenient access to fluids without having to leave activity areas.
Make Water Easily Available
Place clearly marked water stations in convenient locations. Position them near sports areas, children’s activities, seating areas, and other busy parts of the venue so guests can refill without walking long distances.
Include Refill Points
Refill stations can reduce queues and help limit single-use bottles. Clearly marked points with suitable cups or bottle-filling facilities can make staying hydrated more convenient.
Offer Soft Drinks and Juices
Provide a selection of soft drinks and juices alongside water. Consider offering both regular and low- or no-sugar options to give guests a wider choice.
Provide Hot Drinks
Tea, coffee, and other hot drinks can be useful for adults, particularly at events held during cooler weather or earlier in the day. Keep hot-drink stations away from children’s play areas where possible.
Consider Different Needs
Provide drink options suitable for both children and adults. Clearly label different beverages and consider dietary requirements when selecting products.
Keep Stations Accessible
Make water and drinks stations easy to find and access. Use clear signs and avoid placing queues across busy walkways or near active games.
Regularly check and restock each station throughout the event. Good hydration planning helps guests stay comfortable and enjoy the activities, especially during warm outdoor events.
15. Create Comfortable Seating and Rest Areas
Provide comfortable seating and rest areas so guests can take breaks between activities, eat, socialise, and relax. This is particularly important for parents, older guests, young children, and anyone who may not want to participate in activities continuously.
Provide Different Seating Options
Use a mixture of picnic tables, chairs, benches, and informal seating areas. Different options allow guests to choose where they feel most comfortable and give families space to sit together.
Add Marquees and Shade
Provide covered and shaded areas for outdoor events. Marquees, canopies, and naturally shaded spaces can protect guests from strong sunlight and provide shelter if the weather changes.
Create Quiet Areas
Set aside quieter spaces away from loud entertainment and busy activities. These areas can give children and adults a place to relax, take a break, or spend some time away from crowds.
Consider Families
Place seating close to children’s activity areas where practical. This allows parents and guardians to supervise younger children while still having somewhere comfortable to sit.
Support Older Guests
Make sure there are sufficient chairs and easily accessible seating areas for older guests or anyone who cannot stand for long periods. Avoid placing all seating far from toilets, food stations, or the main entertainment area.
Keep Rest Areas Accessible
Ensure seating areas are reachable through suitable pathways and do not block emergency exits or busy walkways. Leave enough space for guests with mobility aids and for families moving with pushchairs.
Comfortable rest areas are an important part of a successful family fun day, not an afterthought. A good balance of active spaces and places to sit helps guests enjoy the event at their own pace.
16. Make the Event Accessible and Inclusive
Make the company family fun day accessible and inclusive so employees and their families can participate comfortably regardless of age, ability, dietary needs, or sensory preferences. Accessibility should be considered when choosing the venue, planning activities, arranging catering, and designing the event layout.
Provide Wheelchair Access
Choose facilities with step-free entrances, suitable pathways, accessible parking, and enough space for wheelchairs and mobility aids. Check that activity areas and seating can also be reached without unnecessary barriers.
Provide Accessible Toilets
Make sure accessible toilets are available and easy to reach. Consider the location of toilets when planning the overall layout so guests do not need to travel through crowded or difficult areas.
Create Suitable Pathways
Keep pathways clear, stable, and wide enough for different mobility needs. Avoid placing equipment, queues, tables, or decorations where they could restrict movement.
Provide Accessible Seating
Include suitable seating throughout the venue. Guests who cannot stand for long periods should have convenient places to rest near activities, entertainment, food areas, and other important facilities.
Consider Sensory Needs
Provide quieter areas for guests who may find loud music, crowds, or busy environments overwhelming. Where possible, communicate expected noise levels, flashing lights, and major schedule changes in advance.
Consider Dietary Requirements
Provide suitable options for allergies, intolerances, religious dietary requirements, vegetarian guests, and other food preferences. Clearly label food and communicate relevant requirements to the catering team.
Choose Inclusive Activities
Offer activities that do not depend solely on physical ability. Creative workshops, quizzes, crafts, accessible games, demonstrations, and adapted team challenges can give more guests opportunities to participate.
Communicate Accessibility Information
Tell attendees about accessibility arrangements before the event. Provide information about parking, entrances, toilets, seating, activity requirements, food options, and quiet spaces so families can plan ahead.
Inclusion works best when it is built into the event from the beginning rather than added later. Review every part of the experience—from arrival and movement around the venue to activities, catering, entertainment, and departure—to identify and remove unnecessary barriers.
17. Complete a Full Event Risk Assessment
Complete a full event risk assessment before the company family fun day to identify potential hazards, assess their impact, and establish appropriate controls. The assessment should cover the venue, activities, equipment, attendees, suppliers, weather, and emergency arrangements.
Identify Potential Hazards
Start by identifying what could cause harm or disruption. Consider risks associated with:
Inflatables and outdoor attractions
Sports and team games
Electrical equipment and cables
Food preparation and catering
Crowds and congestion
Weather conditions
Children and vulnerable guests
Temporary structures such as marquees and stages
Vehicle and pedestrian movement
Slips, trips, and falls
Assess the Risks
Assess how likely each hazard is to occur and how serious the consequences could be. This helps organisers prioritise higher-risk issues and determine which controls need the most attention.
Document Control Measures
Record the measures that will reduce each identified risk. For example, an inflatable may require appropriate anchoring, operating limits, trained supervision, and weather monitoring.
Assign Responsibilities
Give named people responsibility for managing important safety controls. This could include event managers, activity operators, venue staff, first-aid personnel, security teams, or other relevant suppliers.
Review the Assessment
Review the risk assessment as planning develops and again before the event begins. Changes to the venue, activities, attendance, weather, suppliers, or event schedule may introduce new risks.
Include Emergency Procedures
Connect the risk assessment with the event’s emergency procedures. Staff should know what to do if an accident, severe weather event, fire, medical emergency, overcrowding, or other unexpected incident occurs.
A documented risk assessment provides a practical framework for managing event safety. It should not simply be completed as paperwork; organisers should communicate the relevant controls and responsibilities to the people responsible for delivering the event.
18. Prepare First Aid and Emergency Procedures
Prepare clear first-aid and emergency procedures before the company family fun day so staff know how to respond quickly if someone becomes ill, injured, or faces another emergency. The arrangements should cover first aid, evacuation, emergency access, communication, and incident reporting.
Provide Trained First-Aid Personnel
Arrange suitable first-aid provision for the size and nature of the event. Trained first-aid personnel should be available throughout the event and know how to access the first-aid area quickly.
Set Up a First-Aid Station
Make the first-aid point easy to find and clearly signposted. It should be accessible from the main activity areas and positioned where first-aid staff can respond efficiently.
Prepare Emergency Contacts
Create a list of important emergency contacts before the event. This may include emergency services, venue management, security, first-aid personnel, key suppliers, and members of the event management team.
Plan Evacuation Routes
Identify clear evacuation routes and emergency exits. Keep these routes unobstructed and make sure event staff understand where guests should go if the venue needs to be evacuated.
Maintain Emergency Vehicle Access
Keep suitable access available for emergency vehicles. Do not allow temporary structures, parked vehicles, equipment, or crowds to block designated emergency access routes.
Establish Incident Reporting
Create a simple process for recording accidents and incidents. Document what happened, when and where it occurred, who was involved, and what action was taken, while handling personal information appropriately.
Use Clear Communication
Establish how staff will communicate during an emergency. Depending on the event, this could involve radios, mobile phones, public-address systems, or designated communication points.
Brief staff and key suppliers on the emergency procedures before guests arrive. Everyone responsible for the event should understand their role, escalation process, evacuation arrangements, and who has authority to make important decisions.
19. Have a Bad Weather Backup Plan
Create a bad-weather backup plan before the company family fun day, particularly if activities are taking place outdoors. Rain, extreme heat, strong winds, or other severe conditions can affect activities, equipment, catering, travel, and guest safety.
Prepare Indoor Alternatives
Identify an indoor space that can accommodate guests if outdoor activities need to stop. Plan alternative games, workshops, entertainment, or other activities that can be moved indoors if necessary.
Use Marquees and Covered Areas
Marquees and covered areas can provide shelter from rain and strong sunlight. However, organisers should confirm that temporary structures are suitable for the expected weather and installed and secured appropriately.
Plan for Heat
Provide shaded areas, drinking water, rest spaces, and appropriate scheduling during hot weather. Consider moving strenuous activities to cooler periods or indoors when conditions become uncomfortable or unsafe.
Monitor Wind and Rain
Monitor weather forecasts before and during the event. Some inflatables, temporary structures, outdoor sports, and electrical equipment may need to be modified, secured, or stopped when weather conditions become unsuitable.
Agree Cancellation Procedures
Agree in advance on who can postpone, cancel, or modify the event. Confirm the relevant notice periods, cancellation fees, refund arrangements, and supplier responsibilities before signing contracts.
Coordinate With Suppliers
Discuss weather contingencies with activity providers, caterers, entertainers, and equipment suppliers. Confirm what happens if an outdoor attraction cannot operate and whether alternative arrangements are available.
Communicate Changes
Tell employees about significant weather-related changes as early as possible. Provide clear information about revised timings, venue changes, cancellations, transport arrangements, or activities that are no longer available.
A weather plan should be practical rather than simply stating that the event will be cancelled if necessary. Having indoor alternatives, supplier agreements, clear decision-making responsibilities, and an effective communication process can make the event more resilient when conditions change.
20. Manage Suppliers and Event Staff
Manage suppliers and event staff with clear contracts, responsibilities, schedules, and communication procedures. A company family fun day may involve many different teams, so effective coordination helps ensure everyone knows what they need to deliver and when they need to be on site.
Coordinate Key Suppliers
Create a complete supplier list before the event. Depending on the programme, this may include:
Entertainers and performers
Caterers and food vendors
Activity and inflatable providers
Security personnel
First-aid teams
AV and technical teams
Cleaners and waste-management providers
Event coordinators
Equipment and furniture suppliers
Use Clear Contracts
Put important arrangements in writing. Contracts should clearly state the services provided, costs, payment terms, cancellation conditions, equipment requirements, insurance requirements, and responsibilities of each party.
Confirm Arrival Times
Create a supplier arrival and setup schedule. Entertainers, caterers, activity providers, AV teams, and other suppliers may need different amounts of time for delivery, installation, testing, and preparation.
Define Responsibilities
Make sure every supplier and staff member understands their role. Clarify who is responsible for setup, guest support, equipment operation, safety checks, cleaning, breakdown, and reporting problems.
Establish Communication
Give suppliers clear contact details and a central point of communication. Event coordinators can use phone calls, messaging systems, or radios where appropriate to share schedule changes and resolve issues quickly.
Brief Staff Before Guests Arrive
Hold a pre-event briefing for staff and key suppliers. Review the schedule, venue layout, emergency procedures, activity rules, communication methods, and escalation process.
Monitor Delivery
Have event coordinators check supplier performance throughout the day. They can monitor whether activities are operating as planned, catering is available, equipment is working, and staffing levels remain appropriate.
Good supplier management keeps the event organised behind the scenes while allowing guests to enjoy the day without seeing the operational complexity. A clear schedule, defined responsibilities, and reliable communication are essential when multiple suppliers are working together.
21. Promote the Family Fun Day Early
Promote the company family fun day well in advance so employees and their families have enough time to plan, register, and arrange travel. Early communication can also help organisers estimate attendance and make better decisions about catering, activities, staffing, and venue capacity.
Use Employee Emails
Send clear event announcements through company email. Include the key information employees need, along with a registration link or instructions for confirming attendance.
Use Internal Communication Platforms
Share reminders through the company’s internal communication channels. Platforms used for workplace communication can help keep the event visible and make it easier to provide updates as the date approaches.
Display Posters
Use posters in offices and common areas to increase visibility. Keep the information simple and include the event date, location, time, and registration details.
Add It to Employee Newsletters
Feature the family fun day in internal newsletters. Regular updates can build interest and remind employees to register before the deadline.
Use Registration Forms
Use a registration form to collect accurate attendance information. Ask employees to confirm whether they are attending and how many family members they plan to bring.
Share Essential Information
Employees should know:
Date and time
Venue and location
Parking and transport information
Main activities and entertainment
Food and drink arrangements
Accessibility information
Whether family members can attend
Whether children or guests need to be registered
Registration deadline
Weather or cancellation arrangements
Send Reminders
Send reminders as the event approaches. A final communication can confirm timings, parking, what to bring, activity details, and any important changes.
Clear early communication reduces confusion and helps organisers plan accurately. Give employees enough information to make an informed decision about attending while keeping updates consistent across all internal channels.
22. Provide Clear Signage and Event Information
Provide clear, visible signage throughout the family fun day to help guests find activities, facilities, and important safety information. Good signage reduces confusion, limits unnecessary crowd movement, and helps employees and families navigate the venue independently.
Use Directional Signs
Place signs at entrances, junctions, and key pathways. Direct guests towards activity zones, entertainment, food areas, toilets, seating, parking, and other important facilities.
Display Activity Schedules
Provide a simple schedule showing when major activities and performances take place. Include locations so guests can plan their day without having to ask event staff for information.
Mark Food and Drink Areas
Clearly identify catering areas and drink stations. Signs can also indicate children’s food, vegetarian options, allergen information, and other relevant choices where appropriate.
Signpost Toilets and First Aid
Make toilets, accessible toilets, baby-changing facilities, and first-aid stations easy to locate. These facilities should be clearly marked from several directions.
Identify Entrances and Exits
Clearly mark the main entrance and available exits. Emergency exits should remain unobstructed and be identified according to the venue’s safety requirements.
Provide Parking Information
Use signs to direct drivers towards parking areas and pedestrian routes. If parking is limited, provide information in advance about alternative parking or public transport.
Display Emergency Information
Make important emergency information easy for staff and guests to understand. This can include evacuation routes, assembly areas, emergency contact information, and instructions for reporting incidents.
Improve Crowd Movement
Place signs before busy junctions and activity areas rather than only at the destination. Giving guests information early helps prevent people from stopping suddenly or creating unnecessary congestion.
Good signage should be simple, consistent, visible, and easy to understand. Combine permanent signs with temporary event signage where necessary to help families move confidently around the venue throughout the day.
23. Offer Prizes and Giveaways
Offer small prizes and giveaways to encourage participation in games, competitions, and family activities. Rewards can add excitement to the event without requiring a large budget, especially when they are matched to the activity and age group.
Give Medals and Certificates
Medals and certificates are simple rewards that can make participants feel recognised. They work particularly well for children’s races, sports competitions, team challenges, and achievement-based activities.
Provide Toys and Children’s Rewards
Offer age-appropriate toys or small gifts for younger participants. Choose safe, suitable items that are easy to distribute and do not create unnecessary competition between children.
Use Company Merchandise
Branded merchandise can work as both a prize and a reminder of the company event. Items such as water bottles, bags, caps, stationery, or other useful products can be suitable for employees and families.
Include Gift Vouchers
Gift vouchers can provide a flexible reward for competition winners. They may be particularly suitable for older children, teenagers, or adults.
Reward Participation
Not every reward needs to be reserved for first place. Consider participation prizes, certificates, or recognition for teamwork to encourage more guests to take part.
Match Rewards to Age Groups
Choose prizes that are appropriate for the intended participants. Younger children, teenagers, and adults may have very different preferences, so offering a variety of rewards can make the programme more inclusive.
Set a Prize Budget
Set a fixed prize and giveaway budget before purchasing anything. Buying in bulk and choosing practical, modest rewards can help control costs while still making competitions feel rewarding.
The best prizes do not have to be expensive. Small, thoughtful rewards can create memorable moments and encourage guests to participate while keeping the family fun day within budget.
24. Capture Photos and Memories
Capture photos and memories throughout the company family fun day to preserve highlights and give employees and families something to remember. A professional photographer can document team photos, family moments, activities, performances, competitions, and other memorable parts of the event.
Hire a Professional Photographer
A professional photographer can capture high-quality images without requiring employees to take photos themselves. Discuss the event schedule in advance so they know which activities, groups, and key moments should be covered.
Capture Team and Family Photos
Include a mixture of posed and natural photographs. Team photos, family groups, employee interactions, and candid moments can provide a balanced record of the event.
Photograph Activities and Highlights
Ask the photographer to capture games, sports, entertainment, workshops, prize ceremonies, and other key activities. These images can help show the atmosphere and participation throughout the day.
Obtain Appropriate Consent
Plan how photography consent will be managed before the event. Employees should understand whether photographs will be taken and how they may be used, particularly when children are attending.
Respect Privacy
Avoid photographing guests who have not provided appropriate consent. Event staff and photographers should understand any restrictions and have a clear process for handling requests not to be photographed.
Use Images Internally
Event photographs can be used for suitable internal purposes after the event. Depending on the permissions obtained, they could appear in employee newsletters, internal communication platforms, company presentations, or private event galleries.
Share the Memories
Consider creating a digital photo gallery or short event highlights collection. Sharing approved images can extend the value of the family fun day and allow employees and their families to revisit memorable moments.
Photography should be planned alongside privacy and consent arrangements rather than treated as an afterthought. Clear communication about how images will be captured, stored, shared, and used can help protect guests while preserving the best memories from the event.
25. Collect Feedback After the Event
Collect feedback after the company family fun day to understand what worked, measure whether the event achieved its objectives, and identify improvements for future events. Combining attendance data with employee feedback gives organisers a clearer picture of the overall event experience.
Send Employee Surveys
Use a short post-event survey to gather employee opinions. Ask attendees to rate the overall experience and comment on organisation, communication, activities, entertainment, food, and venue facilities.
Review Attendance
Compare actual attendance with the number of registered guests. This can help assess the effectiveness of early promotion and registration while improving future estimates for catering, activities, staffing, and venue capacity.
Measure Participation
Review participation levels across different activities. Identify which games, workshops, entertainment options, and attractions were most popular and which received limited interest.
Ask About Activities
Ask employees and families which activities they enjoyed most and least. This information can help organisers decide which attractions to repeat, replace, or adapt at future events.
Evaluate Catering
Collect feedback on food and drink options. Ask about variety, quality, serving arrangements, children’s choices, vegetarian options, and how well dietary requirements were handled.
Review the Venue
Ask attendees about the venue and facilities. Consider accessibility, parking, toilets, seating, activity areas, signage, and how easily guests could move around the site.
Gather Suggestions
Give employees an opportunity to suggest ideas for future family fun days. Open-ended questions can reveal new activity ideas, preferred event formats, entertainment suggestions, and improvements that organisers may not have considered.
Compare Results With Objectives
Use the feedback to assess whether the original event objectives were achieved. For example, if the goal was employee appreciation and family engagement, consider attendance, participation, satisfaction, and qualitative feedback when evaluating the outcome.
Keep the feedback process simple and practical. A short survey combined with attendance and participation data can provide useful insights without creating unnecessary work for employees or the event team.
What Activities Are Best for a Company Family Fun Day?
The best company family fun day activities offer something for different ages, interests, and energy levels. A balanced programme can combine sports, inflatables, fairground games, creative workshops, entertainment, competitions, and quieter activities so guests can choose what suits them.
Best for Young Children
Face painting
Balloon art
Soft-play activities
Hook-a-duck
Bean-bag games
Simple craft stations
Children’s entertainers
Age-appropriate inflatables
Best for Older Children and Teenagers
Football
Obstacle courses
Climbing activities
Interactive team games
Treasure hunts
Circus skills
Arcade-style games
Competitive challenges
Best for Adults
Team sports
Quizzes
Live music
DJs
Fairground games
Food and social areas
Friendly competitions
Interactive entertainment
Best for Families
Relay races
Mini golf
Treasure hunts
Cricket
Team challenges
Cooking workshops
Creative activities
Family competitions
Best for High-Energy Groups
Choose activities that encourage movement and friendly competition, such as football, tug-of-war, obstacle courses, relay races, inflatables, and interactive games.
Best for Quieter Activities
Provide calmer alternatives for guests who prefer to relax or take a break. Craft workshops, art stations, board games, science activities, seating areas, and creative challenges can provide a slower-paced experience.
Best for Large Groups
Choose activities that can accommodate multiple teams or operate continuously throughout the day. Fairground games, sports stations, workshops, treasure hunts, and some inflatables can help spread participation across the venue.
The strongest family fun day programme combines active and quieter activities rather than focusing on one type of entertainment. This gives employees and their families greater choice and helps make the event enjoyable for a wider range of guests.
How Much Does a Company Family Fun Day Cost?
A company family fun day can cost anywhere from a few thousand pounds to tens of thousands of pounds, depending on guest numbers, venue, catering, entertainment, activities, equipment, staffing, and location. There is no single standard price because a small local event will have very different requirements from a large corporate family day with hundreds of guests.
Main Family Fun Day Costs
| Cost Category | What It Can Include |
|---|---|
| Venue | Venue hire, facilities, parking, cleaning, security |
| Catering | Meals, children’s food, snacks, drinks, desserts, catering staff |
| Activities | Sports, games, inflatables, workshops, attractions |
| Entertainment | DJs, live bands, magicians, children’s entertainers, performers |
| Equipment | Marquees, tables, chairs, sound systems, staging, activity equipment |
| Staffing | Event coordinators, activity staff, security, first aid, cleaners |
| Transport | Coach hire, shuttle services, parking arrangements |
| Prizes | Medals, certificates, toys, vouchers, company merchandise |
| Photography | Professional photographer and approved image delivery |
| Insurance and Safety | Event insurance, first-aid provision, safety equipment |
| Contingency | Allowance for unexpected costs and last-minute requirements |
Guest Numbers
Guest numbers have a major effect on the overall budget. More employees and family members mean higher catering, seating, activity, staffing, equipment, and venue requirements.
Venue Type
Venue costs vary according to the type, size, location, and facilities provided. A company using its own premises or a local outdoor space may spend less on venue hire than one booking a dedicated events venue.
Entertainment and Activities
Entertainment can range from simple games to professional performers and large attractions. Inflatables, live bands, interactive activities, workshops, and specialist entertainment can all increase the budget.
Catering
Food and drinks can become a significant cost for larger family events. The final amount depends on the number of guests, menu, serving style, dietary requirements, staffing, and whether refreshments are provided throughout the day.
Equipment and Staffing
Equipment and labour costs depend on the complexity of the event. Marquees, furniture, sound systems, activity equipment, technical support, security, first aid, and event staff may all be required.
Location
Location can also influence the final price. Events in major UK cities may have different venue, supplier, transport, and staffing costs compared with events in smaller towns or rural locations.
Example Budget
For illustration, imagine a company family fun day for 150 guests with a suitable venue, catering, several activities, entertainment, event staff, and a contingency allowance:
| Category | Illustrative Budget |
|---|---|
| Venue | £2,000 |
| Catering and drinks | £3,000 |
| Activities and inflatables | £2,000 |
| Entertainment | £1,500 |
| Equipment and furniture | £1,000 |
| Staffing and first aid | £1,000 |
| Prizes and giveaways | £500 |
| Photography and signage | £500 |
| Contingency | £1,000 |
| Illustrative total | £12,500 |
This £12,500 example is illustrative rather than a universal UK price. Actual costs can be significantly higher or lower depending on the venue, guest numbers, supplier rates, event duration, location, and level of production.
The best approach is to create a detailed budget based on your actual guest list and event requirements. Get quotes from relevant suppliers, identify what is included in each price, and keep a contingency fund for unexpected expenses.
How Do You Keep a Company Family Fun Day Safe?
Keep a company family fun day safe by completing a thorough risk assessment, using suitable and qualified suppliers, providing proper supervision and first aid, preparing emergency procedures, monitoring the weather, creating a safe layout, choosing age-appropriate activities, and using clear signage. Safety should be considered throughout planning, delivery, and the final event close-down.
Complete a Risk Assessment
Identify hazards before the event and put suitable controls in place. Consider inflatables, sports, electrical equipment, catering, crowds, children, temporary structures, slips and trips, and changing weather conditions.
Use Suitable Suppliers
Choose reputable suppliers with appropriate experience, documentation, insurance, and safety procedures. This is particularly important for inflatables, climbing activities, entertainment, temporary structures, catering, and technical equipment.
Provide Proper Supervision
Make sure activities are supervised by appropriate staff. Operators should manage participant numbers, enforce age restrictions, explain safety rules, and intervene when an activity becomes unsafe.
Arrange First Aid
Provide appropriate first-aid arrangements for the size and nature of the event. Make the first-aid point easy to find and ensure staff know how to contact first-aid personnel quickly.
Prepare Emergency Procedures
Plan how staff will respond to accidents, medical emergencies, fires, evacuations, severe weather, and other incidents. Establish clear responsibilities, communication methods, emergency exits, and access routes for emergency vehicles.
Monitor the Weather
Monitor weather conditions before and during outdoor events. Have appropriate plans for rain, heat, and strong winds, including indoor alternatives and procedures for stopping activities when conditions become unsuitable.
Create a Safe Layout
Separate busy activities from food, seating, and quieter areas. Keep walkways and emergency exits clear, provide enough space around activities, and prevent queues from creating congestion.
Choose Child-Friendly Activities
Select activities that match participants’ ages and abilities. Clearly communicate age, height, or participation restrictions and provide suitable alternatives for guests who cannot or do not want to take part in physical activities.
Use Clear Signage
Clearly mark entrances, exits, toilets, first aid, food areas, activity zones, and emergency routes. Good signage helps guests navigate the venue and reduces unnecessary crowd movement.
Safety should be built into every part of the family fun day rather than treated as a final checklist. Brief staff and suppliers before guests arrive, communicate important procedures clearly, and review arrangements whenever the event programme or conditions change.
How Can You Make a Company Family Fun Day More Inclusive?
Make a company family fun day more inclusive by offering a wide range of activities, food choices, facilities, and participation options rather than expecting everyone to enjoy the same experience. Giving employees and their families genuine choice allows people with different ages, abilities, dietary needs, and preferences to participate comfortably.
Offer Activities for Different Ages
Provide activities for young children, older children, teenagers, adults, and mixed-age families. Sports, inflatables, creative workshops, competitions, entertainment, and quieter activities can give different age groups suitable options.
Provide Accessible Activities
Include activities that can be enjoyed by guests with different physical abilities. Adapt games where possible and provide alternatives that do not depend on running, climbing, or other physical skills.
Create Quiet Options
Not everyone enjoys loud music, crowds, or high-energy entertainment. Provide quieter workshops, seating areas, creative activities, or a designated calm space where guests can take a break.
Offer Dietary Choices
Provide a varied selection of food and drinks for different dietary requirements and preferences. Include vegetarian options and clearly communicate suitable choices for allergies and other dietary needs.
Make Facilities Accessible
Ensure guests can comfortably access entrances, pathways, toilets, seating, food areas, and activity zones. Consider wheelchair users, pushchairs, older guests, and people with limited mobility when planning the layout.
Let People Choose
Avoid making participation in activities compulsory. Employees and family members should be able to choose what they want to do, skip activities they do not enjoy, and move between different areas throughout the day.
Provide Different Participation Levels
Offer activities with different levels of challenge. A competitive sports activity might run alongside a relaxed family game, allowing guests to participate at a level that suits their interests and abilities.
Communicate Options Early
Tell employees about accessibility arrangements, activities, food choices, and facilities before the event. This gives families an opportunity to plan around their individual needs.
Inclusion is about providing meaningful choices rather than creating one programme that everyone must follow. A flexible family fun day gives guests the freedom to participate in ways that are comfortable, enjoyable, and appropriate for them.
What Should You Do After the Family Fun Day?
Complete a structured post-event process after the family fun day to close outstanding tasks, thank attendees and suppliers, review the budget, and identify improvements for future events. The work should continue after the final guest leaves.
Complete the Cleaning and Breakdown
Make sure the venue is cleaned and restored to its agreed condition. Check that equipment, furniture, decorations, signage, and temporary structures are removed safely and that any waste is properly handled.
Pay Suppliers
Review supplier invoices and complete outstanding payments. Check invoices against contracts, agreed quotes, and any approved additional costs before making final payments.
Record Incidents
Complete and securely retain records of any accidents, injuries, complaints, or other incidents. Review what happened and identify whether any safety procedures should be changed for future events.
Collect Employee Feedback
Send a short survey to employees after the event. Ask about the activities, entertainment, catering, venue, organisation, accessibility, and overall experience.
Organise Photographs
Review and organise approved event photographs. Share suitable images through internal channels where appropriate and follow the agreed consent and privacy arrangements.
Send Thank-You Messages
Thank employees, families, suppliers, entertainers, volunteers, and other people who helped deliver the event. A simple message can reinforce appreciation and maintain positive relationships with suppliers and staff.
Reconcile the Budget
Compare the final expenditure with the original event budget. Record unexpected costs, supplier variations, savings, and unused funds so future budgets can be more accurate.
Review What Worked
Identify the activities, entertainment, catering, communication, and operational arrangements that worked particularly well. Use attendance and participation data alongside employee feedback to support the evaluation.
Identify Improvements
Record what should be changed next time. This could include adjusting the venue layout, changing activities, improving signage, increasing seating, altering catering, or changing the event schedule.
Create a short post-event report while the details are still fresh. Recording lessons learned, final costs, feedback, incidents, and supplier performance gives the company a useful reference when planning its next family fun day.
Company Family Fun Day Planning Checklist
Use this company family fun day planning checklist to organise the event from the initial idea through to post-event evaluation. Working through each stage can help organisers manage the budget, suppliers, safety arrangements, activities, communication, and guest experience.
Before the Event
☐ Define objectives – Decide whether the event focuses on employee appreciation, family engagement, team building, morale, or another business goal.
☐ Set the budget – Establish the overall spending limit and allocate money for the venue, catering, activities, entertainment, staffing, safety, and contingency.
☐ Choose the date – Consider weekends, school holidays, seasonal conditions, employee availability, and supplier availability.
☐ Estimate attendance – Estimate how many employees and family members are likely to attend and use registrations to refine the numbers.
☐ Book the venue – Check capacity, parking, accessibility, toilets, catering facilities, indoor spaces, outdoor areas, and emergency access.
☐ Plan activities – Select a mixture of sports, inflatables, fairground games, workshops, entertainment, competitions, and quieter activities for different ages and interests.
☐ Hire suppliers – Book entertainers, activity providers, caterers, security, first aid, AV teams, cleaners, photographers, and other required suppliers.
☐ Arrange catering – Plan meals, children’s food, snacks, drinks, desserts, vegetarian options, and suitable choices for dietary requirements.
☐ Complete risk assessments – Identify hazards and establish controls for activities, equipment, crowds, children, weather, catering, and temporary structures.
☐ Organise first aid – Arrange appropriate first-aid provision, identify the first-aid location, and establish emergency contacts and procedures.
☐ Prepare weather backup – Plan indoor alternatives, covered areas, activity changes, cancellation procedures, and supplier arrangements for poor weather.
☐ Promote the event – Use emails, internal communication platforms, newsletters, posters, and registration forms to share event information and build attendance.
Event Setup
☐ Create the site plan – Map activity zones, food areas, seating, entertainment, toilets, first aid, entrances, exits, quiet areas, and emergency routes.
☐ Prepare signage – Create clear signs for activities, schedules, food, toilets, first aid, parking, entrances, exits, and emergency information.
☐ Brief staff – Explain roles, responsibilities, schedules, safety procedures, communication methods, emergency arrangements, and escalation processes to staff and suppliers.
On the Day
☐ Run the event – Monitor activities, suppliers, catering, guest movement, safety, schedules, and weather throughout the day.
☐ Manage issues quickly – Respond to incidents, equipment problems, supplier delays, weather changes, or other unexpected situations using the agreed procedures.
After the Event
☐ Collect feedback – Ask employees about activities, entertainment, catering, venue, accessibility, organisation, and their overall experience.
☐ Review the results – Compare attendance, participation, feedback, incidents, supplier performance, and final spending against the original objectives and budget.
Keep the checklist alongside the event timeline and assign a responsible person to each major task. This makes it easier to track progress and ensures important planning, safety, operational, and follow-up tasks are not overlooked.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should you plan a company family fun day?
Start planning around 6–8 weeks in advance for a straightforward event, while larger or more complex events may need several months. More preparation allows time to secure the venue and suppliers, manage registrations, complete risk assessments, arrange catering, and communicate details to employees.
What are the best activities for a company family fun day?
The best activities offer something for different ages and interests. Consider sports, inflatables, fairground games, creative workshops, treasure hunts, competitions, children’s entertainment, and quieter activities.
How much does a company family fun day cost?
The cost depends mainly on guest numbers, venue, catering, activities, entertainment, equipment, staffing, location, and event duration. Creating a detailed budget and obtaining supplier quotes will provide a more accurate estimate.
How do you make a company family fun day inclusive?
Provide accessible facilities, suitable dietary options, age-appropriate activities, quiet spaces, and a variety of activities. Giving guests different choices allows employees and family members to participate according to their abilities, interests, and preferences.
What should you include in a family fun day risk assessment?
Cover activities, equipment, weather, crowds, children, suppliers, temporary structures, electrical equipment, emergency access, and first aid. Document the relevant controls, responsibilities, and emergency procedures for each significant risk.
Should you hire an event planner for a company family fun day?
Professional event support can be particularly useful for larger events involving many guests, multiple suppliers, complex activities, or detailed safety requirements. An event planner can coordinate suppliers, logistics, schedules, safety arrangements, and the overall guest experience, allowing the company’s team to focus on employees and their families.
Conclusion
A successful company family fun day depends on good planning, suitable activities, strong safety arrangements, inclusivity, comfortable facilities, reliable suppliers, and clear communication. Every element, from choosing the venue and organising catering to managing activities and preparing for emergencies, contributes to the overall experience.
Offering activities for different ages and interests ensures more employees and family members can participate. Accessible facilities, dietary choices, quiet spaces, and flexible activities also help create a welcoming environment for everyone.
The goal is not simply to provide entertainment for a day. A well-planned family fun day can show employee appreciation, encourage family engagement, strengthen workplace relationships, and create positive memories that employees and their families can share long after the event ends.
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