A company picnic is a great way to strengthen team bonds and create lasting memories in a relaxed, natural setting.
Whether you’re celebrating a milestone, boosting morale, or just enjoying the annual date outdoors with the whole office, a well-organized picnic can really boost your team’s spirit and cohesiveness.
At Picnic Makers, LA’s leading event planning company, we’ve spent years improving the picnic settings to a top-notch level.
In this blog, we will share some fresh and fun company picnic ideas, games, and activities that will make your event the highlight of your corporate calendar.
On this page:
- Creative ideas for your company’s corporate picnic
- The best company picnic themes
- Team picnic games to explore
- Innovative team-building company picnic ideas
- Unique team retreats with picnic makers
Creative ideas for your company’s corporate picnic
These creative company picnic ideas will take your next event from ordinary to extraordinary. You’ll create an unforgettable experience that brings the team closer, making your corporate picnic a year’s highlight.
1. Photo booth 📸
A photo booth is a great addition to any company picnic. It’s a fun and interactive way for employees to capture memories of the day. With a bunch of props and backdrops that match the picnic theme or company culture, employees can let loose and show off their creative sides.
These photos are great for making keepsakes and sharing on the company newsletter or social media.
Related: Employee Appreciation Day ideas
2. Talent show or karaoke 🎤
Hosting a talent show or karaoke session is a great idea for a company picnic. It’s a great way to showcase the hidden talents within your team. It’s a chance for employees to show off their other talents, whether that’s singing, comedy, magic, or anything else.
3. Wellness activities 🧘♂️
One way to boost your team’s health and morale is to add a wellness company picnic to your activities. Yoga sessions, guided meditation, or group fitness challenges are great ways to energize the body and promote mental well-being.
These activities can be tailored to all fitness levels so everyone can join in and feel refreshed.
4. Charity initiatives
Adding a charitable component to your company picnic can make it more meaningful by tying it to a cause that aligns with your company’s values.
Such initiatives can really help boost team spirit. They could be anything from a cleanup drive at a local park to putting together care packages for those in need or even a friendly competition where the proceeds go to a chosen charity.
When employees get involved in community service, it helps them bond with each other and gives your company a good reputation for being socially responsible.
5. Arts and crafts area 🎨
Setting up an arts and crafts area at your company picnic is a great way to let your employees relax and express themselves creatively.
This space can be tailored to suit different interests, from painting and pottery to making jewelry or designing custom tote bags. It’s a great way to get people thinking creatively and to help team members learn new skills or discover hidden talents.
6. Raffle prizes 🎁
Raffles with great prizes are a great way to get people excited about your company picnic. Prizes can include extra vacation days, spa vouchers, gourmet dinner experiences, the latest tech gadgets, or gift cards.
This excites people about the day’s activities and keeps everyone looking forward to the draw.
Find top raffle ideas for work in this guide.
7. Live entertainment 🎶
Think about what your team likes when you’re choosing entertainment, so it’ll be a hit with everyone. Music and laughter are great ways to unite people and create a lively and engaging atmosphere.
Live entertainment is a great way to break the ice and make the event more memorable.
8. Food tasting stations 🥗
One of the most popular company picnic ideas is a culinary adventure with food-tasting stations. This concept lets your coworkers try out a bunch of different flavors and cuisines, turning the picnic into a fun and tasty dining experience.
Each station can offer a unique taste and story, from gourmet cheeses and artisanal bread to exotic dishes worldwide.
The best company picnic themes
Themed corporate picnics are a great way to liven up traditional company get-togethers.
Let’s take a look at some ideas for themed picnics to get your next corporate event off to a great start. By adding a specific theme, these picnics make the whole experience more fun and exciting.
Retro ’80s 📻
First, take a trip down memory lane with an ’80s-themed picnic, neon decorations, classic arcade games, and a playlist full of nostalgic hits.
Encourage everyone to really get into the spirit of things by dressing up in their best ’80s attire, from leg warmers to neon headbands.
Set up stations for Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and other classic games to get everyone competing in a friendly way. Organize a dance-off or lip-sync battle featuring the decade’s top tracks to keep the energy high.
Carnival fun fair 🎡
Upgrade your picnic with a carnival fair theme. It’ll be a blast!
Set up booths for traditional fair games like ring toss, cornhole games, and a mini shooting gallery. It’ll be fun to see who wins.
Tip: decorate your picnic area with banners, string lights, and gingham tablecloths. It’ll be a festive atmosphere that delights the senses.
Sports show 🏅
Get the party started with a sports-themed picnic, where everyone can enjoy the thrill of competition and the spirit of teamwork.
Set up some of the best picnic games, like soccer matches, volleyball, frisbee, and relay races, to cater to different athletic preferences.
Get guests to wear their favorite sports team jerseys to help build comradeship and team spirit.
Hawaiian luau 🌈
How about some tropical paradise taste? Bring the Aloha spirit to your team picnic with a Hawaiian Luau-themed picnic!
Add some color to your picnic area with multicolored streamers, palm leaves, and bright tablecloths to create a tropical atmosphere.
Tip: encourage your coworkers to wear flower leis and grass skirts. It’ll make them feel like they’ve stepped onto the sandy shores of Hawaii.
Outdoor movie night 🍿
Transform your picnic into an enchanting outdoor movie night. You can start by setting up a big screen and outdoor projector in a good spot so everyone can see clearly.
Then, add some comfy seating with floor cushions and bean bags for ultimate comfort.
To make it even more fun, serve up some classic movie snacks like freshly popped popcorn, assorted candies, and refreshing beverages to enhance the viewing experience.
Tip: provide some cozy blankets and warm throws for guests to snuggle up with and enjoy a selection of films under a canopy of stars. This will make for a great, relaxed evening outdoors.
Beach party 🏖️
Host your company picnic with a beach party theme to capture the laid-back vibe of a seaside escape. Set up a colorful array of beach towels for everyone to lounge on and scatter beach balls for a fun and festive touch.
Get everyone involved in a sandcastle competition to get creative and work together. This fun, team-building activity gets everyone engaged and having a good time, which is great for strengthening bonds in a lovely beach setting.
To get into the spirit of things, serve some refreshing tropical drinks, like fruity mocktails and coconut water, and play your shared favorite songs on the speaker cooler.
Garden tea party 🫖
Set up some fancy tea sets on nice tables with some finger sandwiches, scones, and pastries. It’ll be perfect for a relaxing afternoon.
Add some flowers to the space, from table centerpieces to garlands. They’ll make your garden look great.
We at the Picnic Makers team love these settings. By the way, if the idea strikes your fancy, our luxury tea party picnic setup service is exactly what you need. We handle all the details, and your responsibility is to enjoy and relax the process.
Worldwide culinary 🌎
Plan a menu with a variety of international dishes, letting guests taste flavors from different continents—from Italian pasta and Japanese sushi to Mexican tacos and Indian curries.
Make the global dining experience even more special with decorations inspired by the flags, traditional patterns, and iconic symbols of different countries.
Superhero adventure 🦸♂️
Get ready to bring out the capes and masks for a superhero adventure corporate picnic! It will be a thrilling event where guests become their favorite comic book icons.
Ask your colleagues to come dressed as their favorite superheroes and add vibrant colors and dynamic energy to the gathering.
Set up a series of superhero-themed games and activities that play to their strengths. Provide an agility obstacle course, superhero trivia to test their comic knowledge and fun, interactive challenges that allow everyone to demonstrate their heroic skills in friendly competition.
Additionally, you can use string lights and foam party machines for decor.
Game of Thrones 👑
Create a Game of Thrones-inspired picnic that will have your guests feeling like they’ve been transported to the mythical world of Westeros. Add some medieval flair to the area with house banners, flameless candles for ambiance, and wooden table settings to evoke a regal banquet hall atmosphere.
Serve up a feast fit for the Seven Kingdoms, with hearty meals, fresh-baked bread, and decadent desserts reminiscent of the series’ grand feasts.
Team picnic games to explore
Inject fun and laughter into your company picnic with engaging games encouraging team building and friendly competition. Many activities keep everyone entertained, from classic lawn games like sack races and tug-of-war to modern challenges such as escape rooms and scavenger hunts.
These games break the ice among colleagues and promote collaboration and unity, creating a memorable day out.
It`s time to add fun and laughter to your company picnic. With games that encourage team building and friendly competition and Picnic Makers team guides, you can easily do this.
There are lots of different activities that keep everyone entertained. These games get colleagues chatting and help them work together and have fun. Let`s look at some options to choose:
1. Tug-of-war
Tug-of-war is a classic outdoor game where two teams compete to see who can be the strongest, most enduring, and most effective as a team.
- The goal is simple: each team pulls on opposite ends of a rope to drag the opposing team across a central line.
- All you need to play is a long, sturdy rope and a marker to mark the middle and boundary lines.
The game requires a mix of strategy, power, and coordination, which makes it a popular choice for team-building exercises and outdoor fun.
2. Cornhole tournament
A cornhole tournament is a lawn game where players take turns tossing bean bags at an inclined board with a hole at the far end.
The goal is to get the bean bags onto the board for points, or even better, through the hole for higher points.
You will need two cornhole boards placed opposite each other at a standard distance and eight bean bags, four for each team. It’s usually played in teams of two, and the game continues until one team reaches or beats a set score, which is usually 21 points, through rounds of pitching.
3. Giant connect four
Giant Connect Four is an expanded version of the classic tabletop game, perfect for an outdoor company picnic.
Two players or teams drop oversized, colored discs into a grid that’s vertically standing.
The goal is to be the first to align four of your discs in a row, whether horizontally, vertically, or diagonally while preventing your opponent from doing the same.
You need only the giant Connect Four set to play, which includes a large frame with slots and a collection of large two colors discs.
4. Water balloon volleyball 💧🎈
Water balloon volleyball is a fun twist on the classic game, perfect for outdoor gatherings and hot days.
Instead of a volleyball, teams use a water balloon.
The goal is to keep the balloon from bursting on your side of the net by catching and tossing it back over using a large towel or sheet held between team members.
To play, you’ll need:
- water balloons
- net
- large towels or sheets for each team to use for launching and catching the balloons.
The game combines the excitement of volleyball with the refreshing splash of water balloons, so it’s perfect for sunny days when you need a laugh and a cool break.
5. Capture the flag 🏳️⛳
Capture the flag is a team-based outdoor game that tests strategy, speed, and stealth.
The goal is for players to sneak into the other team’s territory, grab their flag, and make it back to their base without getting caught. The playing area is split into two sections, with each team having a flag and a designated area for captured players.
To play, you need only two flags and a clear boundary marker for the teams’ territories.
6. Outdoor scavenger hunt
An outdoor scavenger hunt makes any picnic more fun and exciting. Participants use clues and solve riddles to find hidden items or locations.
- To get started, organizers put together a list of things to find or tasks to complete, along with clues or riddles that guide participants to each item or spot.
- You can either hand out the clues on paper or send them via smartphone.
- You’ll need pens to mark off the items you find, the clues you’ve prepared, and, if you want to, small prizes or treasures for the finders.
7. Giant twister 😉
The giant twister takes the classic, flexibility-challenging game outdoors with an oversized mat featuring the familiar colored circles and includes oversized spinning arrows to dictate moves.
Players take turns spinning the arrow, which instructs them to place a specified limb on a colored circle, aiming not to fall over as the positions get increasingly awkward.
This supersized version is a hilarious and visually striking addition to any gathering, making it ideal for company picnics, parties, and family fun.
8. Giant jenga
Giant Jenga is an oversized version of the classic tabletop game that tests your balance, precision, and nerve. Players take turns removing one block at a time from a tall tower.
The goal is to avoid being the person who causes the structure to collapse. This game adds a dramatic twist to the original, making it a captivating spectacle and interactive challenge for players and spectators alike.
Innovative team-building company picnic ideas
We’ve got some fun, new team-building activities for your next office get-together. They’re a great way to mix things up and break the monotony of the usual office environment.
One such activity is the drone obstacle course, where teams navigate drones through various obstacles, which is a great way to promote teamwork, precision, and technological skills 🙌
This modern twist on team-building challenges participants to communicate effectively and strategize together, making it a perfect blend of fun and skill development in the age of technology.
Another fun activity is escape the park, a picnic version of the popular escape room games. Teams are given a backstory and a series of puzzles and clues to solve a mystery or escape within a set time frame.
Workshops and demonstrations 📍
Company picnics are a great way to mix business with pleasure. They’re a great chance to combine professional development with some fun, and they help build a sense of camaraderie and growth among employees outside the usual work environment.
- For instance, a workshop on effective communication or leadership skills conducted in a relaxed, informal setting like a picnic can encourage more open and engaging participation.
- Let your employees show off their wellness, mindfulness, or even skill-sharing skills at the picnic. It’ll be fun and educational for everyone.
- You can also encourage people to work together more creatively by including hands-on workshops, like team cooking challenges or craft-making sessions.
Besides a company picnic being a day off work, it’s a great chance to bring your team together and show them you appreciate them.
By including classic and new games, themed events, workshops, sports, delicious food, and mental challenges, you’ll create a day your team will remember for years to come.
Discover unique team picnics with Picnic Makers
From the sunny beaches of Malibu to the lively cityscapes of Los Angeles and the peaceful parks of Orange County, Picnic Makers is here to make your luxury corporate picnic dreams come true.
We’re dedicated to going above and beyond to make your corporate picnic a success. Our unique and innovative offerings will help you create a spectacular event that will strengthen the bonds between your employees.
So, let’s get out of the office, enjoy some fresh air, and prepare for a day of laughs, fun, and team bonding. Let’s make it a day to remember! To make sure this day goes as smoothly and fun as possible, you might want to take advantage of the convenience of booking your picnic online with us.
Our team’s expertise in crafting the perfect outdoor experience means you can relax and enjoy the day without worrying about a thing.
FAQs
How can we ensure the event is inclusive for all employees?
Make sure your picnic is accessible to everyone. Consider dietary restrictions for catered food and arrange activities that suit different physical abilities. You can also ask employees about their preferences beforehand to ensure everyone can enjoy various options.
What are some good locations for a company picnic?
The perfect spot for your event can depend on your company’s size and budget. Some ideas could be local parks, the beachfront, a rented event space, or even your office grounds if it’s suitable. No matter where you choose, ensure there’s enough space, restroom facilities, and shade if it’s an outdoor event in the summer.
How do we handle logistics like seating and shading?
You can rent low picnic tables, lounge chairs, and tents or umbrellas to ensure guests have comfortable places to sit throughout the event. By planning these essentials in advance, you can avoid any last-minute issues.
Can we include families in the company picnic?
Absolutely! Inviting families to events like this because it helps to foster a greater sense of community and belonging. Just make sure the activities and food are suitable for all ages.
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