Company picnic ideas: 40 games, food ideas and a planning checklist
Games for movers and sitters, food that works outdoors, and the plan behind it. Print the checklist, copy the schedule, and skip the planning stress.
A good company picnic is mostly food, shade and a few games people can drift in and out of. These 40 company picnic ideas cover lawn and field day games, easy options for people who don't want to run, food, family add-ons and ways to include remote staff. After them comes the plan: an 8-week checklist you can print, a sample 4-hour schedule to copy and a short safety list. It works for a corporate company picnic of 30 people or 300.
Company picnic outdoor games: lawn, field day and low-energy ideas
18 games and activities, from races to things you can do sitting down. Mix both kinds so nobody is left on the sidelines.
Lawn games and field day games
Picnic classics that need little gear. Run them as stations so people can drift between them.
Three-legged race. Pairs tie two ankles together with a bandana and race to a line. Mix departments in each pair.
Pillowcase sack race. Old pillowcases work as sacks. Run it in heats of six so nobody waits long.
Egg and spoon race. Hard-boiled eggs or golf balls on spoons. Slow and silly, so anyone can win.
Tug of war. Department against department on soft grass, with gloves and a judge.
Water balloon toss. Partners take one step back after every catch. Last unbroken balloon wins.
Kickball. A soft rubber ball and four bases. Mixed teams, everyone kicks at least once.
Capture the flag. Two bandanas, two halves of the field and a clear boundary. Best for groups of 20 or more.
Badminton. A net between two trees and a few rackets. Works for a pair or a crowd.
Ring toss. Rope rings or pool noodle loops over bottles or stakes. Score by distance.
DIY mini golf. Nine holes built from boxes, pipes and cups. Teams design one hole each the week before.
Low-energy picnic activities for adults
For everyone who would rather not run: things to do in the shade with a plate in one hand.
Paper airplane contest. Prizes for distance, time in the air and best design.
Kite flying. Bring a few kites and let anyone take a turn. Open fields only, away from trees and power lines.
Giant checkers. A checkerboard painted on a sheet with paper plates as pieces.
Picnic trivia. A ten-question round read out over lunch, with tables as teams.
Guess the jar. A jar of candy or beans by the drinks. Closest guess takes it home.
Rock painting table. Smooth stones, paint pens and a shady table. People leave with something they made.
Shade-tent games. Card games, dominoes and a puzzle under a tent for anyone who wants to sit.
Photo walk bingo. A bingo card of things to photograph around the park: a dog, a red bench, a team selfie.
Want more? Our outdoor games for adults has 40 yard and field day games with rules, and our summer trivia questions fill the trivia round.
Company picnic food ideas
Food is the main event at most company picnics. Plan it first.
Potluck with a sign-up sheet. Split it into mains, sides, salads and desserts so you don't end up with eight bags of chips.
Food trucks. Two or three trucks with different menus, prepaid by the company so nobody gets out a wallet.
A grill crew. Volunteers grill in shifts of 30 minutes, so nobody spends the whole picnic at the grill.
Labels on every dish. Name, main ingredients and a note for common allergens, vegetarian and vegan.
Boxed lunches. Pre-packed and labeled, with set options for allergies and diets. Easiest for big groups.
Ice cream cart. A dessert people remember, and it keeps a line moving and talking.
Lemonade and iced tea stand. Two big dispensers, plenty of ice and a refill schedule. Alcohol-free keeps it open to everyone.
Team picnic baskets. Each team gets a basket to fill and a blanket to claim, like a picnic inside the picnic.
Going the potluck route? Our office potluck ideas include a sign-up sheet builder.
Employee picnic ideas for families and remote staff
Who's invited changes the plan. Decide early whether families come, and don't forget the people who can't.
Family-friendly add-ons
If families are invited, these keep kids busy so parents get to talk to coworkers.
Sidewalk chalk zone. A paved corner with buckets of chalk. Kids and adults both end up drawing.
Bubble station. Bubble wands and trays of solution. Cheap, quiet and good for small kids.
Kids' craft table. Paper crowns, friendship bracelets or coloring placemats, with one volunteer in charge.
Family photo booth. A frame, a few props and a volunteer with a phone. Send the photos afterward.
Story corner. Blankets and picture books in the shade, with a parent volunteer reading.
Kids' races with ribbons for all. Short dashes and hopping races where every child gets a ribbon.
Bounce house. A rented bounce house with an adult watching. Check that your venue and insurance allow it.
Treasure dig. Plastic coins or small toys buried in a sandbox or a tub of sand for the youngest kids.
For remote employees
People who can't come still deserve a picnic of their own.
Ship a picnic box. Snacks, a picnic blanket and a note, timed to arrive the day before.
A live video moment. Bring remote people in on a laptop for the welcome and the group photo.
Local mini picnics. Where three or more remote people live near each other, fund a small picnic of their own.
Picnic lunch on the company. Give remote staff a lunch budget for the day and ask them to share a photo.
Remote trivia round. Run the picnic trivia round on a video call too, with remote people as their own team.
A shared photo album. One album for everyone, so remote people see the day and can add their own picnic.
Company picnic planning checklist: 8 weeks out to the day after
Work back from the date. Each step lists what to book or decide, and the whole thing prints on one page with tick boxes.
8 weeks out
- Pick a date and a rain date, and avoid big local events and school breaks.
- Set the budget per person, including food, rentals and prizes.
- Decide: employees only, or families and partners too.
- Send a one-question poll to get a rough headcount.
6 to 7 weeks out
- Book the venue. For a public park, ask the parks office about reserving a pavilion and whether your group size needs a permit.
- Ask the venue what insurance it requires, and check with whoever handles your company's insurance.
- Walk the site: shade, paved paths, accessible restrooms, parking and a spot for a quiet area.
- Choose the rain plan: a covered pavilion, an indoor backup or the rain date.
5 weeks out
- Book food: caterer, food trucks or a grill crew, with vegetarian and allergy options.
- Reserve rentals: tents, tables, chairs, coolers, and portable restrooms if the site has none.
- Line up a first aid kit and someone trained in first aid for the day.
4 weeks out
- Send the invite with an RSVP that asks about dietary needs and accessibility needs.
- Pick the games and recruit volunteers to run each station.
- Plan the remote version: picnic boxes, a live video moment or a kit workshop.
2 weeks out
- Confirm numbers with the food and rental vendors.
- Gather game supplies, prizes, sunscreen, bug spray and name tags.
- Plan water: a refill station or a cooler for every 25 people, refilled through the day.
Week of the picnic
- Check the forecast and decide on the rain plan by a set time.
- Send a reminder with the address, parking, what to wear and the schedule.
- Print signs for food labels, the quiet area and the restrooms.
Day before
- Pack the car: games, first aid kit, trash bags, extension cords, speaker and ice.
- Charge the speaker and any phones you'll use for photos or the video call.
Day of
- Arrive early to set up shade, water and the quiet area before anything else.
- Brief the volunteers: who runs which game, who watches the grill, who leads cleanup.
- Leave the site cleaner than you found it.
Day after
- Send a thank-you note with the best photos.
- Send a two-question survey: what to keep and what to change.
- Return rentals and write down what you'd do again next year.
A sample 4-hour company picnic schedule
An 11 to 3 plan that front-loads food and saves the big game for the end, when everyone is there. Shift the times to fit your day.
- 11:00
Arrive and settle in. Name tags, water, sunscreen and a place to put bags. Games are open but nothing is scheduled.
- 11:20
Welcome. Five minutes from a leader: thanks, the schedule, where the restrooms and the quiet area are.
- 11:30
Lunch. Food opens. Tables mix teams, and the trivia round is read out halfway through.
- 12:30
Lawn games. Stations open: races, kickball, ring toss and mini golf. Low-energy games in the shade.
- 1:45
Dessert. Ice cream or dessert, and a break from the sun.
- 2:10
The big game. Tug of war or kickball final, with everyone watching.
- 2:35
Prizes and photo. Hand out prizes, take the group photo and thank the volunteers by name.
- 2:50
Cleanup. Everyone grabs one thing on the way out. Done by 3:00.
- 3:00
End.
Safety and inclusion at a company picnic
The checks that keep the day comfortable for everyone, not only the people who love field day.
- Heat. Shade over every seating area, water everywhere and a shaded break between the active games. Know the signs of heat illness and have a cool spot to rest.
- Allergies. Ask in the RSVP, label every dish, keep separate serving spoons and put allergy-safe food out first.
- Alcohol-free by default. Families, drivers and people who don't drink all feel welcome, and the day stays a work event.
- Accessible paths. Pick a site with paved paths, nearby parking and an accessible restroom, and seat people close to the action.
- A quiet area. A shaded spot away from the speaker and the games, for anyone who needs a break.
- Opt-in competition. Every game is optional. Cheering, judging and keeping score are real jobs for people who don't want to play.
- Sun and bugs. Sunscreen and bug spray on the welcome table, and a first aid kit someone knows how to use.
When a park day won't work
Weather, a spread-out team or no good venue can rule out a picnic. You can still bring people together. Our hosts run Team Trivia and other in-person games at your office in 17 US cities, and painting workshops in 30; see every city on our in-person events page. For remote people, a summer kit workshop ships everything to each home: Herb Gardening (seeds, peat pots and soil pellets) or Terrarium Making (a wooden planter, a live succulent and decorations), each an hour live on video. Book kit workshops 3 weeks ahead, or about 5 weeks for international addresses.
A hybrid team can do both: an in-person game at the office for local staff and a virtual session for remote people, or one virtual event for everyone. More outing ideas are on our company outing page, and our outdoor team building and summer team building activities guides have more for warm months. Adding a theme day to the week? See our dress up day ideas.
One game for the office and two kits for home, with today's prices. Or get a free quote with your date and headcount.
