Intern events and team building
The best intern events follow the summer program: a hosted get-to-know-you game in week 1, a midpoint social around week 6, and a send-off after final presentations. Keep them alcohol-free, since many interns are under 21, and put office and remote interns on one video call.
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An intern program calendar, from week 1 to the send-off
Most summer programs run 10 to 12 weeks. Three hosted hours carry the cohort through it, each with one job. Every activity runs about 60 minutes with a live host on your video call.
Week 1
Welcome the whole cohort at once
Hold one welcome hour for every intern in the program, not one per team, on day 2 or 3 once laptops work. A show-and-tell game like Team Discovery Challenge in mixed breakout teams means each intern leaves knowing a few names outside their own team. Day-one introductions belong in the team; our intern icebreakers cover those. Hiring full-time staff on rolling start dates instead? See new hire onboarding.
Weeks 2 to 4
Managers and mentors meet the cohort
Interns get their projects and their managers get busy. Invite managers and mentors to one short game so they meet the interns they don't supervise. That is how an intern finds a second person to ask.
Weeks 5 to 7
The midpoint social
Midpoint reviews land here and energy dips. A hosted hour like Summer Fun & Games or an escape room resets the cohort before the second half. Invite former interns who joined full time: they answer the questions interns won't ask a manager.
Last Thursday of July
National Intern Day
In 2027 that is Thursday, July 29, 2027. Most summer programs are still running, so it is a natural day for a thank-you from leadership (below).
Final 2 weeks
Final showcase, then the send-off
Book a public speaking workshop a week or two before final presentations. After the showcase, end with a send-off: a kit workshop like Terrarium Making gives each intern something to take home. Pair it with an end-of-summer gift if you want both.
Intern events that work for the whole cohort
Prices are live from our catalog. None of these has alcohol in it, so every intern can join.
Week 1 and the midpoint: games that mix the cohort
A live host runs the room and rotates the breakout teams, so interns from different offices and schools end up on the same team.
Virtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $35 USD / person
Team Discovery Challenge
A scavenger hunt meets show and tell. A gentle week 1 opener where interns share something from their desk or town.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $34 USD / person
Poll Points!
Guess how the group answered fresh poll questions. Quick to learn, and the cohort finds out how everyone thinks.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $39 USD / person
Summer Fun & Games
Summer-themed rounds with teams that rotate every round. Made for the midpoint social in July.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $35 USD / person
Beach Vacate-tion Escape Room
Small teams solve puzzles to escape a tropical island. Every intern has a part to play.
1 hour
The final weeks: presentation prep and a send-off
A skills session before final presentations, then a relaxed hour after them. The two kit workshops ship a kit to every intern, with no alcohol in either.
Virtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $34 USD / person
Speak Up! Public Speaking Workshop
Structure a message, calm the nerves and present clearly. Book it a week or two before the final showcase.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $38 USD / person
Improv
Guided improv games that build quick thinking and trust. A fun warm-up for interns about to present.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive hostKit
Starting at $94 USD / person
Bubble Tea Making
A bubble tea making kit at every intern's address and a host who walks the cohort through it.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive hostKit
Starting at $100 USD / person
Terrarium Making
Each intern builds a small terrarium to take home: a send-off keepsake from the summer.
1 hour
See every hosted team game and team building kit, or all activities.
One intern cohort across offices, remote desks and schools
An intern class rarely sits in one room. Plan for the shape yours has.
Several offices
One cohort, three cities
Put every office on one video call with breakout teams that mix cities. Office groups can play from one conference room, one screen per team.Remote interns
Interns who never visit an office
Kits ship to each intern's address, so a remote intern gets the same box as everyone else. More in our virtual internship guide.Managers and mentors
Invite them, but count them
Managers who play make the event count. Add them to the headcount and keep them as players, not judges.Alumni
Last year's interns, now full time
One or two per breakout team. They show what a return offer looks like and the cohort asks them things it won't ask a manager.Time zones
Interns on the West Coast or abroad
Pick a midday slot in US Eastern time (noon or 1 PM): 9 or 10 AM on the Pacific coast, late afternoon in the UK. Every activity runs on Zoom by default, or Teams, Meet or Webex.Two start dates
Interns on different school calendars
Interns whose school year ends later often start weeks after the rest. Hold the welcome when the last group arrives, or run it twice.
Alcohol-free by default
Many interns are under 21. Plan one menu the whole cohort can share, managers included.
Need ideas you can run yourself between events? Our intern team building activities are all free to run.
- Skip the cocktail and wine kits. Kits that contain alcohol need an adult (21+) signature on delivery, and many interns are under 21.
- Don't call it a happy hour. Call it the intern social, so nobody wonders whether they should come.
- Pick a tasting with no age limit. Bubble Tea Making or Coffee Tasting gives the cohort the tasting-kit feel.
- Games need nothing but a screen. Hosted games run on the video call with pen and paper, at any age.
- Same rule with managers in the room. One cohort, one menu: don't split it into an over-21 event and the rest.
National Intern Day 2027 is Thursday, July 29, 2027
Most summer programs are still running that week, so it is the natural day for a thank-you from leadership.
WayUp created National Intern Day in 2017 and holds it on the last Thursday in July; the official site lists July 29, 2027. It is an observance, not a holiday, so the interns are at work. Ideas for the whole week are in our National Intern Day guide.
Book by, for Thursday, July 29, 2027
- Hosted gameThu, Jul 15, 2027
- Kit workshop, US addressesThu, Jul 8, 2027
- Kits to Canada or abroadThu, Jun 24, 2027
Budget per intern, for a cohort of 15, 40 or 100
Most hosted games are one package for up to 25 people, so the price per intern drops as the cohort grows. Kit workshops cost about the same per intern at any size.
A three-event summer (a welcome game, the midpoint game and a kit send-off) comes to $6,029 for 40 interns, about $151 an intern.
| Activity | 15 people | 40 people | 100 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Discovery ChallengeHosted game, week 1 | 15 people$875 | 40 people$1,095 | 100 people$1,535 |
| Summer Fun & GamesHosted game, midpoint | 15 people$975 | 40 people$1,195 | 100 people$1,635 |
| Speak Up! Public Speaking WorkshopHosted workshop, before the showcase | 15 people$850 | 40 people$1,700 | 100 people$3,400 |
| Bubble Tea MakingKit workshop, shipped to each intern | 15 people$1,549 | 40 people$3,499 | 100 people$8,179 |
| Terrarium MakingKit workshop, shipped to each intern | 15 people$1,639 | 40 people$3,739 | 100 people$8,779 |
Totals from our live catalog prices, with continental US kit shipping included. Count managers and alumni who join. Get a free quote for an exact number.
Booking intern events for summer 2027
No date needs locking in yet. These are the lead times to plan around once your program dates are set.
Hosted games
About 2 weeks ahead
Book the welcome, midpoint and send-off at the same time, once your start and end dates are set.Kit workshops
About 3 weeks ahead
For US addresses. With interns in Canada or abroad, addresses are due 4 weeks out, so book about 5 weeks ahead.Custom rounds
About 4 weeks ahead
Questions about your company, your interns' projects or last summer's cohort need about 4 weeks' notice.Addresses
Ask for the summer address
Interns move between campus, home and summer housing. Ask for the address they'll be at on the event date.
What our clients say
Trusted by teams at
“Booked a trivia event for Hispanic Heritage Month and it was a lot of fun! The host, Andres was great and kept the attendees engaged the entire time.”
“Stephanie was an incredible guide! She was so friendly, knowledgeable, and kind as she helped our group of ~80 people make candles virtually!”
Intern event questions
What are good intern events?
A short calendar works better than one big party: a hosted get-to-know-you game in week 1, a midpoint social around weeks 5 to 7, and a send-off after final presentations. Keep every format alcohol-free, mix offices and teams in every breakout, and invite managers and last year's interns.
What are good virtual intern events?
Hosted games like a show-and-tell scavenger hunt, a poll game or an escape room, where a live host rotates breakout teams so remote and office interns mix. For something hands-on, a kit workshop ships a kit to each intern's address and a host leads it on the call.
When is National Intern Day 2027?
Thursday, July 29, 2027. WayUp created National Intern Day in 2017 and holds it on the last Thursday in July. To run a hosted game that day, book by Thu, Jul 15, 2027; for a kit workshop to US addresses, by Thu, Jul 8, 2027.
How much should we budget per intern for events?
Most hosted games are one package for up to 25 people with added guests in blocks, and kit workshops are a base fee plus a price per kit, with continental US shipping included. Summer Fun & Games comes to $1,195 for 40 interns, about $30 an intern. A three-event summer (a welcome game, a midpoint game and a kit send-off) comes to $6,029 for 40 interns, about $151 an intern. Every card on this page shows its live price.
Can interns under 21 join a mixology or wine tasting event?
Kits that contain alcohol need an adult (21+) signature on delivery, so they don't suit a cohort with interns under 21. Pick an alcohol-free format for the whole group instead, such as a hosted game or a bubble tea or coffee tasting kit.
Can office and remote interns do the same event?
Yes. Everyone joins one video call, and office groups can play from a conference room. Ask the host to mix offices and remote interns in every breakout team. Kits ship to each intern's address, with add-on shipping for Canada, Alaska and Hawaii, US territories and international addresses.
How far ahead should we book intern events for summer 2027?
Hosted games need about 2 weeks, kit workshops about 3 weeks for US addresses and about 5 with interns in Canada or abroad, and custom rounds about 4 weeks. The simplest plan is to book all three events as soon as the program's start and end dates are set.
How is this different from new hire onboarding?
A new hire joins a team that already exists, one person at a time. Interns arrive as a cohort on the same day and leave together 10 to 12 weeks later, so the events follow the program: a cohort welcome, a midpoint social and a send-off.
Keep planning
New hire onboarding activities
A first-week and first-90-days plan, with get-to-know-you games new hires actually enjoy.
ExploreIntern team building activities
Ideas you can run yourself, in the office or on a call.
Read the guideNational Intern Day ideas
Ways to thank interns, a plan for the week and messages to post.
Read the guideGifts for interns
Welcome and end-of-summer gifts, priced for a whole cohort.
Explore
