A great way to let loose some steam after a long workday and to build relationships between coworkers is to get outside and throw a Summer Office Party. We’re here to help and offer inspiration for some office party ideas for summer!
Throwing an outdoor office party is sure to boost morale after sitting inside an office or working remotely all day. After all, sometimes all you need is a little vitamin D and fresh air to get rejuvenated. But if the weather isn’t permitting, an indoor summer office party can be just as beneficial for your team no matter the activity. Let’s get into our fun and engaging summer corporate event ideas:
Work Summer Party Ideas Your Team Will Love
1) Create a Field Day Full of Activities
One easy way to enjoy some time outdoors with your team is to set up a competitive field day. Activities can be as simple as a water balloon toss, tug a war, or a sack race. Not only will your team appreciate spending time together outside of the workplace, but they will also have fun doing it. All that is needed is a space big enough for your team to spread out and some equipment you may even have laying around the house. Friendly competition is encouraged as it will challenge your team mentally, physically, and bring excitement.
If you want to do it yourself, use materials you have laying around the office or at home. Old cones, ropes, sporting equipment, water balloons, hula hoops, etc. are a great choice. You can create a challenge with almost anything you have that may be collecting dust somewhere!
Better yet, as the 2024 Paris Olympics approach, consider hosting an Olympics-themed field day equipped with countries, medals, and Olympic values! An incentive for the winning team is a great way to motivate your team to get into it. Free lunch, a half day, or a prize of your choice will do the trick!
2) Get Outside and Give Back
There’s nothing stopping you from planning a great office summer party and giving back at the same time. Almost any game can be set up as a competition. All you need to do is put some prize money on the table that can be donated by the winning team to a charity of their choice.
Other ways you can give back is creating gift/care packages for different charities. If you don’t want to do it yourself, we offer many fun charitable activities that can be done both inside and outside. Paws for a Cause, Bike Build, Healthcare Heroes Scavenger Hunt, and Operation Cancer Care are just a few options!
Giving back to those in need while spending time together could be just what your team needs to feel a sense of fulfillment and togetherness this summer season.
3) Organize a Group Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn’t love a good scavenger hunt? This challenging yet exciting team building activity may be the perfect summer office party idea for your team. This popular activity can make use of items already that can already be found in the office, so you can focus on purchasing just food and drinks. Divide employees into pairs or groups, depending on the number of people, and give each team a series of written clues to solve and objects to track down.
Agree on a time limit of 2 to 3 hours and determine a meeting spot for all teams to converge. The location can be an outdoor or indoor space, or you could make the city the limit! To make the office scavenger hunt more unique, personalize the clues based on employee interests and have them take smartphone pictures of each item they find.
The party doesn’t have to end after the hunt. Order some pizzas and drinks for the afterparty and you will have a day full of bonding, fun and adventure.
4) Set Up a Cooking Competition and Get-Together
Instead of buying all the food yourself, host a cooking competition or potluck instead. Encourage all of your co-workers to bring a homemade dish—whether it’s a light appetizer or lavish dessert—to share with the group, then organize an office-wide luncheon where everyone gets to sample each other’s cooking. Employees will learn more about each other through their food, and potlucks are a proven crowd-pleaser because, after all, who can turn down a smorgasbord of free food?
A cooking competition is another fun way to challenge your team and reward them with a tasty snack. You could host a salsa showdown or guacamole contest. For this, it is best to choose a food type that is easy to make without the use of kitchen equipment. Then, set up a tasting station with paper plates and decide which team did it best!
5) Celebrate a Weird Summer Holiday
There are a surprising number of obscure or downright absurd holidays that don’t get the recognition they deserve. When was the last time your office celebrated National Ice Cream Day (July 16) or National Wine and Cheese Day (July 25). Pick the most random occasion on the calendar and plan an event around this seasonal theme—the wackier the holiday is, the more laughter and shenanigans you’ll have.
This work summer party idea is a chance for everyone to unleash their creativity and show off the quirkier sides of their personalities, which don’t often come to the surface in a work environment.
Start Planning Your Summer Work Party
Now that you have some ideas on how to plan your summer office party, it’s time to start planning! Make sure to check out our outdoor team building activities and we can take care of the specifics for you! And if your team isn’t able to get together in-person, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still have an office party. Hosting a virtual summer office party to get your team together is a great alternative!
Still not sure how to get started planning your company party this summer? Let’s chat about how TeamBonding’s expert planners can take the pressure off of your summer party planning!
