Party Types
Corporate kids events need a zone that runs without you
At a staff family day or a corporate Christmas party, the children are not the guests of honour. They are the reason the guests of honour can stay. The kids area has to work without anyone from your team supervising it.
Corporate kids entertainment is a different product from a birthday party even when the activities look identical. The organiser is usually an events or people team, the ages span one to thirteen, attendance is rolling, and nobody on staff wants to be responsible for watching a jumping castle.
That last point is the one that matters commercially. A supervised kids zone lets your attendees actually attend. An unsupervised one turns half your guest list into part time child minders and undermines the event.
The other differences are administrative. Corporate clients typically need proper invoicing, a certificate of currency, and sometimes venue specific compliance. Suppliers who work corporately have all of that ready.
The shape of the day
What a working corporate kids zone includes
Build it so an attendee can leave their child there and go back to the event.
- A defined boundary. Fencing, a marked area or a separate room, so the zone has an obvious edge and children do not drift into the main event.
- Supervised activities, staffed by the supplier rather than by your team. This is the line item worth paying for.
- Something for the under fives and something separate for the older children. A single activity will not cover a one to thirteen age range.
- A quiet corner. Craft, colouring or a story area for children who need a break from the noise.
- Clear sign in and sign out if the zone is genuinely supervised, so responsibility is documented rather than assumed.
Getting it right
Matching the booking to the corporate format
Different corporate events want different things from the kids side.
| Event | What the kids side needs | Typical booking |
|---|---|---|
| Staff family day | A zone that runs for hours with mixed ages | Supervised soft play plus games and a face painter |
| Christmas party | A festive focal point plus somewhere to put small children | A character appearance plus soft play |
| Store or venue opening | High visibility, high throughput, street facing | Face painting, balloon twisting and a carnival stall |
| Client family event | Polished, contained and low risk | A supervised host led programme |
| Conference creche style | Genuine supervision and sign in | A staffed programme with documented duty of care |
What to book
What to book for a corporate event
Supervised, self running and age split. Those three words cover most corporate briefs.
Kids Party Hosts
A host who runs the schedule so you get to be a parent.
ExploreSoft Play Hire
Padded play sets, mini slides and fencing for under fives.
ExploreKids Party Games
Giant garden games, carnival stalls and prize activities.
ExploreFace Painters
Face painting, glitter tattoos and body art with skin safe products.
ExploreCharacter Entertainers
Costumed characters who arrive in role and stay in role.
ExploreKids Party Equipment Hire
Fairy floss, popcorn, kids tables, chairs and teepee sleepovers.
ExploreProcurement
What corporate bookers need that parents do not
The activities are the same. The paperwork around them is not, and it is usually what delays a booking.
Get quotes
Tell us about the corporate event
Expected numbers of children, the age spread, the venue and whether you need supervised activities. Suppliers will quote a package.
- Estimate how many children and their age range
- Say whether supervision needs to be supplier staffed
- Mention any venue compliance requirements you already know about
Questions parents ask
Corporate kids event questions
What is different about corporate kids entertainment?
The activities look similar to a party, but the requirements around them are different. Rolling attendance, a wide age range, supplier supplied supervision so your staff are not rostered on, proper invoicing, and often venue specific compliance documentation.
Do suppliers provide supervision?
Some do and some supply equipment only. It is the most important thing to clarify, because an unsupervised kids zone at a corporate event either fails or turns your attendees into supervisors. Ask for supervision to be a written line in the quote.
Can suppliers invoice a company?
Suppliers who work corporately will have an ABN, issue tax invoices and accept standard payment terms. Say in your brief that this is a corporate booking so quotes come back from suppliers set up for it.
What ages do we need to plan for?
Usually one to thirteen, which is too wide for a single activity. Plan a contained area for the under fives and something active and separate for the older children, or you will lose one group or the other.
What documentation will our venue need?
Commonly a certificate of currency for public liability insurance, and often venue specific inductions or compliance forms. Ask the venue for its supplier requirements first, then pass them to the supplier with the brief.
How far ahead should we book?
Six to eight weeks for most events, and considerably longer for December. Corporate Christmas events cluster into a three week window and the good suppliers are committed early.
Get quotes for the kids side of your event
Tell us the numbers, the ages and the venue. We match you with suppliers who work corporately and can supply the documentation.