Pretty “Cool” Summer Picnic Ideas Employees Will Love

Nothing really beats a summer picnic. Sunshine on your face and kicking back with your team members makes any day a little brighter. If you’re looking for fun ideas for your next summertime employee picnic, we’ve collected our most popular summer picnic ideas that your employees will love!

Pretty Cool Swag Ideas:

Brand give-a-ways for your employees and their families. Collect T-shirt sizes and guest count from your RSVPs and order custom branded swag for them. Some of the most popular swag ideas for summer picnics include:

  • T-Shirts
  • Hats
  • Sunscreen
  • Sun Umbrellas
  • Fans (electric/wearable or hand powered)
  • Water Bottles (bonus for sustainability!)
  • Reusable Cups (bonus for color-changing!)
  • Bandanas (great way to denote teams for team building activities!)
  • Drawstring Bags
  • Sunglasses
  • Towels
Ornate Fresh Floral Centerpieces at Sunglasses Handouts at Edwards' Luxury Luau Company BBQ in Orange County

Turn Your Summer Picnic into a Water Park!

Who doesn’t love a water park? Here at A Company Picnic, we have plenty of water activities, and we find they make summer picnics all the more fun. We incorporate many of these into our Splash Zone employee picnic theme, but it’s also a wonderful idea to bring them into any themed summer picnic. Here’s a few of our top water interactives:

  • Mega Slip n’ Slide
  • Hydro Obstacle Course
  • 26’ Water Slide
  • Water Tag
  • Reverse Dunk Tank
  •  Surf Slider
  • Water Wars
  • Hydro Gel Blasters 
  • Water Balloon Volleyball
  • Beer Pong Battleship
Having a Water Gun Fight as Entertainment at QTC's Splash Zone Themed Employee Cookout

Bring in the Refreshments!

Nothing quite beats a cool, delicious drink on a warm summer afternoon. It’s even better to have others to share it with!  Here’s some of our most popular refreshing beverages for summer picnics:

  • Lemonade
  • Iced Tea
  • Ice Water
  • Pink Lemonade
  • Horchata
  • Sangria
  • Smoothies
  • Electrolyte Water
  • Margaritas
  • Draft Beer
  • Mojito

Pick a Classic Summer Location:

Nothing says summer quite like the beach or a pool. Choosing a location for your employee picnic is an important step in the planning process (learn more about planning employee picnics in the summertime). If it’s possible, consider planning a poolside or seaside summer picnic this year. Here’s a few summer picnic ideas for location:

  • Rent a Pool Center
  • Take Your Picnic to the Beach
  • Picnic Lakeside
  • Bring an Above-Ground Pool to Your Location of Choice
  • Host it at a Park with a Splash Pad
  • Select a Park with Shade Trees

Group Playing a Game of Balloon Toss at a Seaside Corporate Picnic in Newport Beach, California

Chilling Out While You Chill Out:

While the summer sun is enjoyable, we understand it’s important to cool off while you’re in it. We’ve personally found there’s many ways to keep cool while you’re romping in the sun. Here’s a few of our favorite ways to chill out at a staff and family day:

  • Sno-Cones, Shaved Ice, Ice Cream, and Popsicles
  • AC Cooled Tents
  • Fresh Summer Fruits
  • Water Balloon Toss or Wet Sponge Relay
  • Misting Stations
  • Paddleboarding or Surfing
  • Add Shade with Umbrella Tables
  • Bring in Fans
Girl With Ice Cream from the Novelty Menu and a Balloon Sculpture Hat at Press Forge's Oversized/Wonderland Themed Family Day in LA

Summer Picnic Ideas Everyone Can Enjoy!

In short, there’s plenty of great summer picnic activities and ideas, like these team building activities for summer. If you’re looking for summer picnic ideas for your next family day or employee picnic, we’ve got a little something for everyone. Here’s to your next summer picnic!

PLAN YOUR PERFECT PICNIC