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5 Family Friendly Ideas for Bring Your Child to Work Day

This year on Bring Your Child to Work Day, plan team building activities that are engaging for all the kids and the kids at heart. Read on for Confetti's family-friendly ideas below:

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‍What is Bring Your Child to Work Day? πŸ‘ͺ

Bring Your Child to Work Day is an annual event observed in many workplaces on the fourth Thursday in April, where parents or guardians are encouraged to bring their children to their place of work for a day.

The purpose of this holiday is to expose children to different types of careers and workplaces, and to give them a glimpse into the professional lives of their parents or guardians. It can also help inspire children to consider different career paths and interests, as well as begin thinking about their own future aspirations.

Typically during the day, kids are given tours of the workplace, introduced to various employees and departments, play games, and enjoy hands-on projects and alternate activities. Employers may also organize special events or presentations designed to get children engaged and teach them about the company's mission, values, and products or services.

Bring Your Child to Work Day is typically geared towards children aged 8-18, although some employers may allow younger children to attend as well. The day is often seen as a fun and educational opportunity for both parents and children, and can help to strengthen bonds between families and workplaces.

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Here are 5 fun Bring Your Child to Work Day team building activities that everyone can enjoy:

1. Pottery Painting Class πŸͺ΄

Pottery Painting Classes are a great way for children to explore their creativity while also learning new skills. During the class, an art instructor will guide your team through a live and interactive session, teaching basic pottery painting techniques on a ceramic mug or mini planter. The instructor will demonstrate how to paint fun abstract designs and encourage participants to get creative and make it their own.

One of the great things about the Pottery Painting Class is that no prior experience is necessary, making it an activity that children (and adults) of all ages can enjoy. Each participant will receive a ready-to-paint mug or planter and acrylic painting materials in their kits. This means that no kilns are required, making it an easy activity to do from home! Plus, everyone will have a lasting memento to commemorate Bring Your Child to Work Day.

How to get started πŸ‘‰ Watch your child create their own hand-decorated piece of art in a Pottery Painting Class!
Virtual Pottery Painting Class

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2. Office (or Home Office) Photo Scavenger Hunt πŸ“Έ

Scavenger hunts are a highly entertaining and interactive game to engage parents and kids on Bring Your Child to Work Day. With just a little bit of planning, you can create a memorable experience for everyone in the office. Here are some tips on how to plan a fun team building photo scavenger hunt:

  1. Set a Theme: Choose a theme related to your company's values, culture, or mission. For example, if your company is in the healthcare industry, you could have a scavenger hunt that focuses on healthy habits!
  2. Create Clues: Once you have a theme, create clues that will lead participants to complete tasks or find items in your office or their homes. Make the clues challenging but not too difficult, so that everyone can participate. You can also incorporate riddles, puzzles, or brain teasers into the clues to make them more interesting. Have participants take photos of proof of their completed tasks and send them to the competition host via Slack, or another communication channel.
  3. Set a Time Limit: Set a time limit for the scavenger hunt to keep participants motivated and on track. Make sure to give them enough time to complete the scavenger hunt but not too much time that they lose interest.
  4. Have Prizes: Have prizes for the winning team or teams. This will add some healthy competition. Prizes can include gift cards, company swag, or other fun items.
How to get started πŸ‘‰ Once you've picked a theme and decided how much time you want your scavenger hunt to last, start brainstorming your list of clues and tasks!

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3. Sketch and Stretch ✏️

Bring Your Child to Work Day is a wonderful time to bond with your kids, but it can also be a stressful day for parents and children, especially if you have a busy schedule. That's why Stretch & Sketch is a creative and relaxing experience for younger kids and employees alike, that promotes relaxation, creativity, and teamwork.

In this virtual class, an instructor will guide you through a series of relaxation and meditation techniques, including yoga poses and breathing exercises. These techniques have been proven to increase creativity and help reduce stress, making them perfect for a busy day at work or school.

In between movement breaks, participants will be encouraged to sketch still-life drawings of objects around the house or office. This activity not only helps to keep children engaged and entertained, but by the end of the class, participants will have learned a few foundational yoga, focused on relaxation and comfort, as well as breathing techniques for meditation as well. Participants will also leave with four sketches to remember the day and develop their artistic skills in the process!

How to get started πŸ‘‰ Keep kids entertained with movement and drawing in Sketch and Stretch!
Virtual Sketch and Stretch by Confetti

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4. Career Dress-up 🩺

Bring Your Child to Work Day is meant for children to explore different careers and learn about the working world. One fun and creative activity to consider is a dress-up event where children dress up as what they want to be when they grow up and adults dress up as what they wanted to be when they were kids. Here's how to plan this engaging and interactive activity:

  1. Give kids the prompt ahead of time: If students are finding it difficult to choose a career, encourage them to think about their favorite school subjects, hobbies, and more. Parents can also help by discussing their own careers and sharing their experiences. Adults can also get involved by preparing their own costumes that represent what they wanted to be when they were young.
  2. Make it crafty: Provide materials, such as paper, markers, and glue, on the day of the event so that the kids can create extra props to go with their costumes, like a tool belt for someone who wanted to enter the construction or engineering industry, a stethoscope for someone who wanted to be a doctor or veterinarian, a microphone for an aspiring performer, and more.
  3. Make it a show and tell: Have each child take turns presenting their costume and explain why they chose that particular career path. Encourage parents to share their own experiences and explain how they came to choose their current profession. This time can be a valuable opportunity for parents and children to bond and share their aspirations.
How to get started πŸ‘‰ The week before Bring Your Child to Work Day, send your employees the prompt for your career dress-up activity so everyone has time to think of their costume!

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5. Custom Cookie Decorating πŸ§‘β€πŸ³

To make the day extra sweet, why not end with a Custom Cookie Decorating class? The class comes with pre-baked cookies, shaped in a theme of your choice (like the company logo!) ready for the participants to get creative with their cookie designs.

Custom Cookie Decorating is great for all skill levels, making it a fun activity for everyone to participate in regardless of their prior baking experience. The class also includes team building cookie decorating challenges that allow parents and children to work together and collaborate, fostering teamwork and communication. Plus, at the end of the class, participants get to share and admire each other's decorated cookie creations, encouraging teamwork and creativity, and providing a tasty treat to enjoy at the end of the day!

How to get started πŸ‘‰ End the day with dessert in Custom Cookie Decorating!
Virtual Custom Cookie Decorating by Confetti

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Fun for kids and kids at heart 🎊

Don't let Bring Your Child to Work Day fly under the radar, since this is a special opportunity for parents, guardians, and kids to learn, bond, and grow closer together. Make memories for your employees and their families by going above and beyond with meaningful and engaging team building activities.

Explore more activities in our Family Friendly collection and book your event in just a few clicks!

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