The moment you invite employees’ families, your company Christmas party stops being one event. It turns into four or five events in one room: toddlers who need something soft and simple, grade-schoolers who want to make things, tweens who want to win, teenagers who would rather be anywhere else, and the employees themselves, who’d like ten minutes to talk to a coworker’s spouse.
The fix is simple and gets skipped a lot: find out how old the kids are before you book anything. This guide shows how to collect that on the RSVP, then build the party around the age groups that actually show up.
The short version
Most company RSVP forms ask for one number: how many guests are you bringing? That tells you how much food to order. It doesn’t tell you whether to book a bounce house or a laser tag arena.
Add one question that asks how many kids are coming in each age range. Use bands, not exact birthdays, so it takes parents five seconds to answer. Then plan around the results:
| Age band | What they want | Good fits |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | Simple, safe, close to a parent | Balloon Artists, Face Painters, Wizards Castle 4-in-1 Combo |
| 5 to 8 | Something to make and take home | Stuff a Plush, Sun Catchers, Spin Art, Glitter Tattoos |
| 9 to 12 | Games with a score or a winner | Dance Dance Revolution, Air Hockey, Multi-Game Arcade Station |
| 13 to 17 | Something that doesn’t feel like a kids’ party | Laser Tag, Virtual Reality Experience, Car Racing Simulators, 360 Video Photo Booth |
| Adults | Conversation, a little friendly competition, a break | Familiar Feud Game Show, Golf Simulator Rental, Caricaturist, Chair Massage |
If 40 of your 60 kids are under 8, put most of your budget into crafts and entertainment for little ones. If half are teens, a VR and racing zone will do more for you than a second craft table. Our interactive games by age group guide goes deeper on matching games to ages.
Toddlers and preschoolers don’t need much. They need something colorful, something they can do sitting next to mom or dad, and a quiet place for a break. Balloon artists and face painters are the classic picks because there’s no waiting for a turn to end. Every kid walks away with something.
A bounce house is the other big draw for this age. The Wizards Castle 4-in-1 Combo is one option. Inflatables need floor space, overhead clearance and a clear path to bring them in, so send us your room’s floor size, ceiling height and door widths. We’ll confirm whether it works in your space before you plan on it. See all bounce house rentals.
This is the age where a craft becomes the highlight of the day. Kids get to build something, show it to a parent and carry it out to the car. These crafts work well at a company party:
See our arts and crafts rentals for the full list. For holiday-themed takeaways, our make-and-take stations guide compares the options.
Older kids have outgrown face paint, and most crafts feel too young to them. What they want is a game they can win and then play again. Scored games keep this group busy for an hour without anyone having to run them:
Browse our arcade game rentals for more options.
Teens are the hardest guests at a family company party. If it looks like a little kids’ party, they’ll spend the afternoon on their phones next to the coat rack. Give them a zone that feels like it’s meant for them, and set it apart from the craft tables:
If you have teen guests, ask us about any age or height guidelines for laser tag and VR when you request a quote, so you can plan for younger siblings too.
Don’t forget why everyone came. This is still a company party, and employees want time with each other. An adult corner, away from the busiest kids’ stations, gives them that:
For more adult-friendly ideas, see our corporate entertainment page and our guide to holiday entertainment for people who don’t dance. Planning an alcohol-free event? Our alcohol-free company holiday party ideas fit well with a family guest list.
Most stations at a family party split guests by age, so pick one that pulls everyone back together. The 360 video booth works for a whole family on the platform. An open air photo booth with props works for grandparents and toddlers alike. Put it near the entrance so families stop on the way in, before anyone’s tired. See all our photo booth rentals.
Weekend afternoons tend to work better than weeknights for families, since young kids aren’t fighting bedtime. Here’s one way to run it:
| Time | What’s happening |
|---|---|
| 1:00 | Doors open. Photo booth, balloon art and crafts start right away. |
| 1:30 | Lunch or snacks. Teen zone and arcade games open. |
| 2:15 | Familiar Feud: departments vs. departments. |
| 2:45 | Bonus round: parents vs. kids. |
| 3:15 | Quiet stretch for little ones. Crafts collected and labeled. |
| 3:45 | Leadership thank-you and a family photo wave. |
| 4:00 | Party ends. Families head home with their crafts. |
For the office side of the planning, use our office holiday party planning checklist and our guide to sizing your rental mix by guest count.
Our holiday venue walkthrough checklist has the full list.
Party Pros East Coast is a family-owned company based in Bridgeport, PA. Our owners bring more than 60 years of combined experience, and we serve Philadelphia and PA, NJ, DE, MD and NY, plus 15 East Coast states from Maine to Florida. If your office is in the city, see our Philadelphia Christmas party rentals. For the suburbs, see holiday party rentals near King of Prussia.
Send us your date, venue and RSVP age breakdown. We’ll suggest a mix that works for every age in the room. We’re 5-star rated on Google. Call 844-PARTY-HQ (844) 727-8947.
Ask for kids’ ages on the RSVP in bands (under 5, 5 to 8, 9 to 12, teens), then book activities for the age groups that are actually coming. Add an adult corner so employees still get time together.
Laser Tag, a Virtual Reality Experience, Car Racing Simulators and a 360 Video Photo Booth. Set them up in their own zone, away from the toddler area.
It depends on your floor size, ceiling height and doors. Send us those details and we’ll confirm before you book.
Stuff a Plush, Sun Catchers, Spin Art and Glitter Tattoos all work well for ages 5 to 8 and give kids something to take home.
Weekend afternoons usually work better for families with young children, since there’s no bedtime pressure.
Tables and chairs are arranged with your order.
