Bowling without pins? Playing baseball without bats? A company picnic without hot dogs? Unthinkable! Who doesn’t love a fresh grilled dog served in the great outdoors, with your choice of condiments? 65% of Americans agree that barbeques and summer picnics are incomplete without hot dogs, according to a recent national survey conducted by the hot dog experts at  Hebrew National(R), a brand of ConAgra Foods  (www.ConAgraFoods.com, May 20, 2010.) Can’t argue that, facts are facts!!

Picking a quality dog is more than just grabbing a frankfurter and tossing it on the grill. Before planning your picnic make sure your caterer is using “all beef” hot dogs. While this option may cost a bit more, the quality is worth the difference in taste and not to mention health. Your guests want a hot dog and not its distant cousin. Another thing to consider when thinking of hot dogs for your event, for instance is will they be on the main menu or just a quick bite?

If you’re depending on the hot dog to be the main attraction, then go big with a quarter pounder. Quick bites can be smaller just to satisfy the pallet as a snack. And be sure not to forget the vegetarians. Make sure you have tofu or turkey hot dogs on hand so no one goes hungry or feel forgotten. Menu planning is essential when booking a picnic for your team, and our staff at Team Play knows quality catering can make or break a company event. Keep in mind food allergies! Make sure to survey guests before hand via email to make sure you aren’t forgetting any basic dietary considerations. Not only will your menu be yummy, but your guests will feel welcome and know the event was planned just for them.

One of the best things about a Team Play Events picnic is that our picnics always feature an all day hot bar! That’s right ALL DAY! What better way to fill the bellies of the kids in attendance then with a great grilled dog. With the smell of grilling hot dogs in the air welcoming your picnic guests, the mood is set for a guaranteed great time. Those early arrivals can grab a dog to stave off any hunger before the meal service, as well as after the main buffet so there’s always something easy and appealing to eat.

Our event staff knows the way to every picnic goers heart is a direct path to their stomachs! Hot dogs are amazing when done right and we know just how to grill up a great hot dog that is sure to please every member of your team.

What comes to mind when you think company picnic? If an egg toss contest or water balloon toss didn’t immediately come to mind, then let us help you refocus your picnic planning mojo. When planning a company picnic, there are a few essentials that are key. Hot dogs, sack races and pie eating contests are traditions that we all love, perhaps even more so for their novelty in this age of smart phones and GPS. However, so your event doesn’t turn into a circus it is important to enlist the help of a game master.
An egg toss contest is the one event at a picnic that, if done correctly, your employees will be talking about on Monday morning. There are two major components to the egg toss. One is called broken egg in lap. The second is called broken egg on head.

Broken egg in lap is the standard endeavor to catch a tossed egg using the lap area, hoping to soften the landing. Inevitably, the egg breaks in the person’s lap, which is not even the funniest part…that is when the egg explodes all over the front of the person’s pants! Of course the outcome is always cause for chuckles and a pants change!
Broken egg on head is roughly the same idea, only the attempt here is to catch the egg while still descending from an overhead toss. Gravity is never on the side of the individual trying to catch the egg. Invariably, the egg breaks in the would-be catcher’s hands, oozing the slimy yolks all over the person’s head, face and chest.

This messy event always seems to be taken in stride, without anyone getting too upset, but always seen as first-class fun. At the core of this seemingly innocuous game is actually employee and family bonding disguised as a gooey game! What’s better than creating a strong sense of community and goodwill than laughing and sharing memorable moments together? However, these things do not always happen on their own, which is where a great games master comes in handy. Our team has seen plenty of egg toss excitement in our nearly thirty years of party planning experience and has mastered guiding teams through the whole process.

When planning an event that will include team building activities disguised as fun game times it is truly important to make sure you have a game master. A game master knows the ins and outs of team building, and is wise in the ways of moving guests throw uncomfortable moments and keeping things on track. As the party planner you want all your bases covered so you don’t end up with egg on your face.

Once you have made the brilliant choice to schedule your workforce for a uniquely designed alliance coaching session with Team Play Events, the key to success is to realize that the morale makeover starts even before your day of activities.

Alert your staff of the choice to create a partnership with a coach from Team Play Events in order to help them feel they are a part of the process and have some ownership over the results. Begin by creating a dialogue in a meeting with your management, and indicate that their team’s feedback is welcome in the planning process. Not only will this create a buzz prior to the day of the event, but this kind of inclusion gives our staff a jumping off point for selecting experiences that are goal-oriented and exhilarating!

Here are some handy prep tips for planning your Team Makeover:

1. Encourage Participation – Prepare a feedback form for everyone in the department. Include questions that support honesty about each individual’s thoughts on strengths and weaknesses and areas that may need improvement.
2. Develop a Training Platform – Use the feedback to gather information and begin goal setting that will help your Team Play Coach create an event tailored to your teams ultimate goals.
3. Decide on a Budget – A core piece to making this kind of collaboration successful is knowing where you stand with your budget. Regardless of the budget, our team is capable of using our skilled staff to create the most extraordinary event possible.
4. Collaborate with a Coach – Once you have your objectives and budget ironed out, begin collaborating with your coach to create a training plan for the day. Team Play Events has the use of a private park that allows for all the focus to be on your team of individuals without distraction.

Combined efforts can be the difference in creating adjustments to your staff morale, project turnaround times and increased attendance. One and all in the workplace will benefit from a well-thought out and highly detailed plan for a day of building up your teams overall drive to thrive. Turn all your teams’ efforts into victories the Team Play Events way!

Slide into fun this summer with Team Play Events newest addition to our already incredible list of program activities with The Alpine Slide!

The Alpine Slide is a remarkable experience that your guests will adore from the top of the 170’ slide all the way to the bottom of this thrilling tubing adventure! Who needs real snow when you’ve got an entire slide covered in artificial snow that resembles grass and makes for a slick and speedy sliding experience? Not us here at the gorgeous Vasa Park set on 30 acres in the incomparable Santa Monica Mountains! We’ve got dual-slides that can be utilized for picnic races and, with 30 tubes there is virtually no waiting while groups experience this unbelievable attraction.

Our highly-trained staff always has our guests safety in mind when it comes to adding attractions and our Alpine Slide is currently being  installed and is being supervised by the manufacturer in order to ensure that it is up and running for the picnic season. The alpine slide features safety rails and a breaking system that allows for our guests to take advantage of tandem sliding and training, which is encouraged by the manufacturer. Tandem sliding makes for an exhilarating group experience during any event!

Contact our Magic Makers today to book an event at our private grounds and experience The Alpine Slide!