Keeping it local: family days for companies in the west
If most of your people live and work around Jurong, Boon Lay or Clementi, there is a good case for keeping the family day close to home. Shorter journeys mean families arrive in a better mood, stay longer and are more likely to bring grandparents along. It also makes the day seem like it belongs to the local team rather than head office.
Four kinds of setting
Companies in the west tend to choose between their own premises, an outdoor park or field, a hotel ballroom and a restaurant with a private area. Each suits a different kind of day.
- Your own site lets families see where their relatives work, and there is nothing to book. You do need open space, shade and an indoor fallback.
- Parks and fields, including the green spaces around Jurong Lake, suit inflatables, sports and game stations. They need permission from the relevant agency and a firm wet weather plan.
- A ballroom keeps everyone cool and makes catering simple, but limits active games.
- A restaurant works for a smaller, quieter gathering, with a few simple activities for the children.
How we would narrow it down
Start with the guest count and the age mix, because those rule out more options than anything else. Then ask how much your people really want to be outdoors. Check travel times for the majority of staff, not just the people at head office, and confirm a covered alternative for anything planned in the open.
Questions to put to every venue
Ask about setting up and clearing times, power points for inflatables, outside catering, toilets and baby-changing facilities, and any rules on noise or equipment. Rules change, so check current details with the venue and, for public parks, with NParks.
Do not forget the journey home
Families with tired children leave in a hurry. Think about where taxis and private-hire cars will pick up, how far the nearest MRT station is and whether the car park can empty without a long queue.
For a fuller side-by-side view, Get Out! Events' comparison of family day venues in Jurong sets out the trade-offs of each setting and a simple order for making the decision.