Kinderfest: Welcoming Our Littlest Supporters to GetYourGuide

‍Lenka Filipovicova is a Senior Payment Analyst at GetYourGuide and mom of two. Aware of the impact parents’ busy work schedule can have on kids, she created an event to thank families for their support. Featuring a painting workshop, BBQ, a bouncy castle, and more, KinderFest was a fun-filled success! 

In June 2023, our Berlin HQ hosted a fun event for families called KinderFest. Attended by 60 kids of GetYourGuide employees along with their parents, our guests enjoyed an afternoon of bouncing on a bouncy castle, painting, playing games, and enjoying tasty snacks. The get-together was a chance for parents to show their little ones where they work and for colleagues to connect as fellow parents.

Why KinderFest?

Work isn’t just a big part of our lives, it affects our families too. For this reason, we wanted to organize a special event aimed at kids to make them feel appreciated. KinderFest was all about having a blast, eating delicious food, and letting our creativity shine. It also helped answer our kids' questions – and sometimes also disappointment – when we tell them, "I have to go to work."

KinderFest was also a fantastic opportunity for colleagues with kids to enjoy a different kind of social gathering. After-work drinks can be tricky when you have to consider school pickups, after-school clubs, and tea times. This event made sure that this specific group of colleagues felt seen, and celebrated our inclusivity.
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Play, Painting, Popcorn - and More! 

Even though we had to move the fun indoors due to rain, the first ever KinderFest was still a huge success! From 4 pm to 9 pm, a team of awesome volunteers welcomed 60 children aged from just a few months old to thirteen. The kids enjoyed a relaxed schedule of playtime and workshops; as well as mouth-watering BBQ, popcorn, fruit juices, and ice cream.

The bouncy castle was a definite hit, and the kids loved bouncing around all afternoon. Elsewhere, Senior Software Engineer Rafael Thomazetti led a group painting session where our visitors created a giant mural that added color and excitement to the festivities. Other GetYourGuide colleagues led fun guided tours of our offices: we couldn't resist showing off some of our coolest spaces, like the Mexican Wrestler-themed meeting room with its masks and sparkle, and the Jungle Room filled with plants.

We had more fun activities including a ring-throwing game and face painting. The feedback from our little VIPs was amazing, and we were happy to create an exciting day for our colleagues' biggest fans.

"We had a fantastic time at the KinderFest. My husband brought our daughters after school - they are 7 and 9 years old. Their favorite things were the crafting table and the bouncy castle, and the disco party in the Tower (with as much popcorn and ice cream as they could handle!). My favorite thing was getting to take other families on a tour of the building and show off our incredible office space, including some of our tour-themed conference rooms."

"The visit really made an impression: all the kids got a bag of GetYourGuide goodies at the end of the night and the next day my kids put on their GetYourGuide shirts and drawstring backpacks, got out their GetYourGuide notebooks and pens, and played that they were going to work with me, because, "When we grow up, we want to work at GetYourGuide too!"

Meg Telson, Head of People Operations‍

Making KinderFest an Annual Event

KinderFest was so much fun and gave us a chance to see our co-workers in a different light. Most importantly, it was a way to show appreciation for the support and patience of our families, and helped our kids understand where we work. The response was fantastic, and we're already planning an even bigger KinderFest for next year!

We want to give a huge shout out to all the wonderful volunteers who made KinderFest a success. And a big thank you to our colleagues for bringing their kids and partners – it was an absolute blast!

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