Kids Entertainment for Company Parties: 7 Best Bay Area Acts
Seven kids entertainers for Bay Area company family days, picnics and holiday parties, with listed prices, group sizes and durations checked against each live EIM listing.
TL;DR
For kids entertainment at a Bay Area company party or family day, book one all-afternoon act for a wide age range (a petting zoo, giant bubbles or face painting), plus an optional short show. The seven EIM options below cover 1 to 500 guests and all travel to you.
- Outdoor family day, all ages: the Mobile Petting Zoo at $500.00 + $250.00/hour, 1 to 300 guests, 2 to 8 hours.
- Lawn or courtyard crowd up to 100: the Giant Bubble Show at $200.00 + $100.00/hour, 1 to 100 guests, flexible duration.
- Two activities from one artist: the Face Paint + Balloon Twisting duo at $25.00 + $150.00/hour for 10 to 75 guests, 2 to 4 hours.
- Largest crowd: the cotton candy and popcorn cart at $300.00/hour for 5 to 500 guests, 2 to 8 hours, with no kitchen or sink needed.
- Indoor holiday party show: the children's magician at $650.00 fixed price (0.5 hours).
Last updated: October 2026
Every price, group size and duration below was checked against each live Events in Minutes (EIM) listing on October 14, 2026.
What kids entertainment works at a company event?
Kids entertainment works at a company event when children can drop in and out for hours while parents talk. That means stations: a petting zoo pen, a bubble zone, a face painting chair or a treat cart. A magic show is an optional layer that gathers everyone once.
What does kids entertainment cost per hour in the Bay Area?
Hourly rates for the Bay Area kids acts in this guide run $100.00/hour to $300.00/hour, and four of them add a one-time base amount of $25.00 to $500.00. Prices mix three pricing types, so compare within a type:
- Per hour (2 listings): $150.00/hour to $300.00/hour.
- Base amount plus hourly (4 listings): a base of $25.00 to $500.00 plus $100.00 to $250.00/hour.
- Fixed price (1 listing): $650.00.
For other categories, see the Bay Area event entertainer cost guide, or browse more kids and family entertainers in San Francisco.
Which kids acts work outdoors at a company picnic?
The mobile petting zoo and the giant bubble show are the two acts in this guide best suited to an open lawn; the bubble show listing names outdoor festivals and holiday family days, and the petting zoo arrives as a fenced pen with hay. All three face painting listings say they work outdoors if you provide a shaded spot or canopy, and the cotton candy cart needs a standard outlet within twenty feet; check wind, shade, surface and power for any outdoor station (general advice).
How do you handle mixed ages at a family day?
Give each age band something it can do without waiting on the others. Age signals from the listings:
- The children's magician pitches its comedy at kids 4 to 12.
- The San Francisco face painter and the giant bubble show say they suit toddlers through grandparents.
- The cotton candy cart serves kids and adults.
Only two listings name a teen-friendly option: the San Francisco face painter lists neon UV body paint for teen celebrations, and the single-artist party offers sugar skull designs for older children (the petting zoo and magician listings say they can adjust for older audiences). Plan something separate for teens, such as lawn games. Schedule any seated show early, before the youngest guests tire.
How many face painters do you need per 50 kids?
As general advice, not a listing figure, plan on two face painting stations for about 50 kids, even though the single-artist package accepts up to 60 children. The San Francisco face painter is capped at 25 guests. The listings publish their pace: the single-artist party and the duo list about 10 to 15 designs an hour, and the San Francisco face painter lists 10 to 15 full-face or 20 to 25 cheek designs an hour, so two stations cover about 50 kids in roughly 2 to 2.5 hours of detailed designs. For hourly rates, one-time amounts and 2 to 4 hour budgets, see how much a face painter costs in the Bay Area.
7 kids entertainers for Bay Area company family days
Mobile Petting Zoo for Kids Birthday Parties and Family Events
Miniature goats, chickens, rabbits and ducks in a fenced setup with hay, treats and supervised animal handling. Best for: an outdoor family day with a wide age range. Watch-out: the highest base amount in this guide, and it needs ground suited to a fenced pen and hay.
Book nowGiant Bubble Show for Kids Birthday Parties and Family Festivals
A bubble performer with giant loops and double-pole rigs who runs walk-through bubble rings and lets kids step inside a bubble, using eco-friendly bubble juice. Best for: a lawn or courtyard crowd of up to 100. Watch-out: flexible duration, so agree hours and the size of the bubble zone up front.
Book nowKids Party Duo: Face Paint + Balloon Twisting (1 Artist)
One artist runs a single station and splits the line between face painting and balloon twisting. The $25.00 covers extra prep and balloon supply for the second service. Best for: a mid-size family picnic. Watch-out: a 2 hour minimum, and still one pair of hands for the whole line.
Book nowKids Birthday Face Painting Party (1 Artist, 2 to 4 Hours)
One face painter doing butterflies, tigers, superheroes and rainbow cheek art, arriving 15 to 30 minutes early. Best for: the simplest hourly face painting booking, or a second station. Watch-out: the listing says it is built for an ordinary kids party rather than a festival, so one artist will not keep up with a big crowd.
Book nowFace Painter for Kids Birthday Parties and Family Events
A face painter who uses hypoallergenic, FDA-compliant water-based paints and works from a posted design menu so families can pick while they wait. The listing says it suits toddlers through grandparents. Best for: a smaller department family party. Watch-out: 25 guests at most, and a 25% non-refundable retainer locks the date.
Book nowCotton Candy and Popcorn Servers for Birthday Parties
A self-contained cart with a costumed server who spins cotton candy and bags popcorn for kids and adults. The listing names corporate family days and needs no kitchen or sink. Best for: a large family day. Watch-out: a treat station, not a show, so pair it with an activity; the description also quotes $500 flat for 1 to 4 hours against the listed $300.00/hour, so confirm the rate with the vendor.
Book nowChildren's Magician for Kids Birthday Parties and School Events
A children's magician who brings sound, a table and props, sets up in 15 minutes and performs an interactive show with comedy pitched at kids 4 to 12. Best for: a single showpiece moment at a holiday party. Watch-out: listed at 0.5 hours, so it fills one slot, not the afternoon.
Book nowCompare the seven kids entertainment options
As listed on October 14, 2026.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Activity | Location | Duration | Group | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Petting Zoo for Kids Birthday Parties and Family Events | Travels to You | 2–8 hours | 1–300 guests | $500.00 + $250.00/hour |
| Giant Bubble Show for Kids Birthday Parties and Family Festivals | Travels to You | Flexible | 1–100 guests | $200.00 + $100.00/hour |
| Kids Party Duo: Face Paint + Balloon Twisting (1 Artist) | Travels to You | 2–4 hours | 10–75 guests | $25.00 + $150.00/hour |
| Kids Birthday Face Painting Party (1 Artist, 2 to 4 Hours) | Travels to You | 2–4 hours | 8–60 guests | $150.00/hour |
| Face Painter for Kids Birthday Parties and Family Events | Travels to You | Flexible | 1–25 guests | $150.00 + $100.00/hour |
| Cotton Candy and Popcorn Servers for Birthday Parties | Travels to You | 2–8 hours | 5–500 guests | $300.00/hour |
| Children's Magician for Kids Birthday Parties and School Events | Travels to You | 0.5 hours | 1–100 guests | $650.00 fixed price |
Budget examples for three family day sizes
Example estimates from listed prices, before tax, fees and gratuity. For base-plus-hourly listings, confirm how hours are counted.
- Department picnic, about 40 kids, 3 hours: face paint and balloon duo for 3 hours, $25.00 + (3 x $150.00) = $475.00, plus the bubble show for 2 hours, $200.00 + (2 x $100.00) = $400.00. Total: $875.00.
- Company-wide family day, 200 guests, 4 hours: petting zoo for 4 hours, $500.00 + (4 x $250.00) = $1,500.00, plus the treat cart for 4 hours, 4 x $300.00 = $1,200.00 (confirm the rate; the description quotes $500 flat for 1 to 4 hours). Total: $2,700.00.
- Holiday party, about 30 kids, 2 hours: the children's magician at $650.00 fixed price, plus the single-artist face painting party (8 to 60 guests) for 2 hours, 2 x $150.00 = $300.00. Total: $950.00.
How we chose these seven acts
We reviewed nine verified EIM kids entertainment listings and kept seven whose group size and booking window fit a company event. A balloon twister package capped at 15 to 20 guests was left out as too small, and an Oakland puppet show was left out because none of its listing photos could be shown without a child's name or an award badge. Inflatables are not covered.
Planning tips for a company family day
- Count kids, not employees. Ask for the number and ages of children at RSVP, and confirm with each vendor whether its guest limit (25 to 500 guests on these listings) counts only the children it serves or everyone present.
- Book 4 to 6 weeks ahead (general advice). Every act here is request to book.
- Map the zones. Keep the petting zoo and bubbles away from food tables.
For food and adult activities, see company picnic ideas for the Bay Area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which kids entertainers can cover a full 4 hour family day?
Four acts list booking windows that reach 4 hours or more: the petting zoo and the cotton candy and popcorn cart (2 to 8 hours each), and the face paint and balloon duo and the single-artist face painting party (2 to 4 hours each). The bubble show and the San Francisco face painter list a flexible duration, so confirm hours.
What does face painting for 50 kids cost?
For two face painting stations over 3 hours, an example estimate is $900.00 before tax, fees and gratuity: the single-artist package at 3 x $150.00/hour is $450.00, plus the San Francisco face painter at $150.00 + (3 x $100.00) = $450.00. Ask each artist how many kids they can paint per hour.
Do these entertainers come to our office or picnic site?
Yes. All seven EIM listings in this guide are marked Travels to you. Send the address, parking and load-in details with your request, since every listing here is request to book and the vendor confirms the date.
What is the cancellation policy for these kids entertainers?
All seven listings in this guide show a Strict cancellation policy with a window of up to 30 days before the event. The San Francisco face painter also asks for a 25% non-refundable retainer. The petting zoo and magician descriptions also mention a partial refund up to 14 days before, so confirm terms with those vendors. Confirm your date and headcount before you book.
How much does a mobile petting zoo cost for a company family day?
The Mobile Petting Zoo in this guide is listed at $500.00 + $250.00/hour for 1 to 300 guests, with bookings of 2 to 8 hours, so a 3 hour visit is an example estimate of $500.00 + (3 x $250.00) = $1,250.00 before tax, fees and gratuity. It brings miniature goats, chickens, rabbits and ducks in a fenced setup with hay, so ask about the ground and space the pen needs.