30 Ideas for Resident Events: Grab-N-Go & Virtual
A NOTE TO YOU, FRIEND >>> We’ve seen the craziness you’ve had to deal with as a property manager.. on top of everything that you’re probably juggling at home, and you’re all doing it with such grace. So, give yourself a pat on the back and take a breather! ❤️
On top of all the craziness, property managers and leasing offices have to be creative in connecting and communicating with their residents. This can be completely exhausting.
To help you out, we’ve pulled together our 30 Favorite Event Ideas for your apartment community. The best part? These are all simple and easy to do in a time crunch and on a budget.
So grab yourself a treat and get inspired with these grab-n-go and virtual resident events!
🎉 Psst - We’ve rebranded the Podcast! We’re now ‘The Multifamily Mix’ Podcast!
Same great, educational, and exciting content, just a new look. Come hang out with us!
(1) VIRTUAL EVENT: ROMANCE MOVIE BINGO
February is the perfect month for romantic comedy binge-watching (helloooo Netflix)! Host a micro-event with this virtual bingo game. This would be really fun to do with an ongoing series like Emily In Paris!
(2) VIRTUAL EVENT: RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS CHALLENGE
Spread kindness among your community with this pay-it-forward social media challenge. 💕 Challenge your residents (and team) to pay-it-forward and do simple random acts of kindness for another person.
Sprout Suggestions for Random Acts of Kindness Initiatives:
Offer to take someone’s photo
Leave a generous tip
Buy a coffee for a stranger
Give someone a compliment
Bring donuts for your coworkers
Open the door for someone
Hold the elevator for someone
Let someone go in front of you in line
Sprout Members: Click HERE to Log In and search ‘acts of kindness’ to download these graphics for social media, or pick from others!
“Our community LOVES the Canva designs. Thank you Sprout team for giving us this option to use in addition to your amazing customizable designs!!”
Property Manager & Happy Sprout Member
(3) VIRTUAL EVENT or GRAB-N-GO: GUESS HOW MANY
Simply fill a jar with the item of your choosing, display your signs, and let people start guessing. You can have guess cards out or people can guess online on social media to do it totally virtual.
See How Sprout Members Did It
Our Sprout Members use their membership to simplify resident events and make sure their residents feel loved, without spreading themselves and their team members are spread too thin.
Want to join the Sprout Community? Click here to find your perfect membership match.
“We use all of the templates and content that you share almost daily. Love the creativity and ease of use for all sorts of different occasions with really good content and design!”
Madi Moore | Happy Sprout Member
(4) VIRTUAL EVENT: GAME DAY FUN
Host a virtual contest to PREDICT THE SCORE of the game. Invite residents to comment on social media and whoever gets the closest wins.
It can be a great way for residents to feel connected while they watch the game.
You could also have a poll or commentary about the half-time entertainment.
FREE DOWNLOAD
The Ultimate Guide to Resident Event Success
(5) VIRTUAL EVENT: HEART-HEALTH FITNESS FOCUS
February is American Heart Month and is an ideal time to remind everyone to focus on their hearts and encourage them to get their families, friends, and communities involved (though heart health is a year-round thing so anytime is good). Never fear, you can throw this event any time of year!
Sprout Suggestions for Heart-Healthy Initiatives:
A week of social media challenges: 25 squats, 100 jumping jacks, etc. Invite residents to tag you or comment on the post when they’ve completed the challenge. Randomly select a winner from those that engaged.
Nutrition Focus: Hire a nutritionist to host a class via Zoom and share easy ways to pack heart-healthy lunches for work or simple heart-smart dinners after a busy day. Tell residents to tag you when they make the meals!
Bring In The Pros: Partner with a professional physical therapist or a fitness trainer to share simple ways for people to get more exercise and strengthen their hearts.
(6) GRAB-N-GO: BUILD A BOUQUET
Flowers make us happy! Offer floral kits in your office for residents to pick up and build on their own. Want to make it virtual? Ask residents to post their masterpiece and tag you on social media.
Sprout Suggestions for Build-A-Bouquet Event:
Announce and invite residents to RSVP through IG, FB, or email.
Pick out fresh flowers and greenery. Decide if you’ll provide the vases or mason jars (Buying flowers and supplies in bulk from a wholesale shop can help you save some cash).
Ask a nearby florist or resident who has a knack for arrangement if they’d be willing to teach a virtual class for your residents.
Have residents tag you in posts with their masterpiece!
(7) GRAB-N-GO EVENT: WINE & CHOCOLATE TO-GO
What could be better than 1) drinking wine or 2) eating chocolate? >> Drinking wine AND eating chocolate. Let your residents do both with this wine and chocolate to-go event.
Sprout Suggestions for The Best Setup:
Announce your grab-n-go event on social media that you have wine & chocolate available for residents.
Snap some photos of smiling residents as they come in to grab their goodies. Brag on residents and showcase the event on social media
Want New Resident Event Ideas Sent to You Every Month?
Join Our Membership!
(8) GRAB-N-GO EVENT: TAKE AND BAKE BROWNIES
Building your community through events doesn’t mean you have to throw huge, over -the-op events. This event is the perfect example of that. You provide the brownie ingredients, they take it home knowing they’re valued by their community… everyone wins!
Sprout Members: Click HERE to Log In and search ‘take and bake’ to download the graphics, Amazon Shopping List, and more for this event!
“I really love the personal customization options. It affords me the ability to find cute & informational fliers, but tailor them to EXACTLY what I want/need.”
Audrianna Pennington | Happy Sprout Member
(9) VIRTUAL EVENT: FOOD-FOCUSED EVENTS FOR APARTMENTS
Everyone loves food. It’s what brings us together half the time! Any event you can host that centers around food will bring your residents closer to each other and to you.
Sprout Suggestions for Food Events for Apartments:
Resident Recipe Swap: Ask residents to post a picture of their favorite food, along with the recipe, and tag you. Share the posts as they come in, then compile them together in one post once the event is over.
Buffet Style: Repost recipes from other resources and encourage your residents to share their fav food resources.
Bring In The Pros: Have a local culinary expert give a Zoom demo of a yummy recipe your residents can recreate
Rate and Review: Have your residents try local restaurants, cafes, or bakeries and give their review. (Pros Tip: have a focus - ex: find the best cinnamon roll in town)
Disclaimer… be mindful of your area and what’s available and in-season when you post. Also, make sure you aren’t posting recipes that your residents might not be able to recreate! This should be fun and easy for everyone.
(10) VIRTUAL EVENT: CHALLENGES FOR APARTMENTS
Get in the competitive spirit with some fun, friendly challenges to get your residents chatting and engaging with you on social media and in person!
Sprout Suggestions for Challenges for Apartments:
Clean Freak: Start a Cleaning Challenge on social media! Ask residents to post a before and after picture of a junk drawer, closet, or bedroom they cleaned out and organized. (Pro Tip: Perfect for Spring or a Sunday Refresh)
Scavenger Hunt: Hide items or graphics around your community and in amenity spaces. Have residents take a picture when they find the hidden items and tag you. Winner gets a gift card!
Day in the Life Challenge: Have residents participate in a competition to create a video that captures what it’s like to be a resident at your community. Let your followers vote on which video will be the winner. The winner gets a gift card or a little goodie basket!
(11) VIRTUAL EVENT: PET-FRIENDLY EVENTS FOR APARTMENTS
Want to easily get your residents talking? Ask about their pets. These ideas are for easy virtual resident events, but also could be adapted to cute grab-n-go events for your residents.
Sprout Suggestions for Pet-Friendly Prompts:
Post a picture of what your pet is doing right now
What’s the most mischievous thing your pet has done?
How did you get your pet?
How did your pet get its name?
(12) VIRTUAL EVENT: FITNESS EVENTS FOR APARTMENT COMMUNITIES
Sometimes you just need a little encouragement to keep that fitness streak going. Be your residents’ biggest cheerleader by showing them how you’re here to support their fitness journey.
Sprout Suggestions for Fitness Events for Your Apartment Community:
Local Highlights: Showcase fitness opportunities around your community like a park nearby for them to go on a run or a community basketball court.
Share Your Favorite Apps: Share some Apps your residents can use to help them meet their fitness goals. If your staff has some favorites, showcase those ‘Staff Picks’. Here are a few suggestions:
Step Challenge: Invite residents to participate in a virtual steps challenge. Everyone has to post a picture of their watch or pedometer for accountability.
Be The Host: Organize weekly walking and/or running clubs for residents. Once a month you can include snacks afterwards.
(13) VIRTUAL EVENT: EDUCATIONAL EVENTS FOR APARTMENTS
Everyone loves a good hobby. Help your residents find a new one with these educational virtual resident events.
Sprout Suggestions for Educational Events:
Make a poll on social media to see what your residents are interested in learning about and post resources about the things they chose.
Check websites like Eventbright or BoomPop for some great training events.
Utilize your talented community by reaching out to residents or team members who could host a live event based on a topic or skill that they are talented at. This is a great bonding experience for your community!
Ask residents to record mini-tutorials teaching their skill and you can share on your social media.
Keep the new skill simple by encouraging residents to have a little TRIVIA fun.
(14) VIRTUAL EVENT: WATCH PARTY EVENTS FOR APARTMENTS
Nothing brings people together like a great show or movie! Host a watch party with your community where your residents have the option to attend from the comfort of their own homes.
Sprout Suggestions for a Watch Party with Your Community:
Use a third-party browser extension like Teleparty or Scener
After installing the Chrome extension, simply navigate to the streaming service of your choice and click on the extension in the corner.
This will start a room and from there, you send the link out. Teleparty supports a group chat feature, though it doesn’t come with video.
Capacity depends on server capabilities but at some times you can fit up to 50 people in a group.
(15) GRAB-N-GO EVENT: IDEAS FOR GRAB-N-GO GOODIES FOR RESIDENTS
Make your life a little easier with quick and simple grab-n-go goodies for your residents to pick up. It gives you a chance to chit-chat, without making your residents feel like they have to stick around for a while. Plus, they feel so loved seeing the thought you put into their goodies!
Sprout Suggestions for Grab-n-Go Goodies:
Step 1: Order Your Goodies
Step 2: Pick Your Flyer
Step 3: Put It All Together
Sprout Members: Click HERE to Log In and search ‘grab & go’ to download any of these graphics or choose from SO MANY more! + Amazon shopping lists for each event.
MORE VIRTUAL AND GRAB-N-GO RESIDENT EVENT IDEAS
16) Virtual Event: Emoji Scavenger Hunt
Hide emojis in posts that you want your residents to pay attention to or post a reel for your own simple search-and-find game!
17) Virtual Event: Resident Scrapbook
Invite residents to participate in your resident scrapbook by sending in images of why they love living life at your community. Feature some of your favorites in our graphics and post online.
18) Virtual Event: Pink Out Your Space
Support Breast Cancer Awareness Month by encouraging residents to "Pink Out Your Space." It’s a powerful way to unite the community around a meaningful cause.
Invite them to decorate a space in their apartment, home, patio, or balcony with pink decor to show their support.
Share photos of the pinked-out spaces on your community’s social media and consider offering a small prize for the most creative or impactful display.
Review votes and select a winner!
19) Virtual Event: Talent Show
We know time isn't always as glowing as we want it to be, but you can still bring the neon magic online with a virtual talent show! Invite residents to showcase their unique skills from the comfort of their homes, all while donning their brightest neon outfits. From singing and dancing to magic tricks and comedy acts, the possibilities are endless. Set up a virtual stage with a neon-themed background and encourage participants to get creative with their performances.
20.) Grab-n-Go Event: Ceral Bar
Breakfast is served… just like that! This is such an easy way to host a resident appreciation event for the week. Seriously…who doesn’t love cereal? This is a real crowd-pleaser!
Pair the cereal boxes with a spoon and a flyer like the ones below and BOOM! You’ve just made someone’s morning!
21) Grab-n-Go Event: Splash Some Color
Coloring kits are a fun way to let residents appreciate the joy and relaxation that coloring brings. This grab-n-go set provides a great opportunity to unwind, express creativity, and enjoy this simple, yet fulfilling, activity, no matter your age!
Fun coloring holidays:
National Coloring Book Day is August 2nd each year.
National Crayon Day is March 31st each year.
22.) Grab-n-Go Event: S’More Love to Your Residents
Have s’more fun year round! Bring this classic combination to your community by hosting an indoor, outdoor, or grab-n-go s'more event. Your residents' taste buds will thank you!
23) Grab-n-Go Event: Candy Bar
Showing your residents some love is easy in this event! Print your designs, pick out your favorite candies, and package them up with a bow! Some favorites might be gummies, licorice, candy hearts, or lollipops.
🌱 Tip: Don’t have time to prepackage the kits for residents to pick up? Place all of the different items in separate bins like an assembly line and allow residents to bag their own items. Your residents will love creating their own goodie bags.
24) Grab-n-Go Event: Cookies Kits
Encourage residents to make their cookie tray and take it back to their home. You can put the frosting and sprinkles into larger bowls and then residents can use that assembly line to fill their cupcake liners just with the stuff they want.
🌱 Tip: Make this a contest. Residents can decorate their cookie at home and then post a photo tagging you to be entered to win a prize.
25) Grab-n-Go Event: Self-Care Event
Display a variety of relaxing grabs in boxes or bowls or step it up with this plastic cup goodie container. No matter how busy we are, there’s always time for a Starbucks stop. We played on that idea with this clever cup gift!
26) Virtual Event: Chillax to the Max
This event invites residents to take 20 to 30 seconds to calm their minds.
Encourage online interactions with your community by sharing a personal invitation to follow you online. Then, throughout the month or week, post Chillaxation & Meditation Reels to your social and your story, encouraging everyone to reshare.
27) Grab-n-Go Event: Garden Plant Pick Up
Host an event for residents to pick up new plants babies! Share planting and gardening tips on your social media to promote the event.
28) Grab-n-Go Event: Cozy Tea Party
Have seasonal or year-round tea options for residents to pick up and take back to their homes. Include some cute mugs as a first-come, first-serve gift for residents.
29) Grab-n-Go Event: Aromatherapy Session
Provide residents with everything they need to unwind and embrace the autumn vibe from the comfort of their own homes. Offer relaxing seasonal aromatherapy kits that include essential oils with fall scents like cinnamon, clove, and orange. Include instructions for creating a calming atmosphere and tips for using the oils to reduce stress.
30) Grab-n-Go Event: Tacos & Tequila
Set up a traditional taco bar or a walking taco bar with sips and dips galore! Have you heard of ranch water? You can buy them pre-canned or make them with sparkling water, tequila, and lime.
