Sketch Bots, Big Imaginations
There's something special about watching a kid walk into a parent's workplace for the first time. The wide eyes, the endless questions, the little burst of pride when they see where Mom or Dad spends their day. This year, we got to be part of that magic twice, joining Crusoe for Bring Your Kids to Work Day at both their Sunnyvale and San Francisco offices, bringing our corporate event photo booth and AI Sketch Bot to two Bay Area teams on July 10 in Sunnyvale and July 17 in SF. The theme - Camp Crusoe.
We rolled in with two of our favorite experiences: our AI Sketch Bot, which turned out to be the star of the show for the little ones, and our client favorite, the Lune booth. Add in custom templates and a full set of handcrafted props, and we had all the ingredients for a day the kids (and plenty of grown-ups) won't forget.
The AI Sketch Bot steals the show
If you've never seen a robot arm draw your portrait, trust us, it's mesmerizing. And for kids, it's pure wonder.
Here's how it worked. Each kid stepped up to the iPad, had their photo taken, and then got to dream up a prompt for their sketch. This is where the fun really started. Some kids knew exactly what they wanted. Others huddled with their parents, whispering ideas and giggling over the possibilities. Superheroes, castles, city skylines, clouds floating overhead... their imaginations ran wild, and every prompt was as unique as the kid who typed it.
Then came the best part. Two AI sketch bots sat side by side, pens poised, and the moment a drawing started, a little crowd would gather. Kids pressed in close, watching line by line as their faces took shape on the page, with their prompt coming to life right around them. You could hear the gasps when a familiar smile or a favorite detail appeared. More than a few kids asked if they could go again (and yes, some of the parents did too).
Every sketch landed on a custom Crusoe Bring Your Kids to Work Day 2026 card, so each kid walked away with a one-of-a-kind keepsake drawn just for them, by a robot, at their parent's office. Pretty cool way to remember the day.
The Lune booth brings the family photo moment
While the sketch bots kept the kids spellbound, the Lune booth was busy capturing family memories. It's a client favorite for a reason. The customizable LED light makes everyone look great, and the sleek, simple setup invites people to jump in and just have fun. Parents and kids squeezed into frames together, coworkers introduced their little ones to each other, and the prop table got a serious workout.
For both Sunnyvale and San Francisco, we designed custom templates that tied everything back to Crusoe's brand and the spirit of the day. That way, every photo and every sketch felt like it belonged to the same celebration, and families left with prints that were unmistakably Crusoe.
Bespoke props, made just for Crusoe
This is the part we're especially proud of. Instead of reaching for off-the-shelf props, we had our propmaster design and handcraft a full custom set built around Crusoe's world.
The centerpiece? Crusoe's very own chatbot mascot, brought to life in layered paper with its friendly round face, cheerful smile, and all. Around it, our propmaster built out an outdoor adventure theme full of personality: a Crusoe trail sign pointing the way, a compass, a pair of bright red binoculars, a "The Mountains Are Calling" badge, a moonlit forest scene with shimmering holographic accents, plus butterflies and a ladybug in bold, happy colors. Every piece was cut, layered, and assembled by hand, and the detail shows. These aren't flimsy cardboard cutouts. They're little works of art on a stick.
Seeing the Crusoe team react was one of our favorite moments of the whole event. They had shared their vision with us, and when they saw it sitting right there on the prop table, fully realized, they were genuinely thrilled. Even better, the props were theirs to keep. Long after the booth was packed up, Crusoe has a set of one-of-a-kind pieces to bring out for future events, or simply to display around the office as a reminder of a really good day.
Planning a Bring Your Kids to Work Day? Here's What Works
If you're an HR lead or office manager planning your own Bring Your Kids to Work Day, here are a few ideas we've seen kids (and parents) love:
- Give them something to create, not just watch. Kids light up when they get to be part of the process. Activities like an AI Sketch Bot, where they type their own prompt and watch a robot draw it, turn a photo into a moment they'll talk about for weeks.
- Send them home with a keepsake. A printed photo or sketch gives kids something to show off at school and gives parents a sweet reminder of the day. It also keeps your company's name on the fridge long after the event.
- Brand it without making it feel corporate. Custom photo templates with your logo, event name, and date tie everything together, while playful colors and shapes keep it fun for little ones.
- Choose props kids can actually hold. Sturdy, kid-sized props on sticks make it easy for everyone to jump into photos. A themed set, like Crusoe's outdoor adventure props, makes the photos feel like a story instead of a snapshot.
Plan for families, not just kids. An open photo booth setup like our Lune lets parents, siblings, and coworkers pile in together, so everyone gets a photo worth keeping.
Thank you, Crusoe!
A huge thank you to the Crusoe teams in Sunnyvale and San Francisco for inviting us to be part of such a joyful day. Watching kids light up as a robot drew their dreams, and seeing families pile into the Lune booth together, is exactly why we love what we do.
Check out this reel from Crusoe. Watch out for our Lune booth at the start along with some photos from the experience.
Planning a family day, team celebration, or company event of your own? We'd love to help you create something just as memorable, from AI sketch portraits to custom templates and props made just for you. Reach out and let's start dreaming it up together.