November is one of the busiest months of the year. Families are bustling around preparing for the holidays, flu season has started and homework and extracurricular responsibilities are in full swing. If you feel disconnected from your family during this hectic time, how about a family movie night? Family movie nights are the perfect way to bond with your kids and do something that everyone (even kids of various ages) can get on board with. Here are 10 ideas to help make your movie night memorable.
1. Choose fair. If this is a weekly or even monthly tradition, start a rotation so that each person gets a chance to choose the movie. Or put everyone’s choices on strips of paper, throw them into a hat and choose one blindly.
2. Get comfy! Have everyone change into their pajamas first, bring their favorite blanket and pillow and set up camp in the most comfortable TV room of the house. (This is also helpful for young kids who might fall asleep during the movie.)
3. Make fun snacks. The kids might enjoy creating a trail mix of their favorites, such as mini-marshmallows, M&Ms, raisins and Cheerios. Pop old-fashioned popcorn on the stove or splurge for big boxes of candy in true movie theater style.
4. Create a theme. Want to take movie night to the next level? How about theme-related snacks? Watching Jungle Book? How about banana splits? Grease? Milkshakes it is! Winnie the Pooh? Try chicken nuggets dipped in honey!
5. Build up the anticipation! Get your kids connected to the idea earlier in the day, or even the week. How about a craft related to the movie? Make lanterns before watching Tangled. Invent your own spells before watching Harry Potter.
6. Create a reward system. Design actual “movie theater tickets” and have your kids earn them by helping around the house or working hard on homework. They also can earn points for choosing the snack or movie through their good behavior.
7. Read the book first! The very best way to get your kids zoned in on theme, character development and moral lessons is to help them relate to the story beforehand—by reading the book! So many powerful books have been made into movies suitable for kids, such as Harry Potter, Hugo, Chronicles of Narnia and James and the Giant Peach. (See an extensive list of suggestions at KCEdventures.com/blog/25-best-kids-books-that-were-made-into-movies.)
8. Choose a good one. With so many choices out there, I’ve listed a few of my personal favorites:
- The Jungle Book—for kids who crave adventure, this is a story of courage, perseverance and loyalty. (Also a good book to read first.)
- Zootopia—Full of hilarity, Zootopia is a story about never giving up on yourself and what you believe in.
- Wall-E—a story of true love and friendship, this movie also stresses the importance of taking care of our Earth and ourselves.
- The Sandlot—a great story for a child who may be the odd man out, not a sports star or have trouble making friends.
- Hotel Transylvania—a “spooky” and “scary” movie that’s actually not very spooky or scary, this one is funny and tells a story of family loyalty.
- The Polar Express—also a book to be read first, this is a great holiday season movie for the family. Heat up some hot cocoa and enjoy this story of adventure and believing in the magic of Santa.
9. Make it a commitment. Put it on the calendar, in ink. Turn off cell phones. Turn off the lights. Snuggle up together, without interruption, and soak in this quality family time.
10. Talk about it. The greatest stories teach us a lesson. Ask your kids what they learned after viewing the movie. Which character did they most admire? Why? What were each character’s strengths and weaknesses? What did your kids like and dislike?
So there you have it! Ten steps to a successful family movie night! Now go grab some popcorn and hit PLAY!
Olathe mom Karen Johnson has three children, ages 6, 4 and 2. She writes at The21stCenturySAHM.com.