How to Throw a Family Movie Night?

Answer 1

Making Your Family Movie Night a Blockbuster

It is Saturday night, and your daughter is dying to watch Barbie’s

Rapunzel

for the eighth time. Your son wants to watch

Transformers

but your spouse would rather watch a film geared towards grown-ups. Planning an enjoyable movie night may seem like a work of fiction, but it can be as easy as lights, camera, action.

Start with the Classics

One of the major issues for Family Movie Night is what to watch. Thanks to the ease of on-demand movies, the Classics are more accessible than ever. A great benefit of classic films is an escape from the routine; most kids and adults have seen

Toy Story 1, 2,

and

3

more times than you can count. Choosing an oldie can help expand your movie library.

Some family-friendly classics include:

The Wizard of Oz

(1939), the original

Parent Trap

(1961),

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

(1971),

The Goonies

(1985)

, Short Circuit

(1986)

, WarGames

(1983)

, The Sound of Music

(1965)

, Annie

(1982)

, The Secret Garden

(1993)

, The Apple Dumpling Gang

(1975)

, The Sand Lot

(1993)

, Bedknobs and Broomsticks

(1971)

, Swiss Family Robinson

(1960).

Another option is to choose a series of films to watch over the course of several weeks or months.

The Chronicles of Narnia

or

Harry Potter

will work well for younger teens while

The Land before Time

series may work well for children under the age of ten. Whatever you choose, make sure your films are age-appropriate for your kids.

Set the Mood

Pile up the blankets and pillows to make a cozy environment for your family. You can make it a pajama party, for the parents too, or a dress-up event based on the movie you choose. For example, if you are watching

The Princess Bride

, you can have a pirates and princess theme.

Next, make your at-home movie night fun for everyone by imitating a trip to the real theater. Plan ahead and have popcorn available. For just a few dollars, you can even invest in some real popcorn buckets, just like at the movies. You can also have a sampling of candy or fruit available for a sweet treat.

Be a Movie Critic

After you have watched the film, take some time to discuss it with your kids. What parts were confusing? What parts did they like or dislike? Talking about the movie after it has ended not only helps your children learn to discuss their opinions but also helps you to adapt your future film choices.

While planning a movie night can seem tedious at first, you can easily create an enjoyable evening that is fun for the whole family.