There’s something about movie nights that makes family time extra memorable. After a busy week at school and work, movie nights create opportunities for the family to bond and improve relationships. But then, everyone knows how expensive movie tickets can be. Besides, why would you want to spend a night watching a movie in a room full of strangers when you can do it in the comfort of your own home? Here are some great tips on how to host a successful movie night your family will love.
1. Decide What Movies to Watch Beforehand
Picking a movie everyone will agree with can be challenging. What if dad’s more into action, mom’s more into romantic comedies, and the kids want cartoons? There are a couple of ways to solve this problem.
If you have a family comprised of kids and tweens, you can decide to watch two or three movies for the night. The first movie would be for the younger kids and the second would be for mom and dad (and for the teens who are allowed to stay up a little later). Another option would be to have everyone submit a selection or draw from a hat. Or just to let each family member take turns in choosing a movie every week.
The important thing here is to get a film everyone (or at least the majority) will enjoy. For example, if you want action movies that the kids will enjoy, you can pick The Avengers or Indiana Jones. Still not sure what movie to watch? You can also check out IMDB or Showbox to get ideas on what movies to see.
2. Get Creative – Pick a Theme!
Get everyone excited by creating a theme for your movie night. For example, if you’re going to have a Lord of the Rings marathon, you can decorate the living room to make it look like Bilbo’s hobbit house. Fun themes make movie nights extra special. You can make it even more interesting by having movie-themed plates, cups, and even T-shirts.
3. Prepare Your Own Snacks
Image: family.disney.com
Themes don’t only go with the setting. It’s also good to create movie-inspired snacks to excite the kids. This could be simple as french fries or as elaborate as this Finding Dory treats or Cheshire Cat Cupcakes. For parents who like to prepare healthy snacks, some great ideas for movie snack treats are zucchini chips, baked pickles, and candied grapes. If you don’t have much time to prepare, you can always go for popcorn. And it doesn’t have to be boring. Check out these yummy popcorn recipes to flavor up your movie night. Preparing snacks with your family can make for a great bonding time before the movie starts. Remember to pick easy recipes your kids can help prepare.
4. Arrange a Good Setup
Nothing can ruin a movie night like a bad setup (messy environment, poor visual quality, noisy background). Invest in having good movie viewing equipment by purchasing a bigger TV and creating a comfy viewing space for everyone. Keep it as cushy as possible. Make sure everyone is having a great time by having good comfy seats. Also, just because you planned the movie night doesn’t mean you have to take on all the responsibilities. Give everyone tasks like cleaning, arranging, or setting up the video and audio before the movie rolls.
5. Schedule
Lastly, don’t forget to schedule your movie night. It’s best to plan a monthly or weekly date which everyone can attend. The purpose of family movie nights is to strengthen bonds and create happy memories that will be remembered by everyone for years.
Featured photo credit: Flickr – www.personalcreations.com via personalcreations.com
