My kids always preferred to go out on weekends rather than stay in, until they discovered the fun of movie night at home! A few months ago when it started raining cats and dogs on a Sunday evening, my husband and I decided it was better to stay in than venture out in that horrid weather. Needless to say, the kids were not pleased. I was scouring the internet for ‘fun indoor activities for kids and parents’ when I came across movie nights. I was surprised by how creative people were getting with this simple activity and decided to give it a try.
All I can tell you is our family loved it, including my husband who is usually too restless to make it through a movie. Now, movie night has become a monthly activity for our family and we all look forward to it. As a bonus, I get to relax on my weekend without having to step out.
Let your kids pick the movie
Family movie nights usually work out best when you let your kids pick the movie. Make a list of movies that your kids haven’t watched and ask them to choose from that list, that way you don’t have to watch ‘Frozen’ for the 15th time (‘Let it go’ is what my nightmares are made of). You can also set a genre for every month and make your children pick a movie from that particular genre.
DIY movie ticket
For our second family movie night, I made some fun movie tickets which the children really loved. The third time, they made their own, but that ended up in a competition of whose ticket was better. This simple idea makes movie night so much better and all you need is some paper and colourful pens.
Movie night snack basket
This is probably everyone’s favourite part of the movie night in my family. The day before the movie night, we all pick our favourite movie snacks, including popcorn, candies, juices, and chips. We also order in pizzas every once in a while. You can set up the food on a table or in individual boxes for everyone. My husband and I crack open a bottle of wine once in a while. Hey, after all, this should be a fun indoor activity for both the kids and parents!
Set the mood
Creating the right ambience is very important for movie nights. I personally prefer turning off the lights completely and putting some string lights up in the living room. It creates the perfect cosy ambience for movie nights. Put down some blankets and pillows for a comfy seating arrangement.
Take movie night outside
The best part about having a family movie night in India is that the pleasant weather gives you an opportunity to take it outside. Put up a tent on your terrace, prop your laptop, set the speakers up, and enjoy a magical movie night under the stars.
These are just some of my ideas for the perfect family movie night. Do you have movie nights with your family? What are your kids’ favourite movies? Let us know in the comments below!
