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It’s Oscar weekend and that has me thinking about movies. Our family LOVES watching movies together! Since we have Family Movie Night so often though, I started looking for ideas to make it a little more special and shake up the routine. So, I came up with some fun ideas that don’t take a lot of time, energy, or money because when Friday night rolls around, my husband and I are usually exhausted. Most of these ideas use items you already have in your house, which makes it easy for Mom and Dad. I’ve got your back!
Here’s how to be the most fun Mom on the block with these simple tips on making Movie Night the most anticipated night of the week.
1. Shake up the seating arrangements!
Make the movie watching experience even more fun by shaking up the way you watch it. If you have a large room, set up chairs movie theater style in front of the TV so it seems like you are at the theater. Make sure you turn the lights off for full effect. We have a pull-out sofa bed in our family room, so the kids love when we pull out the couch and watch the movie in our pajamas. Set up a tent in front of the TV so all of you or just the kids can watch the movie through the tent flaps.
2. Snack it up!
Make popcorn and give everyone their own bowl and gourmet popcorn toppings like white cheddar or Cajun flavors. You can buy these shaker toppings at the grocery store. Check out these recipes for some fun movie or game night snack food. If you have more of a sweet tooth, try an ice cream sundae bar. Before the movie starts set out the ice cream and various toppings and let the kids create. For pete’s sake, don’t forget the sprinkles! If you really want to go all out, make Homemade Pizza while you watch the movie. Here’s my family’s killer pizza recipe. Finally, at the grocery store you can buy the movie theater size candy boxes. Go ahead and splurge and let the kids have their own box of Mike & Ike’s or Junior Mints.
3. Build on a theme.
If you know what movie you are going to watch ahead of time, you can have fun with the theme of the movie. If you are watching Indiana Jones – hide some rubber snakes around the family room to surprise the kids. If you are watching Madagascar, have your kids grab their zebra, hippo, giraffe, lion or penguin stuffed animals to help watch. If you are watching Cars, set up a Hot Wheels track so the kids can race while they watch. If you are watching Monsters, Inc. grab your favorite Ugly Doll or have your kids draw what they think their monster-in-the-closet looks like. Get the idea?
4. Share the fun.
Just because you are staying home to watch a movie, don’t feel like it has to be family-only event. Invite the neighbors over to watch. The adults can watch the movie, chat or play cards while the kids watch. Have your kids make some pretend tickets and hand them out to their friends in the neighborhood, so they can turn them in when they come over. Your kids will love ripping the ticket stubs when the guests arrive. You don’t need to clean the house and cook for days for this. Just invite someone over, have everyone bring snacks, and make sure there’s a place to sit. It’s all about having fun. What’s a few dust bunnies or laundry piles amongst friends?
5. The best movies star you.
If you have any home movies or Grandma and Grandpa do, what better movie to watch than one where you are the star. Kids love seeing themselves on film. My kids love watching our wedding video and seeing family they know. (I have to warn you though, when my son was young and watched the video for the first time, he got really mad that we had a big party and didn’t invite him.) Get out those vacation videos and reminisce. We found a treasure in Grandma’s attic once – movies of Grandpa when he was stationed in Iceland.
Do you do anything special to make Movie Night more fun? What are some of your family’s favorite movies?
Want to do something fun with the kids this weekend but out of ideas? Here are 5 easy, inexpensive and yet incredibly fun activities to do at home with things you already have around the house. Wow the kids with your creativity this weekend!
1. Spa Night – A little pampering makes everyone smile – even Dad!
2. Movie Night – Add a little creativity to make movie night at home extra special
3. Host a Family Game Night – Raid the closet, play some games, and let the competition begin. Invite a neighbor family over to make it more fun.
4. Camp in the Great Indoors – It’s cold outside so bring the camping fun indoors. It will get the family in camping shape for summer.
5. Go on a Date … With Your Child – Spend some one-on-one time with your child. It will make their day to get you or Dad all to themselves!
Whatever you do this weekend, have a blast and make some memories!
Looking for something a little different and very fun to do this weekend with the family? Why not host an Oscar Party? Whether you invite another family over to help celebrate or keep the fun to yourselves, read my Family Friendly Oscar Party Ideas over at Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA)’s blog.
So, which movie would get your vote for Best Animated Movie this year? Toy Story 3, How to Train Your Dragon, or The Illusionist? I’m sticking with dragons.
Would you rather skip the Oscars and just watch a movie? Then check out my video on how to make movie night more fun.
Looking for something special to do with the kids to celebrate Valentine’s Day today? How about going to see a Classic Love Story movie tonight? On a school night!?! I know! That’s why they will think it is so cool, a break from the norm. Of course, it’s a Classic Love Story with a twist … that doesn’t have a sad ending … and is quite funny.
We went to see Gnomeo & Juliet Friday night to kick off our Valentine’s Day weekend and it was a very cute movie. The kids loved it! Here’s why I recommend taking the family to see it:
1. It’s rated G. So many kids movies are PG these days which usually offers a cringe-moment, so it’s nice to get a movie that is truly suitable for little kids.(Toy Story 3 was rated G but even it had some intense moments and sexual innuendo).
2. A movie about Garden Gnomes is totally creative. Who doesn’t love Garden Gnomes? Then, to have these Garden Gnomes be star-crossed lovers? Now, you’ve got a cute story. The whole Garden theme and poking fun at “Garden Art” is very clever. The animation is super-cute and it’s a nice break from the “DreamWorks” and “Disney” look.
3. Shakespeare allusions. Pay attention adults! See if you can find all of the fun and sly allusions to Shakespeare in the play. Like the Stratford-on-Avon tour bus or the Rosencrantz and Gildenstern moving van.
4. Rocking Music. Elton John produced the movie so it features all Elton John songs. Nothing wrong with that! You can sing along in your head because you know the words.
5. Gnome in a Thong. While my kids loved Featherstone the Garden Flamingo as the best character, I loved the Gnome who would prance by every now and then in a “Borat”-style Euro-thong bathing suit. Fun!
My kids were totally bummed when we explained that Romeo & Juliet die in the original story. They couldn’t understand why anyone would like a story like that. Come to think of it, why would they? Go see the “Feel-Good” version and have fun with your kids at the movies.
Here in Chicago we are going to celebrate Groundhog Day with 12 -20 inches of snow. Yippee! (Note to self: Get gas for the snowblower today!) I don’t foresee any Groundhogs popping out in the blizzard to look for a shadow. However, since we might be trapped indoors, I went on the hunt for some Groundhog day fun for the kids.
Finally, you can buy these Groundhog cookie cutters. Use your favorite cut-out cookie recipe and ice them in brown. Yum!
Pure Fun
Groundhog Day Shadow Fun
Since the day is all about seeing a shadow, why not play shadow puppets? Set up a white sheet a few feet away from a wall. Place a lamp behind the sheet near the wall. Have your kids take turns going behind the sheet and casting shadow puppets. Here’s a post I found on making a Shadow Puppet Theater that looks super fun.
Here are some Groundhog Day Activities to do with the kids from the official Punxatawney Phil website. I’m all over the Groundhog ornaments to print out and hang from a chandelier or indoor tree but the Word Searches and coloring pages are cute, too.
If your kids are a little older, watch the Groundhog Day movie. My kids think it is hilarious. “Don’t drive angry!”
What do you do to celebrate Groundhog Day with your kids?
Check out the video that I created as a finalist for for the iVillage iVoices audition. I was so psyched to be a finalist and was disappointed that I didn’t make the final cut. (I consoled myself with some Chocolate Cake and a racy vampire novel.) However, it did get me off of my tush to start making more videos which I have been meaning to do all year. I wanted to share my audition video and it’s helpful tips for Moms to have more fun with their family. Please click on the title of this post and then leave me a comment on how I could make my How To videos more entertaining.
Movie Night is a fun way to spend time together but with a little creativity and planning, you can amp up your movie night to make it even more special. We’ll show you how to be the most fun Mom on the block with these simple tips on how to stay home, have more fun, and create “Chocolate Cake Moments” where you are smiling, relaxed and enjoying family time.
Want even more ideas on how to make movie night more fun at your house? Read my article on Family Movie Night and plan some fun!
Summer means blockbuster movies, right? Well, for us, summer also means viewing your favorite movies au natural. What better way to catch the latest flicks than enjoying them outside?
The Drive In.
Remember the drive-in? I vividly remember going to the drive in as a kid. My parents would throw a small mattress in the back of the car so we could lie down to watch the movie and then fall asleep. My brother and I were so psyched we got to wear pajamas in the car! I vaguely remember going to see Bambi at the drive-in. (If you remember going, what did you see?)
Then in high school, drive-ins took on a completely different vibe – teens smoking pot, making out and who knows what else – and most of them closed. (I feel like such an old lady ranting at those young whippersnappers.)
But guess what? In certain areas of the country, the drive-ins are coming back as a family friendly place. Here in the Chicagoland area, the McHenry Drive-In Theater is a fun place to hang with the kids during the summer. First of all, they show one kids movie and then an adult movie afterwards to please all viewers. (Moms and Dads! You might actually get to see a grown up movie without waiting for it to come out on video.) Second, you can bring your own food and drinks which keeps the entertainment budget down nicely. They do have a nice snack bar, if you want. Third, the vibe is that of a block party or a tailgate party, so it’s fun to go with a group. We’ve gone with a few of our neighbors several times. Before the movie starts there is plenty of grass area where kids are throwing footballs, Frisbees, or playing tag. Parents can gab and share food while relaxing on their lawn chairs.
It’s so easy. Parents pull their SUVs into the parking slots with the rear door facing the screen to let the kids watch their movie. When it’s done, turn the car around so Mom and Dad sit in the front of the car to watch their movie, while the kids sleep in the back. Here’s a list of drive in theaters by state.
Movies in the Park
Check your local or nearby major city park district to see if they are showing movies outside during the summer months. Chicago’s Park District offers their Movies in the Park program from June to September. Bring a blanket, chairs, and some food and enjoy the show. Best yet, they are usually FREE!
Backyard Movie Theater
Can’t find a drive-in nearby? Don’t worry, create your own backyard movie theater and host a party. To set up a backyard theater, you’ll need:
1. a video source (usually a DVD player or laptop computer)
2. a video projector
3. a screen ( a sheet against the garage works well)
4. a sound system
If you have a home theater system, you probably have all of these components and can move them outside. If not, use your laptop computer and rent a projector at a local AV store.
Here are a bunch of links on how to plan and set up a Backyard Movie Night event from the simple to the elaborate:
Slumber parties are a blast but why should just the girls have all the fun? Throw a family slumber party where Mom, Dad, sis, bro, and the various pets in the family get to experience the late night bonding. It’s a great and inexpensive way to have fun on a Friday Night and you can also “test” out recipes, games, and movies for a future slumber party that the kids want to have with their friends. It’s very funny to see Dad and brother playing “girlie” games, too.
Here are some suggested activities for your family Slumber Party:
Attire:
Mix and match pajamas. Everyone should wear pajamas for their slumber party but wouldn’t it be funny if you wore each other’s pajamas? Your kids would find it hilarious to wear Mom and Dad’s large pajama pieces or see Dad trying to wear Jr.’s slippers for the evening.
Games/ Activities:
Conversation Games- Play a conversation game to get things rolling, like our Truth or Dare or Slumber Party Conversation Games. So, Dad, who was the first girl you ever kissed? Hmm? “What do you mean it wasn’t Mom!?!”
Flashlight Board Game – Pick your favorite board game and play by flashlight or candlelight to make it a little more spooky or special.
Spin the Nail Polish Bottle – If the boys in the family are up for it, this makes a hilarious game. Take several colors of nail polish and place the bottles in the center of the group. One person picks a bottle and spins. Whoever it points at has to paint one of their toe nails that color. Keep going until you have a rainbow of colors on your feet.
Pillowfight – You can’t have a slumber party without a pillow fight. Your little kids will love it. Keep the fighting away from the big screen TV or Dad will be mad.
Custom Made Pillowcase – Even if you aren’t a crafty family or have any artists in the house, it’s fun to make a “You Are Loved” pillowcase for another family member. Pick up some pillowcases and some fabric markers at a craft store. Put everyone’s name in a hat and each of you will pick a name. Now use your pillowy canvas to draw or describe why you love that person. (We do something similar as dinner time conversation when we are having bad days to booster everyone’s spirits. I thought it would be fun to take it a step further and remind a family member why you love them. They’ll be smiling every time they sleep with that pillowcase.
Movies:
Sleepiest View in the House – Have everyone lay out their sleeping bags on the floor to watch a movie together. Or, if your family room couch is a pull-out bed, pull the bed out and have everyone pile on to watch together.
What to Watch? – The movie you watch depends on the age of your kids or your family’s interest. If your kids are older, you can watch scary movies. If your kids are younger, Monsters Inc. is a great slumber party movie. For a “Girlie” movie – Princess Diaries 2 is a good choice because there’s a slumber party scene.
Home Movies. – Don’t forget that you can watch family movies as well. Our kids still love watching the video of our wedding.
Food:
Popcorn, ice cream sundaes and chocolate fondue are our top picks for a slumber party.
Here’s our recipe for Chocolate Fondue:
2 lb. of your favorite milk chocolate bars (we like Ghiradelli’s)
8 oz. dark chocolate bar
1 1/2 cup heavy cream (can use half and half for less calories)
2 Tbsp. vanilla
Break the candy bars into pieces and place in your fondue or hot pot. Turn to a low setting. Add cream and stir constantly until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you are melting this on a stove top, don’t walk away or the chocolate will boil and be ruined. Add the vanilla right before serving. Then dip away! (Serves 12)
For dipping:
Hazelnut or almond biscotti (more for the adults)
Salted pretzel sticks
Cubed pound cake
Sliced bananas
Stem strawberries
Large marshmallows
Send us photos of your family slumber party. We’d love to see them.
Looking for something fun to do this weekend with your kids? Consider splitting up and spending some precious one-on-one time with your kids by going on a date. My kids just GLOW when they get Mommy or Daddy all to themselves. It doesn’t even matter what you do, it’s the time together that creates the gooey “Chocolate Cake Moment.”
Bonus for parents: If your kids are going through a patch where they are just fighting all the time and it’s driving you nuts, cut the fighting off at the pass by separating them. Trust me, the peace and quiet is soooo worth it.
Make sure you choose an activity that your child wants to do. If it’s not, then it’s just like running another errand to your child and the magic of the evening is lost. When you are together, make sure you spend some time communicating. This is the perfect time to ask your child about their day, their school work, what classes they love taking, and who’s their best friend. Get to know them and learn a little more about their personality and what they love. Discuss ideas for your next date night or what the family is going to get Mommy for Mother’s Day. (OK, that was just wishful thinking.)
Date night doesn’t have to be at “night” either. If you can’t schedule something in the evening, go out for breakfast together or do something in the afternoon.
Here are some ideas for Parent/Child Dates:
1. Dinner and a movie. Let your kids choose their favorite place to dine and then go see a flick together. Bonus tip: Dads, bring your daughter a flower for your date. Transform into a superhero because there is Power in a Flower.
2. Cooking class. If one of your kids likes to cook, check out some of your local cooking class locations to see if they have parent/child classes. You get to talk, eat and laugh together. Mangia!
3. Museum Trip. If one of your kids is really into history while the other is into astronomy, splitting up and hitting different museums in town can be a great way to indulge your child’s hobbies without the other child whining “Can we go, yet?”
4. Book Store Excursion. My kids love to read so they are thrilled when we go to the library or especially the book store, because they can sit and eat. Head on over to your local book store and spend time finding a book your child would love to read. It’s a perfect way to find out what interests them. Then go sit in the coffee bar section and share a hot chocolate or dessert while reading your own books together or reading your child’s book out loud. Bonus tip: Go to brunch before the bookstore trip. Make it a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning outing.
5. You’ve Got to Move it, Move it. Head on over to the gym and teach your child to play basketball. Go for a run together or train for a local 1 Mile or 5K race in your area. Ride your bikes and stop to have a picnic. Walk to a local park and play catch. Figure out what motivates your child to get up and move it, move it and get active with them.
I hope these ideas have inspired you to get a Date Night on the calendar with your child. What do you like to do on Kids Date Night?
Our hospital room had a DVD player and quite a list of movies and shows to watch for all ages. If you don’t have one, bring in a portable DVD player and let your child watch in bed to his or her heart’s content. I had fun laying on the bed with her watching the girly Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted movies. You know movies we can’t watch as a family anymore because my son finds them icky. My husband watched Toy Story with my daughter since she didn’t remember it and it is one of his favorites. Don’t just turn on the movie for your child and go do something else. Sit and watch with them and their favorite stuffed animal. Find out why he or she loves certain parts of the movie.
Bring some old movies from home that you’ve been meaning to watch. Bring in an old classic movie that was your favorite as a child or is one of your favorite all time movies. We’ve slowly been rediscovering old movies together and here are some of our favorites. We watched the Apple Dumpling Gang last month and now a new generation loves Tim Conway and Don Knotts. My husband loves Singing in the Rain and when we watched it all together the kids thought it was hilarious. You can get these older films at Netflix or check your local library. Watching together in the hospital is a great time to share the movie and tell you kids why you love it.
Tomorrow, we’ll talk about Arts & Crafts with your kids, so check back.
We interupt our Spring Break Family Travel Tips series to throw out an idea for Family Fun this weekend. Going to watch the Oscars this weekend with the kids? Why not make it a party or add more fun to the evening? Celebrate with your kids or invite some friends or neighbors over for some star-studded fun.
Sit and Score
Don’t want to have a party but don’t want to sit like lumps on the couch either? Try some Oscar themed games! A lovely site I just discovered called How About Orange has an Oscar Bingo card that you can download to play. You can also keep score with this beautifully designed Oscar Ballot from Twig & Thistle. Download it for free and thank Kathleen on her site for making it available to us family fun lovers.
Get Up, Get Ready
If you have little kids they probably aren’t that excited since they haven’t seen most of the movies and might have to go to bed early. But you can still celebrate a little earlier in the evening by watching Pixar’s Up movie, which has been nominated for Best Picture.
Puttin’ on the Ritz
Don’t let the stars on the Red Carpte have all the fun! Your kids will love getting all glammed up to watch the telecast. Put some make-up on your little girls and they’ll be thrilled. Have your son be the photographer. Give him an inexpensive instant camera or flip camera and he can film the “stars” during your party.
Eat, Decorate, and Be Merry
As I mentioned earlier in the post, the beautiful Twig and Thistle site has some free downloads to make invitations, popcorn bags, and candy bags for your family and guests. The kids would love making these beautiful, inexpensive party pieces with you.
Then, check out these Oscar Statuette Cookies. Bakerella has come up with an incredibly clever Oscar themed cookie. While there is no chocolate involved, I think eating one would be a Chocolate Cake Moment.
If you are in the mood for a casual party, Celebrations.com has a variety of party themes to throw the perfect Oscar Party. You’ll find games, menus, and decorating ideas. Personally, I like their vintage Oscar party theme.
Finally, every time I have a party now I head over to MemorableEntertaining.com for some great party menus. It is a subscription site but if you love to entertain, as I do, you’ll find some incredible menus that are simple, tasty and memorable. It’s well worth the annual fee. They do offer a lot of free information on the site so don’t be afraid to explore. Debra, the hostess with the mostest, who creates the menus and entertaining tips is amazing at creating impressive centerpieces that are super easy. Why not have some fun with your daughter this weekend, and make one?
I hope these fun ideas have inspired you to spice up the way you watch the Oscars with your family Sunday night. Roll the fun …
Send us some photos of your party, we’d love to post them and share.
Don’t forget to enter our Spring Break Kids Travel Gear Giveaway. Click here to win $120 worth of must-have kids travel essentials and have a blast on your Spring Break trip.
The family went to see the Lightening Thief movie and we thoroughly enjoyed the electrifying action. I eagerly read all of the books so I was excited about the movie. Why do I love the books? Mostly because they teach you Greek Mythology in a way that is fun and the way that the author ties ADHD into the story with a positive or special spin is very clever. The author, Rick Riordan, treats ADHD like the princess fantasy. You know, the one where you are really a princess from a far away kingdom but were hidden away within a normal, suburban family to protect your life. Someday, they will come for me, … I mean you, and you will rule the land with a kind and fair hand. You know that fantasy, right? Right? (I’m still waiting, by the way, but I have faith that they will come.) Well, if you have ADHD, which I do as you can tell by my rambling narrative, the inability to focus, hyperactivity, and self-centeredness are all because you are the child of a Greek God. It’s too much power for a mere mortal to handle. How cool is that! I’m a princess and a goddess. Anyway, it’s a cool way to make a child feel special instead of down.
The books are a lot of fun for me because I have always wanted to learn more about Greek Mythology and yet every time I picked up the Iliad or the Odyssey I just couldn’t get through it. The Percy Jackson series helped me learn about the famous figures in a clever and action-packed way. While I couldn’t get my son to share my enthusiasm and read the books, he WAS very excited about the movie. (I knew he would love the books, but the Greek names put him off. He couldn’t pronounce them so he got frustrated and stopped reading.) However, now that we have seen the movie, he is interested in reading them with me.
So what did I think of the movie? It was fun. I would recommend it if your kids like action, fantasy stories. The movie is action-packed, loud, fast-paced, energetic, and entertaining. We all liked that. Highlights for my kids were Grover and the Capture the Flag scene. “Mom, how come when we play Capture the Flag at summer camp they won’t let us use swords? It’s so lame the way we play.” Highlights for me were Uma Thurman as Medusa. She was perfect. She makes a curse look cool. The minute we got home from the movie, my daughter had to draw Medusa. What do you think?
My son on the other hand had to get out every sword and shield he could find in the house, because he was electrified into action.
Here are my cautions: I thought it was a little scarier than it really needed to be, but I understand that they are trying to appeal to a larger audience. My kids (ages 10 and 7) absolutely loved the movie but they had their eyes closed and ears covered through a lot of the movie. My daughter is 7 and she enjoyed it but I really wouldn’t recommend bringing any kids younger than that, especially if they get scared by monsters easily.
If you read the books, you’ll be disappointed that they left a lot of the story and the fun characters out. Although, when I read the books I never imagined Chiron to look like Pierce Brosnan. I think that was a bribe for Moms, so that they would agree to take their kids to the movie. Pierce Brosnon as half-horse and half-naked? Grab the popcorn, kids!
There was a “drug” scene in the movie with the Lotus Flowers, although it went completely over my kids’ heads so it wasn’t that big of a deal. Finally, for me, Poseidon was a real wimp in the movie, he is much cooler in the book.
Bottomline though, my family enjoyed the movie very much and the kids can’t wait for the next one. And, if the movie encouraged my kids to now read the books, it’s money well worth spent.
I was on WGN News a week back talking about some inexpensive ideas for having fun at home on a Friday Night. I was able to showcase some of our favorite Friday Night Family Fun products on the segment. Check out the clip and let me know what you think.
Hint: There is a coupon code in the segment for 20% off some of our Family Fun favorites.
With today’s tough economic times, we all need to cut back on some of our family entertainment spending. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to cut back on the fun. We’ll show you how you can have even more fun with the family, staying home on Friday Nights. You just need a little creativity and planning. Today’s post will focus on Movie Night!
Movie Night
We went to the movies recently and dropped $60 for a family of four with tickets and snacks. Ouch! So, we have come up with some ideas on how to make movie night at home even more special than going out.
1. Don’t just sit on the couch! Make the movie watching experience even more fun by shaking up the way you watch it. If you have a large room, set up chairs movie theater style in front of the TV so it seems like you are at the theater. Make sure you turn the lights off for full effect. We have a pull-out sofa bed in our family room, so the kids love when we pull out the couch and watch the movie in our pajamas. We tend to have 2 adults, 2 kids, 2 cats, and a dog all on the bed by the end of the movie. Fun, but a little hairy. Set up a tent in front of the TV so all of you or just the kids can watch the movie through the tent flaps.
2. Fun snacks! Make popcorn and give everyone their own bowl and gourmet popcorn toppings like white cheddar or Cajun flavors. You can buy these shaker toppings at the grocery store. If you are really in the mood, make homemade caramel corn. Here’s a recipe from allrecipe.com that seems simple and is highly rated. We have also done an ice cream sundae bar. Before the movie starts set out the ice cream and various toppings and let the kids create. For pete’s sake, don’t forget the sprinkles! Finally, at Target or at Blockbuster you can buy the movie theater size candy boxes. Go ahead and splurge and let the kids gnaw on their Mike & Ike’s or Junior Mints while they watch. Just tell them to keep the smacking down and stop feeding the dog.
3. Build on a theme. If you know what movie you are going to watch ahead of time, you can have fun with the theme of the movie. If you are watching Indiana Jones – hide some rubber snakes around the family room to surprise the kids. If you are watching Madagascar, have your kids grab their zebra, hippo, giraffe, lion or penguin stuffed animals to help watch. If you have a world map at home, show them where New York is and where Madagascar is so they can see the distance and the journey of the characters. (You could bring all of your house plants into the family room and turn the heat way up to create a jungle atmosphere but uh, that’s your call.) If you are watching Cars, set up a Hot Wheels track so the kids can race while they watch. If you are watching Monsters, Inc. grab your favorite Ugly Doll or have your kids draw what they think their monster-in-the-closet looks like. Get the idea?
4. Share the fun. Just because you are staying home to watch a movie, don’t feel like it is a family only event. Invite the neighbors over to watch. The adults can watch the movie, chat or play cards while the kids watch. Have your kids make up pretend tickets and hand them out to their friends in the neighborhood so they can turn them in when they come over. Your kids will love ripping the ticket stubs when the guests arrive.
We’ll write more posts about our favorite family movies, so check back.
Any more ideas? We’d love to hear from you! In the meantime, have a blast on Friday Night Movie Night.
It’s Oscar weekend and that has me thinking about movies. Our family LOVES watching movies together! Since we have Family Movie Night so often though, I started looking for ideas to make it a little more special and shake up the routine. So, I came up with some fun ideas that don’t take a lot of time, energy, or money because when Friday night rolls around, my husband and I are usually exhausted. Most of these ideas use items you already have in your house, which makes it easy for Mom and Dad. I’ve got your back!
