Getting a family movie night together is complicated, especially with busier schedules and disagreements. Here are some tips to make life easier.
To achieve a successful family movie night, planning is involved. It is best to schedule a movie night ahead of time so that everyone can line up their schedules. Setting a regular date, for example, the first Friday of every month will help ensure that the entire family can be present. Mark the calendars so that everyone has one night marked off way before the actual movie night.
It’s also important that everyone gets a chance to pick the movie. Drawing movies from a hat, or having a premade schedule will eliminate hours spent scrolling through streaming services to find a movie everyone agrees on, plus it will limit disagreements between kids and stop repeated watching of one movie over and over again.
Making the setting more interesting will get reluctant kids to join in. Setting up a projector and bedsheet in the backyard, and even adding in air mattresses or sleeping bags will make the night more fun for everyone. Just for kids, downloading a movie to a laptop and watching on a long car ride could make family trips more fun.
Making a theme night can be fun, especially for younger kids. Dress up in costumes, or make snacks that match the movie will make the evening more interesting for everyone.
Limiting multitasking, especially for older kids, will make sure that everyone is present in the moment. Don’t allow devices to be used, by kids or adults for the entirety of a movie. A real movie theater doesn’t allow cell phones, and neither does a family movie night.
To add more family time, making a new snack or meal together before the movie can help everyone feel involved, and movies are always better with snacks.
Discussing the movie as a family is a great way to have conversations that might not come up otherwise. If the movie is based on a book, reading the book beforehand is a good way to start the discussion. Depending on the age of kids, more difficult themes in movies might allow them to discuss serious topics as a family.