Hosting the Ultimate Family Movie Night In
*AD – This is a collaborative post
EDIT THIS BIT fun things we could do together as a family. Top of their list was to have the ultimate family movie night in. Who needs a cinema when you can recreate some of the cinema magic at home?
Tips for creating the ultimate family movie night at home!
Pick a movie you will all enjoy – This might seem fairly obvious, but choose a film that will appeal to the entire audience, young or old. Whether it’s the latest release blockbuster (think Turning Red or even live streaming the new Sing 2 release) or a traditional old classic like Matilda, ensure that the next two hours will to capture everyone’s attention. If you can’t agree on a movie, take a vote, flip a coin or draw straws.
You could even do one a week and let a different family member decide each time! If little ones are involved, make sure you check the movie classification rating beforehand and read some reviews so that you know what you’re expecting before you start.
Make Tickets – To add to the anticipation of your home movie night with kids, why not create and cut out your very own handmade cinema tickets and give to the children in the morning to give them something to look forward to! You could even stamp them on the way in to the living room before letting them stick in a scrap book to mark the occasion!
Embrace the Tech and Gadgets – Whether it’s your snazzy flat screen TV with sounder turned up loud, a streamed laptop or a projector on to a white sheet hung on the washing line in the garden; make sure you have everything set up and ready to go long before your ‘guests’ start to get too tired! No one wants to be faffing around with wires or coping with technical difficulties when the kids are impatient to start watching! We’ve recently invested in a projector for our garden room which is perfect for creating cinema vibes in the comfort of your own home.
Bring ALLLLLL the Snacks – For the ultimate family movie night in, bring snacks and LOTS of them. No home movie night is complete without some fresh popcorn and if you have some kernels at home, even better! Get the kids involved in popping it yourself at home as this really adds to the excitement and anticipation! Think sharing buckets and plastic drinks tankards and you’re well on your way to bringing that home cinema experience to life.
If you have a garden room or spare bedroom that is being used for your home movie space, a mini fridge like these from Kuhla are ideal – perfectly sized, compact yet deceivingly spacious, these mini tabletop fridges are ideal for housing all your home movie snack essentials without taking up valuable space. With a 43 litre storage capacity, you can store up to 43 traditional sized 330ml cans. The Kuhla fridge also comes with a removable shelf to help maximise space, as well as two door racks for storing larger items such as cans of beer or wine. With an ice tray and box, you can even stash away mini ice cream tubs for a mid-movie interval!
Comfort is key – For longer movies, and if you want a hope in hells chance of keeping those little bums still, comfort is essential. Bring out your most comfy pyjamas and socks, snuggle down on a wide range of cushions, blankets and pillows and turn down the lights to create that movie at home vibe and avoid the kids getting restless.
To make the most out of our garden room, we invested in a sofa bed, which can be pulled out for extra comfort when we settle down to watch a movie.
Beanbags like the fab range of bean bag chairs and giant beanbags from Big Bertha are also great for children, who often feel far more comfortable snuggled up on the floor! We LOVE the CloudSac oversized kid’s beanbags made from soft, squishy memory foam that moulds to their shape to create the most comfortable seating position for movies or chilling on the iPad. For parents, the stain-resistant coating is also great for peace of mind, no matter which colour preference they choose.
Schedule an interlude – With all the will in the world, it is highly unlikely that even the best movie will keep little ones fully focused for the entire film without a break. Schedule in a short break around halfway through the movie for toilet breaks, snack refills and phone checking (if the adults are having withdrawals!). Having a predetermined break prevents regular
pausing and disruption or people missing crucial parts of the plot when they pay a visit to the bathroom!
Unplug the tech – There is nothing more annoying that a phone screen lighting up the darkness in the middle of a movie, and that applies just as much at home as it does in the cinema. Put the phones away, switch off and places phones out of reach to avoid distractions, turn off the sound or pop into aeroplane mode, and take the opportunity to really relax. Now more than ever, having breaks from social media and breaking news is really important for your mental health, and being present with your family can really help.
Accept its going to be a late night! – If you are planning an evening movie night, accept that it’s going to be a late one. After snacks and a whole lot of excitement, it’s unlikely that the kids will nod off peacefully on the sofa the way you expect them to, so trust me when I say this (I speak from recent experience!) that the chances are you may have two small people still awake at 10pm. The good news is, plan it at the weekend and you may even get a lie in! (silver lining!)
Have you ever hosted a family movie night at home? What else would you say is a movie night must have???
