Stock up on popcorn!

What could be more fun than gathering the whole family in front of the screen after a long week of work and school to watch a movie or cartoon? Yes, you could probably come up with more exciting activities. But usually, no one has the energy for them by Friday.

A family movie night, on the other hand, is a great way for parents and children to spend time together. You don’t have to just put on a random movie and fall asleep. You can make movie night a much more interesting event.

Plan ahead

Make movie nights a regular thing. Hold them every week or once a month. Of course, you will go to the cinema on other days. After all, you can’t miss the new releases! But you will watch old movies and cartoons at home. If you plan your movie night in advance, you will have time to carefully choose a movie and prepare, rather than spending the time allocated for viewing arguing about what to watch.

Choose a movie

The hardest part is choosing a movie that everyone will like. Children want to watch cartoons, but parents are more likely to enjoy a complex detective story. For family viewing, you will have to compromise.

Agree in advance on what kind of movies everyone wants to watch and organize themed evenings. For example, this week, watch a movie about travelers, and next week, watch a movie about space. This will help narrow down your search a little. The main thing is to find a movie that is suitable for children of all ages.

Decorate the room and pick out costumes

Bring the movie to life and transfer its atmosphere to your room. Place a table covered with a tablecloth and piled high with cups in front of the TV when you gather to watch Alice in Wonderland. Move the flowers closer and arrange toy dinosaurs before watching Jurassic Park.

You can also dress up as movie characters yourself. You don’t have to create complicated costumes to do this. A pencil will do instead of a real magic wand. Watching Harry Potter and repeating the spells and movements of the characters with it will be more fun.

Prepare themed dishes

You can’t watch movies without snacks. They can also be themed. Or you can even cook one of the dishes that the cartoon characters eat! Disney and Pixar studios post recipes from cartoons on their YouTube channels. We have translated some of them.

Create a movie theater atmosphere

But the main dish that everyone associates with watching movies is popcorn. To recreate the atmosphere of a movie theater, don’t forget to prepare a large bowl.

Another important element of going to the movies is tickets. Many people keep their tickets as souvenirs. A fun part of preparing to watch a movie at home is drawing your own tickets with your child. They will make the evening more memorable, and you won’t forget which movies you’ve already seen.

Organize a quiz

Don’t rush to your rooms after watching the movie. Organize a small quiz during the credits. Make a list of universal questions that will help test your attentiveness. For example, try to remember the name of the main character, their age, profession, or hobby, and the name of the city where the action takes place.

Also, look for interesting facts about the film. Often, such facts are related to various details that viewers do not pay attention to when watching the film for the first time. You may want to rewatch the film right away to verify the accuracy of these facts.

Become film critics

You can discuss the plot and characters in more detail. Ask your children which characters they liked best and why, and whether they learned a useful lesson from the story. Did they like the ending? If not, make up your own ending and act it out!