GUEST EDITORIAL: 4 Ways To Make Movie Nights Special For Your Kids

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4 Ways To Make Movie Nights Special For Your Kids

by Kevin Gardner

Family movie nights can be the highlight of your child's week. Formal movie theaters are always fun, but sometimes the cost or inconvenience of finding the right time for your family can make it more challenging. Here are a few ways that you can make movie nights extra special for your kids.

1. Keep It Cozy

Nothing makes you want to hunker down and enjoy a movie more than a comfy spot on the couch with your favorite pillows and blankets. Movie nights should be more fun than any casual television watching for your kids, and getting your sitting area comfortable is part of the fun. With a little planning, you can make it seem extra cozy and special for your kids.

You can make them their own movie-night custom blankets by using fleece fabric that has their favorite colors or characters on it. Don't just stop with the blankets, you can use the same materials to put together some matching pillows as well. Also, be sure to bring in some extra fluffy friends in the form of their favorite stuffed animals. Kids love to feel snug and secure surrounded by their favorite stuffies while settling in to enjoy a film.

2. Set the Mood

Once you have a plan for how everyone will watch comfortably you can focus on the atmosphere of the whole room. Adding in some extra fun lights can change the whole feel of the movie showing. You can string white or colored lights around various parts of the room to add a touch more illumination to the room without it being too much light.

Another option is finding a special ambient light that you can put behind the TV to really bump up the fun. If your children are smaller and feel more comfortable with a little more light rather than just ambient lights, consider acquiring a special lamp or light fixture that you are able to dim to suit their comfort level. Your kids will think it is so fun to have a fancy and unique atmosphere for their movie night.

3. Supply Special Snacks

Movie time isn't as fun without the snacks. There are plenty of potential options, you just want to cater to your children's tastes but also keep it special. Whatever you decide on for the snack just make sure you only prepare it on movie nights. That way it will always be special for them.

Don't limit the ideas to just mundane popcorn. A fun combo could be adding in mini marshmallows and M&M'S with the popcorn. Everyone has a mixture of textures as well as sweet and salty for a unique combination. You could also make it feel more like a movie theater by getting the theater-sized candy boxes. The possibilities are endless, so just take the time to prepare some great ideas that suit your family.

4. Ramp up the Excitement

It's smart to plan in advance what film you want to feature on your movie nights. To make it more interactive and build excitement you can do some simple research to get the whole family ready for the watch party. The kids will have a chance to learn something that will pique their interest in the film they will watch later.

Plan some activities during the week that help everyone learn some fun facts about the setting or background of the characters in the movie. If it's a sports movie you might take the time to play that sport in the week leading up to watching the film. If you picked a piece that focuses on cooking you could try to make some of the dishes featured in the movie.

If you make everything extra cozy, set up a cool atmosphere, make super fun snacks, and build excitement for watching the movie throughout the week you are sure to make movie nights extremely memorable for kids. With these four fun ideas, they will look forward to that special event every week. Your family is sure to bond even more with your effort to make movie nights memorable.