Make Fall Movie Nights Fun for the Whole Family
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Fall movie nights are a great opportunity to spend time together as a family and enjoy some good family films. Consider these three easy tricks to make it fun for all!
I received review copies of the movies featured here. All opinions are my own.
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Fall movie nights are some of my favorites. I don’t know why they should differ all that much from movie nights in winter, spring, or summer, but for some reason they do.
Maybe it’s because school is back in session and Fridays hold a lot more meaning in terms of resting and playing. Maybe it’s because the days are growing shorter, and there’s less time to play outside. Maybe it’s because it’s cooler at night, making it all the more fun to get cozy on the couch under blankets.
Whatever the reason, fall movie nights are a great opportunity for the whole family to have fun together. Here are some tips to make it happen at your house.
Make Fall Movie Nights Fun for the Whole Family
1. Provide good snacks.
Good snacks may differ from family to family. At our house, it’s ideal if everyone can partake.
For instance, when FishBoy19 had braces many years ago, we abstained from popcorn and sticky treats as a family. It was more fun for him and more fun for us. Hint: Pirate’s Booty is a great, braces-friendly alternative to popcorn.
Due to FishChick9’s nut allergies, we don’t buy candy or treats that may contain peanuts or walnuts. A movie night would not be any fun if I had to administer an epi-pen.
Currently our favorite movie treats include:
- air-popped corn with lots of butter (we use this air popper and this corn)
- the occasional box ofย movie theater-size candy
- peanut/walnut-safe almonds and chocolate chips
- Pirate’s Booty
- Junk Food Popcorn
2. Choose a movie everyone can enjoy.
With children aged 8 to 19, it’s an amazing feat to find a film everyone, parents included, will enjoy. But, it does happen. Marvel movies top the list.
Here are a few lists of movies we’ve enjoyed over the years.
- Favorite Movies for Families
- Favorite Classic Disney Films
- Family Films that Were Better Than I Expected
- How to Choose Good Family Films
And truth be told, sometimes, us girls go to one room to watch a chick flick while the guys watch a shoot-em-up.
The new, live-action Jungle Book and Captain America: Civil War are two new releases from Disney that are perfect for your fall move nights.
3. Gather the blankets.
For some reason, we’ve got blanket hogs on these cool fall nights. Having a stash of fleece blankets at the ready seems to make everyone comfortable — and I don’t have to share my blankie. Haha!
4. Start early enough so that littles don’t fall asleep before the show’s over.
The little people matter. You might not think it matters to them if they see the whole film, but it does. Trust me. FishChick has woken in the morning very sad, indeed, that we finished the movie without her. In most instances she continues from where she left off, but there’s still a tinge of disappointment.
When we start the movie early enough, everyone can enjoy it — and no one has to watch the movie twice. ๐
What do YOU enjoy about fall movie nights?
Related reading:ย Tips for a Great Family Movie Night
There has to be enough fleece blankets for everyone. A few years ago we made dad a fleece Star Trek blanket for Christmas. It is everyone’s favorite, but he does get to use it occasionally. We have been through the braces and no popcorn times. Good substitutes that our crowd likes are tortilla rounds and salsa; hummus with pretzels and carrot sticks; and peanut butter and crackers. To protect the furniture and carpet we spread blankets on the floor and the kids eat their treats sitting on the blankets learning on throw pillows. The kids are old enough now that it is mom that is most likely to fall asleep before the movie is over ๐
Sounds like fleece blankets may be a good Christmas or birthday present for everyone this year. ๐
We have a competitive gymnast in our family, and she is always at the gym. With her one night off that’s not a school night, we grab a movie and celebrate family time (all 8 of us!).
Usually, RedBox has the latest Lego Justice League movie, and it is fun for the bigs and littles. We make stovetop popcorn cooked in oil and butter, so it is perfectly seasoned and crisp when it comes out of the pan. We keep the blankets in a cubby by the entertainment center so they are ready to go. Now all we need is more couch space for everyone to curl up onto!
Love your statement about the littles and starting the movie early in the night. As a former youngest myself, it does make a difference to include them in the full watching experience! Great post!
Yay for littles getting to see the whole movie. Even though we started early last night, she still fell asleep. lol
We did our first last night now that the 6 yo can watch more “real” movies. We start directly after dinner which allows us to get her to bed on time and also avoid the need for snacks!
Good call. I only made a single batch of caramel corn so we wouldn’t overdo. That stuff is addictive.
Thinking about purchasing the air popper you mentioned, currently I make big batches in the microwave.
When you pop it using the popper, does it pop corn all over or will it contain itself into a large bowl placed under the chute?
Also, you mentioned you guys do popcorn with lots of butter. How do you achieve the LOTS of butter? The one time I melted butter and tried to pour over out popped corn, it didn’t work very well. I would love to be able to make homemade buttered popcorn. I also printed out your Mom’s caramel corn, so making that soon!
Our pops into the bowl, but usually we turn the bowl around halfway through since it tends to pile up on one side. Re: butter, I melt a few tablespoons in the microwave and then toss it with the popcorn, like you would a salad. It helps to have a pretty big bowl.
Thank you Fish Mama for taking the time to reply to my questions. I am going to make a batch soon and try the melting butter your way. We love homemade popcorn! Such a tasty and frugal snack.
To get great butter coverage – Pour butter over popcorn in the bowl, then immediately pour into a large paper bag, fold over the top, and shake, shake, shake. My kiddos love to do the shaking, just make sure they keep the top closed – ask me how I know! ๐
This is also a great time to add in a little popcorn salt and then shake some more.
The paper bag absorbs excess butter so there’s no soggy greasy pieces at the bottom of the bowl too.
Good to know! Thanks!