One thing that seems to be true for most young kiddos is that they really love a good story! Stories help children process emotions, use their imaginations, and understand the world around them. Not to mention the benefits it has for language development! Stories come in many forms, from snuggling up with a good book to watching a play, to creating and telling your own stories together!
Another great way to share stories together is to have a family movie night! I don’t mean just popping some popcorn and sitting down in front of the TV together. Family movie nights are like a little party for your family that will help incorporate the story in several interactive ways! You can be creative and make the night your own, but I like to use three ingredients for family movie nights: food, a craft, and an activity. These don’t have to be fancy, but they should help you connect to your child and help them think more deeply about the story. Read on to learn more about how to choose your family movie and start whipping up some family memories!
Choose your Family Movie
- The Story: maybe there is a topic or lesson within a particular film you would really like to explore with your child. For example, Inside Out is a great story to help children talk about their emotions. Let the story be the determining factor in your choice for family movie night, and build your evening activities around that!
- The Theme: maybe your child is really interested in a particular country, animal, or topic. Let your child’s interests be your guide in selecting the film for the night. For example, if your child is really into dinosaurs, there are several movies to choose from like Dinosaur, The Good Dinosaur, and The Land Before Time. Design the night’s activities around learning about dinosaurs and then enjoy the movie together.
- The Movie: Is there a movie your family has really been wanting to see? Does your child have a favorite movie? Start with the movie, and then consider what aspects of the story you’d like to explore deeper. What questions could you ask your child to help him consider the characters feelings or actions? Once you’ve chosen your movie, pick some food, a simple craft, and a possible activity to help explore the story more with the family!
Decide on the “Ingredients”
Food
Some movies just lend themselves to fun, festive, or themed food! My daughters were very interested in China when they were young, so we did family movie nights around Kung Fu Panda and Mulan. In this case, it is very easy to have Chinese take-out for dinner! You could even attempt making dumplings as a family, or some other traditional treat, like almond cookies. Pinterest is a great resource to come up with themed ideas. One of our family movie nights was space themed, so we got freeze dried treats and ate like the astronauts! On dinosaur night, we made cookies with dino footprints in them. The possibilities are endless!
Craft
I know some of you are not too keen on this idea. Maybe you don’t consider yourself artistic, or the thought of glue and glitter has you shaking in your boots. Don’t worry! Crafts don’t have to be complicated or messy. Coloring sheets are a great option and there are tons of free downloadable coloring pages online! Find images from any family movie, throw out some crayons, and you’re ready for a good time! Your craft might entail stickers, cutting and folding a pattern you find online, or making simple beaded bracelets. It’s an easy way to open up conversation about the characters or themes in the story as you work together on individual creations. You may even consider working on something together as a family. If you are interested in it, it’s likely your little one will be too!
Activity
With little kids, anything is fun, if you tie it into your theme! Every activity is an opportunity to play and bond with your child. The activity could be a game that incorporates the theme of the movie, or an impromtu dance party to the movie soundtrack! Perhaps your child likes playing make-believe and wants to act out scenes from the movie, learn kung fu moves, or pretend to be an animal in the story. Be willing to get silly and use your imagination! In this way, you enter into the world of your child, and you won’t regret it.
That’s a Wrap!
Family Movie Night is like a staycation! You don’t have to drag everyone out of the house or spend a lot of money, but you will create bonds and memories that will last for years. These special nights don’t need to be social media worthy, but they can be something that your family looks forward to on a weekly or monthly basis, or whenever you realize you need some quality family time!
At Wishing Well, we look forward to walking alongside your family as your little ones continue to learn and grow! Book a tour today to find out more!