Want to get started with a family movie night tradition, but not sure how to do it? Here’s how to plan a family movie night your family will want to repeat time and time again!

I get it, it can seem pretty daunting to plan your very first family movie night. It can be as simple as getting the fam together and picking a movie, but if you want to pull out all the stops and make this a lasting tradition, it’s good to spend some time on how to plan a family movie night that fits your family. Not every idea is going to fit every family, so don’t be afraid to try things and adjust if something doesn’t work. But there are some staples that you’ll definitely need to have that family movie night you’ve always dreamed of!  

So let’s take a look at how to plan a family movie night! 

Set a Date

You want the whole family there, so you’ll need to pick a night when the whole family is around AND has the energy to get involved during Family Movie Night. It might not be the best idea to plan a movie night after a day full of big activities (if you want your kids to see the end of the movie at least!). So pick your night wisely, it’s an essential part of how to plan a Family Movie Night! 

If you want to go the extra mile, you can make this part of the process even more fun by creating some Family Movie Night (electronic or paper) invites for everybody in the family. You could hide some clues about what movie you’re going to watch in those invites and have the whole family guess as an extra bonus activity! This way, they’ll remember to keep the evening free for sure! If you want it to be a regular thing then setting a regular day/time will help make it a priority. In our home it’s Friday nights at 7pm. Sometimes other things up and in that case we just move it a day forward or back.

How to choose a movie for Family Movie Night

The main part of the evening will be the movie, so your movie selection will be essential when considering how to plan a Family Movie Night. You can go with a classic that the whole family loves or pick something new, the sky is the limit. I promise you that you will never run out of movies for movie night, but that might be the most overwhelming part about it, there are SO MANY options!

Whatever your family is into or in the mood for that night, this handy 52 Family Movie Night Ideas checklist will have some suggestions you’ll all love! If your kids are in a Disney phase, I get it, there might not be as many options there. Make sure you check out these lists of all the Disney Animated Movies in Order and Disney Live Action Movies, depending on which movie version your family prefers! I guarantee you that there are movies on there you’ve never seen before, so expand those movie palettes! 

Grab enticing snacks

You can’t plan a Family Movie Night without snacks, they’re an essential part of the experience. And that can be as quick or time consuming as you want. Either grab your family’s favorite snacks from the supermarket, or start Family Movie Night by making your own snacks. 

Popcorn is a great DIY snack (and warm popcorn is just the best type of popcorn). Go classic with this Movie Theater Popcorn recipe by Food Folks and Fun or try something a little crazier like this Rocky Road Popcorn by Ruffles & Rain Boots.  

My family loves having something savory and something sweet to snack on, so having options is the best way to go in my experience. 

The guest of honor

Of course, no Family Movie Night is complete without my Family Movie Night Journal! Not only can it help you with those movie selections mentioned above if you want even more suggestions, it also has a ton of fun bonus activities to give a little extra dimension to the night. And it’s a great way to document all those amazing memories you’re making during Family Movie Night! 

Now you no longer need to wonder how to plan a Family Movie Night. Just grab those snacks, use the Family Movie Night Journal to pick a movie and stop overthinking it. Throwing an activity or quiz into the mix is always a fun addition, but if you don’t want to do this every Movie Night, you can have some nights with and some nights without. It’s your new family tradition, make it your own!