Everything you need for an outdoor movie night
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Don't forget the popcorn.
Table of Contents
Without a doubt, a movie projector is at the top of my “best purchases” list. Although the projector started out as an impulse buy, holding an outdoor movie night each weekend has quickly become one of my favorite family traditions.
Hosting a backyard movie night is a great way to watch new or even old childhood favorites from the comfort of your own home. Grab your charcuterie boards, snack platter and, of course, popcorn buckets. After a few months of refining our techniques, here are a few tips for everything you need for an outdoor movie night.
How to host an outdoor movie night
Your outdoor movie night can be as over the top or low-key as you want it to be. From video projectors to comfy chairs, it’s all about setting the scene for movie magic. Check out these tips and then scroll down for the best products you need to create the ultimate outdoor movie night.
1. Get a portable screen
The beauty of a projector is that you can set it up most anywhere—whether you want to cast on a sheet hung from a wall or a portable screen. For our purposes, we found that a portable screen was best. That way, we could stream a movie in the backyard with the kids in cardboard “cars” for a drive-in experience. Or we could bring it onto the patio, so my husband and I could cozy up for an at-home date night with the baby monitor within reach.
2. Have access to movies for everyone
With young kids, it can be hard for them to agree on the color of the sky—let alone a movie. Thankfully, we found something to enjoy during family movie time. Find your next family movie from this list of the best kids movies coming out in 2023.
3. Set up a snack table
To minimize trips back into the kitchen, we like to bring a full spread of snacks outdoors. Favorite options include a big bowl of popcorn with bowls for divvying it up, a rotating candy option for the kids to sample and, as the weather has turned cooler, a thermos with hot chocolate to pour into individual cups. If you’re family likes creating boards, there’s nothing quite like a good ol’ peanut butter board.
4. Make sure everyone has a comfortable seat and a good view
As comfortable as they are for dinners on the back patio, we quickly realized our outdoor dining chairs weren’t going to cut it for family movie night. Now we bring out a bean bag chair for each of the kids while my husband and I scoot over an outdoor sofa. Without fail, one of the kids will request watching from cardboard cars we made and then the rest follow suit. I have to take a picture of the cuteness every time!
5. Find ways to extend the season
As summer came to a close, we agreed that we didn’t want outdoor movie night to go on hiatus until spring. Instead, we adapted by breaking out the cozy sleeping bags, sipping on hot chocolate and setting up an outdoor heater for a little shot of warm air.
Our favorite outdoor movie night products
A version of this post was published December 13, 2020. It has been updated.
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