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Backyard Cinema – Summer Family Tradition

backyard cinema

Create a backyard cinema for a new summer family tradition.  As we enter into the long days of summer, Houston is still on high alert due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Families are looking for fun and exciting ways to create entertainment at home. A family movie night is always a great idea but why not kick it up a notch. While heading out to your local movie theater may not be a safe option, you can easily create the experience in your own backyard! We’ve put together a list of products and movie suggestions to make your new family movie night a regular occurrence. Happy Watching!

Flat Sheet or Portable Screen

A portable screen is obviously the easiest and best choice since it will not have wrinkles, but you can also use a flat bed sheet. Make sure to pull the sheet taut when you secure it.

Projector

The main key to a perfect cinema night will be your projector. There are several options on the market, many have built in speakers as well. We tried out the kid-friendly and portable CINEMOOD 360. This projector is a small 3-inch wonder! It’s rechargeable, has built in speakers, connects to wi-fi and allows you to stream Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, YouTube or you can download your own content to use when offline. Did I mention it also comes loaded with 120+ hours of kid-friendly entertainment, including Disney, cartoons, e-books, shadow puppets, bedtime stories and more! The Cinemood offers 5 hour of rechargeable battery life and connects to any Bluetooth speaker for a better sound experience. Check it out at cinemood.com. The price starts at only $399.

Cinemood 360
Speakers

Sound makes the movie and you’re going to want to make sure your sound system is in place. Many projectors on the market connect easily to Bluetooth speakers. I picked up the Altec Lansing Baby Boom XL Bluetooth Speaker at Academy for $30 • www.academy.com. This small speaker boasts large sound and can be paired with an additional speaker for added sound. It’s also waterproof and rechargeable for up to 6 hours of battery life.

Altec Lansing Baby Boom XL Bluetooth Speaker

 

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Now that you’ve got the basics out of the way, you’ll need to style your night with a few accessories for your viewing comfort. Let’s get cozy!

Mosquito Spray

Being in Houston, you don’t want to forget your mosquito spray or citronella candles to help keep the pests at bay.

Small Table or Stool

You’re going to need something stable to sit your projector on during your movie. If you can’t find a small table laying around, you can use a bucket, box from a recent Amazon purchase or even a pot from the kitchen, just get creative with it.

Seating Options

Time to get comfy for your feature presentation. A few options are blankets and pillows, an outdoor rug, or lawn or folding chairs. I picked up this Big Joe Bean Bag Pool Float Chair for $50 at Costco (note: You have to find the float in store, they’re not available online). I love that it’s dual purpose and perfect for when the kids just want to lounge around in and out of the water.

Big Joe Beanbag Pool Chair
Snacks

What’s a movie night without those finger licking goodies. Make your own popcorn, nachos or even order some pizzas! Don’t forget to stock a cooler full of ice-cold drinks. Want something sweet? Head over to Walgreens to pick up their movie sized candy boxes. They have a great assortment of options for every sweet tooth. Another option is one of these variety snack care packages from CraveBox available to order on amazon.com for only $24.

CraveBox
Add a Little Romance and Glam

Maybe you want to enjoy an adult night without the kids. Spice things up by adding string lights or lanterns, burn some incense sticks for a little aroma therapy and add some chilled wine and strawberries to the cooler.

No matter how you decide to spend your movie night, make it memorable!

Classics

Star Wars
The Sandlot
The Goonies
E.T. the Extra-Terrestial
Rocky
The Wizard of Oz
Big
Back to the Future
The Karate Kid

Animated

Inside Out
Finding Nemo
Frozen (Sing-Along edition)
The Lego Movie
Up
Shrek
Trolls

Fantasy

Lord of the Rings
Harry Potter
The Never Ending Story
The Princess Bride

Romance

Legends of the Fall
The Notebook
A Star is Born
Moulin Rouge

Related articles:

https://houstonfamilymagazine.com/family-feed/enjoy-summer-movie-favorites-at-home/

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