It was our last day of winter holiday break before we started homeschooling again, and I wanted to do something fun with the kids that was not school related. They all wanted to go to a movie, and I tossed the idea around for a little while. We don’t go very often, so it would have been special. I started adding up the cost. The tickets alone came to $35. I heard the kids talking to each other and dreaming of eating lunch at the theater, which sounded like fun to me too. Pretty soon the cost of our two hour outing jumped to around $70–no way!
I was trying to think of something fast. “Let’s have a home theater day!” I said it with all the enthusiasm possible hoping that it would be contagious. They loved the idea.
We downloaded a movie they hadn’t seen from Netflix, set up a card table, and I became their waitress. We started with pop-corn and root beer, then M&Ms and Skittles, for lunch I pulled out Taquitos from the freezer. Okay so it may not have been the healthiest meal they ever had, but it sure was fun and it didn’t cost me a dime! They’re already asking for another Home Theater Day!
This post is linked to Making My Home Sing Monday and Frugal Friday.
One of our local theatres does a special free kids day a couple of times a month. No charge. You might check around to see if they do that where you are. In the meantime, home theatre day does sound fun – the kids should take turns being ticket master 😉
I don’t think I realized you homeschool!
Cute idea and it does sound like fun!
What a fun day! We do that sometimes too 🙂 I bet your kiddie had so much fun!
Friday and Saturday nights are our popcorn & movie nights here! The kids count down all week long till “Popcorn night!”. Sometimes for a real treat we go to the Cinemark 8 near us (and you); tickets are .75/each on Mondays when you buy 3 or more. During the summer another theater (also near us) has free kids’ movies on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Those are good times to take little kids who wouldn’t normally sit quietly during a movie, because it’s always full of other wiggly kids but no one’s upset about the noise because the movie was free! We go to the library’s free movies sometimes, too, but they lack the movie theater atmosphere the kids enjoy. 🙂
I don’t have any kids and I cannot even afford to go to the movies, and lunch at the theater. We have a dollar theater nearby where they show older movies that are almost out on dvd or sometimes already are. The movie might be cheap but the snacks are not!
Sounds like you guys had fun with your home theater experience!
That is really cute! You’ll have to come to NYC, once a month they have FREE Broadway tickets for kids.
What a fun day at home. Wish I would have thought of doing something like that when my boys were younger. Will definitely have to keep in mind when the grands are with us.
Ooh! Ooh! Movie time! I love to watch movies at home. We do this every now and then, too. It’s a lot more fun (and downright cheap!) to have it at home. They all looked like they are really enjoying their “Home Theater”. Be blessed always, Esther!
What a great idea. Not only money-saving, but so much fun! Good for you, Mom. 🙂
Fantastic idea, Esther.
Going out to the movies is okay every ONCE in a while..but when you have a large family..it just gets RIDICULOUSLY pricy! Even here, there are days when it’s half price days, but it’s still so expensive if a bunch of people are going!
I love your little impromtu idea – keeps them happy, gives them what they want, doesn’t break the bank AND it’s a special little memory!
Plus, it makes the odd time that you DO get to splurge and go to the movies THAT much more exciting and special 🙂
What a great idea and look at the precious memories you’re making! I love that you took a picture too.
Here’s another idea. Find some big boxes. Then, as it gets closer to summer (or whenever you want) have a home Drive-In Theater night.
Let the kids decorate their “cars” during the week. You can print out some fake wheels on the computer and other accessories if you want, or let them color their own.
Then, on movie night they can “drive” to the theater for their movie. Our church has Family Movie Nights from time to time, and sometimes we have a theme. The kids loved when we had the Drive-In theme and they decorated their cars and brought them to church for the movie! (Not everyone will want to actually sit in their box during the movie but you never know!)
Thanks for linking up to Making Your Home Sing Monday!