How to Host a BOOK-THEMED Movie Night

I always enjoy hosting movie nights... and I really love booked-themed movie nights. I adore the idea of encouraging my boys to read by rewarding them with a book-themed movie night after they have finished a novel. My boys have read all the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, so the film versions are perfect for movie nights with their friends. Today, I'm sharing the fun DIY details of our "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" movie night.

Every party needs an invitation, so make up something simple using your computer. I made this one using PicMonkey.com.

Then, you'll have to pick a movie (based on a book). Some great family movies based on books are:

1) Diary of a Wimpy Kid

2) Harry Potter

3) The Lorax

4) Dolphin Tale

5) Alice in Wonderland

6) Percy Jackson

7) Chronicles of Narnia

8) How to Train Your Dragon

9) The Wizard of Oz

10) Anne of Green Gables

We love an outdoor movie. We have a basic home projector. We hook it up to a laptop and speakers, and we project it onto a white sheet. It's a bit of an investment, but we use it all the time, and it's one of our favourite activities.

You'll also need to serve some food. It's fun to pick a few foods that go with the theme of the book... but as long as you have popcorn and candy, you'll be fine.

For our Diary of a Wimpy Kid screening, we had "cheesies" because a "cheese touch" is referred to in the movie.

And we served a lot of colourful candy in little condiment containers. The kids loved the individual portions of candy.

We also used books as decor, and let the kids play a "guess how many pieces of gum are in the jar" game. It's always fun to have a fun activity (or two) to occupy the kids before the movie starts.

A photo booth is another easy and inexpensive way to entertain kids while they are waiting for the movie the start. I made some simple photo props using a sharpie, cardstock, and popsicle sticks. 

And, finally, every party needs a party favor, and popcorn is perfect for a movie night. Add a little "Thanks for POPPING by!" note to a package for microwave popcorn for an easy and inexpensive party favor.

If you pick a colour scheme that fits the movie, display the books from the movie, and invest a little time in a few DIY details... your guests are sure to be impressed.

Isn't a booked-themed movie night a wonderful way to host friends and encourage kids to read? I hope my Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie night inspires you to throw a book-themed movie night of your own.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)