Outdoor cinema night for little ones. Need your bright ideas, please!

[PotsAndPothos]

Hi MNs!

DP, DD3, and I are coming out of winter hibernation, dreaming of spring/summer adventures. I'm toying with the idea of an outdoor kids cinema night in our tiny courtyard and small patch of grass.

A family member can lend us a projector, we'll use a bedsheet on the wall for a screen and every blanket and pillow we own will be seating for the kids.

I've made some mum friends locally and a couple are on our street with kids of similar ages. Currently, there would be around 10 kids, 8 months to 7 years, from just the mums I know well.

Here's where I'd love your sage advice:

1. When's the best time for this? Spring's earlier sunset but hit-n-miss temperature/weather or summer's later daylight but warmer evenings? I'm a bit torn and accounting for bed times (babes in arms are quite chill though)

1. Our street is close-knit, but I don't know all the neighbours. I've heard there are more homes with kids of similar-ish ages, but not sure how many, the kid numbers could jump up. But I don't like the idea of children feeling excluded from something fun. Would it be a good idea to extend the invite to the street group? (Might childless neighbours be offended?)

1. I'd like to make it clear that parents are to stay, not drop-off and run. How can I convey this in a friendly way? This might be a good opportunity for the dads to join in too as they've not really had much of a chance. Any suggestions on making it an evident 'family' invite?

1. The fun bit! Any ideas for movie magic, stress-free fun? I'm thinking fairy lights, a fun movie followed by a bit of playtime for the kids. Movie suggestions? Popcorn alternatives and cost-effective drinks? Easy to serve nibbles? I really want to avoid DP and/or I having to be in and out of the kitchen the whole time with little time to socialise or me stressing beforehand prepping food (I've been terrible for that in the past!).

Last year zoomed by, I'd really love to have fun stuff to look forwad to this year!

Can't wait to hear your thoughts. Thank you!

I'm so annoyed, just wrote a huge post and lost it!!

Ugh, to sum up - ask others to help you organise a "family-friendly movie night". Get people to brings simple snacks each, otherwise you'll have to fund it yourself, or charge admission! People can bring blankets and chairs too. Go for something like Paddington 2, which will be OK for all ages (although if lots of toddler then maybe Disney/Pixar preferable?)

People probably won't mind keeping their kids up lateish as a one-off, so maybe May half-term, when it won't be dark til a bit later but hopefully not too chilly.

Great shout @HillyHoney. I think you're right, might take some of the pressure off to get everyone to pitch in. Paddington 2 is a good idea too. DD hasn't see it yet. Will add to the list. Thank you!

1. Try May. Have it planned but only set the date once you can see the weather is going to be fine.
2. I'd say any child under 2 is unlikely to really enjoy it and possibly spoil it for others. A lot of children under 3yo would not enjoy it either. You also have to bear in mind if you don't know them you might get one who simply can't sit still or is very noisy etc. If you extend the invitation you're also risking Sarah down the road bringing her children plus cousins and a few hangers on, and ending up overwhelmed. For the first time I'd keep it with those you know. If it goes down well, you could expand it. I think 10 kids sounds enough to me.
3. I'd make it an adults social with a children's cinema treat. Invite them as a family. If you put children's cinema party then you're more likely either to get drop offs or just the mums. So adults are invited for wine and cheese, children to outdoor cinema fun or similar.
4. You could start with a BBQ and then just have popcorn for the kids and wine for the adults. Or do a bag of popcorn each for the children (stops the one who eats too much and throws up). Or as already suggested ask everyone to bring one bowl of snacks. Film, just be careful with that age. My oldest loved Harry Potter 1 at that age; my second wept copiously from start to finish of Finding Nemo and found anything more scary than Disney Princesses too terrifying to watch. If you go for over 3s you have more to choose from, and could go for slightly longer and a bit more concentration needed to follow it. I'd go for something like Animal Robin Hood. Over 3s might be okay with Annie or Peter's Dragon. Not too long, not too scary and quite fun. Fairy lights, beanbags to sit on, bubble machine, disco ball, perhaps a guessing game (or you could do a pass the parcel with picture clues) to guess the movie they're watching. Treasure hunt also keeps the children busy. Best way with a lot of that age is do it more as a scavenger hunt, so they all get a list of things to collect and have to exchange them for a prize at the end. Bring a bottle for the adults, and fruit juice and (cheap) lemonade for the children.

Don't forget to let any neighbours not coming that you'll be doing this and make a promise you keep to as to time you'll turn all music/TV etc off in the garden.

Enjoy!

Not to be a downer but check with your neighbours.

If it’s a nice evening and they also want to sit out it will completely take over and ruin their evening. I personally would HATE if my neighbours did this, it’s obnoxious and disturbs others unless you have an acre for a garden or give everyone headphones.

If everyone is ok with it I think the main thing is dry weather - you can wrap up toasty and make it work temperature wise during early evening.

Great ideas @MargaretThursday and good point re: movie and making it an adults social with kids treat.

Yes I certainly will be forewarning the neighbours @Mushroo. As I said we’re a close-knit street and everyone is fairly respectful of each other so it’s pretty standard procedure. I did say we’d perhaps do it more often but meant once or twice in the whole year or maybe do it again next year, not a weekly or monthly thing. Its a 90min movie and a little bit of socialising before and after, not a late into the evening thing. Neighbours have had later and longer events in the past. I think we’re good and will strike a good balance.

We have a projector but unless it's really dark you can hardly see the picture. Might just be that ours is cheap! But something to be aware of.

Just don't.

Sick of people treating their gardens like an extra room. Keep your noise inside please and don't inflict it on others.

@itsmyp4rty ah fair point. We’ll have to do a dry (quiet) run when it’s warmer out. The courtyard is really quite small though so we could always create a tent with some tarpaulin or stick a gazebo up for some dark. Actually thinking about it, it also gives us the option of doing it earlier in the day if it works 🤔

I wouldn’t. It’s unfair on your neighbours. The noise will really travel.

Wait until the warm weather, only invite people you know well, and be prepared for the children to not sit and watch the film. Don't overthink it, because these are actual children, so it will not be like anything on Instagram.

^^ this

^and this

I’d do the movie for the kids indoors (that way you don’t risk pissing off the neighbours, who are presumably very close if your garden is a tiny courtyard, no need to worry about it being cold and don’t need to wait for it to be dark). Parents can be out in the courtyard for drinks and nibbles. The sound of adults chatting is far less intrusive than a film soundtrack.

Goodness me, it’s ONE film night, much better than hearing hot tubs and drunken booze fuelled bbqs, surely?

I think it sounds lovely. Maybe one of the families have a cotton candy machine. Can I come?

@KindleGirlie thank you! Thought I was going mad there for a minute 😂

And of course, lovely people are most welcome 😜

Great, I will bring some blankets and pillow. I don’t have anything fun like a cotton candy machine though.

You've already said you may do it more than once a year. Add that to everyone else having 'one off' things outside and before you know it every fucking summer weekend is ruined by inconsiderate neighbours who don't give a fuck as long as they have their idea of fun.

If you want to do thoughtless stuff like this move somewhere where you won't piss people off.

I do it at Halloween and in winter too, we have a fire and hot water bottles. It's an attempt to get outdoors over winter with a novelty. We don't need encouragement in summer. The poster who said kids will want to play rather than watch is spot on, that has been the case when we have had large amounts of children. I wouldn't over romanticise it or over plan!

Ps, I'd much rather my neighbours cared about their gardens and used then regularly than had them as dumping grounds/wild and full of weeds. I am not at all bothered by noise from neighbours in the garden, and I live on a terraced street with terraced houses behind. I'm friendly with all my neighbors and positively encourage anybody to use their garden 'as a room'. Gardens should be used and enjoyed, not ignored or preened and enjoyed in silence only. If somebody wants solitude in their garden, they should move somewhere remote.

OK, you're one of those people... nuff said.

@User373433 very interesting re: halloween. Fire and hot water bottles sound lovely!
Good advice not to over plan and over romanticise. Just needed some ideas but I’ll speak to the other mums about it too. Thank you!

MN is very odd about people socialising and making any kind of noise in their gardens for some reason - as you can see by some of the answers!

I would go for it but be prepared for the projector image not to be very strong - could you maybe set the movie up inside for the kids and have food, drinks etc. for the adults outside instead?

A fire sounds terrible! For a kids event in a small back yard? Just no!

I think this is a lovely idea. However, perhaps the image of this and how it will work could be two very different things. For most of these children, it will be after their bedtime. Some can handle that; others can't. Even if your 3yo is good at snuggling down with you to watch a movie, I doubt it will be the same when they have friends over. There will be constant chatting, asking for a snack, moving & going to the loo. Do you pause the film every time someone goes to the loo or do they miss a crucial bit? Do you rewind if someone is crying and a crucial bit has been missed? What happens when a child loses their cuddly toy in the midst of the sea of blankets & cushions? Will you stop the film, get everyone up, light the area and all join in the hunt or will one embarrassed parent by trying to look for it silently & in the dark? What happens when someone spills something?
I think other people's suggestions of having a gathering with a film on inside if people want to watch it might be easier.
Years ago, we did have a gathering at our house which started at lunchtime and went on into the evening. My 7yo & 5yo did watch a film from about 6pm onwards along with half a dozen younger kids but they were firmly policed by a 10yo, two of the littlest ones fell asleep quite quickly and the rest were pretty catatonic with tiredness.

Just don't do it in high summer as it gets dark too late. My neigbour used to do this when the kids in the street were primary age. Really appreciated it.