The lights, the cameras, the red carpet! It’s Oscar Night and Hollywood’s A-listers are ready to pose for the paparazzi and accept their awards. You might enjoy gawking at the celebs and watching the star-studded event, but your kiddo probably can’t sit through speech after speech without getting a bit restless. Instead, skip the show and create your own family Oscar night at home! Here are our 7 best ideas to pull it off:
Make your own Academy Awards. Recycle and reuse cardboard paper towel tubes, plastic yogurt containers and other everyday items, turning them into a crafty award. Hold it together with tape and glue. Add a layer of glitz and glam, painting the whole thing with metallic gold tempera. Your child can also sprinkle gold glitter on top for even more glam.
Did your 4-year-old see La La Land? Probably not. That’s okay. Instead of having your child act out scenes from the real Oscar picks, have them make their own selections. Chose a favorite book, children’s movie or story from your child’s imagination. Hold a family audition, hand out roles and make your own Oscar-worthy flick. Film the scene, and then show it at your own private screening.
What’s better to eat during a movie-focused awards show than popcorn? Instead of the traditional butter flavor, make a buffet featuring fun toppings. Pop a movie-sized bowl of microwave popcorn and then get creative with the extras! There are infinite options here. If your kiddo enjoys sweet treats, set out a bowl of cinnamon sugar or sprinkles to spoon over the popcorn. You can also drizzle warm (but not hot) chocolate or caramel syrup on top. If salty and savory are more to your family’s tastes, make a garlic butter sauce to coat the corn with or try parmesan cheese.
Have your own red carpet moment. Grab a camera (or, your cell phone) and act as the paparazzi. Your little star can dress up in their favorite glam outfit – such as mom’s old cocktail dress or dad’s old tux. Use an old carpet, a sheet or red paper to make the perfect pathway. Turn flashlights into spotlights and have your cool kid walk down it like a star. Snap pictures as they make their way down the red carpet and stop them periodically to ask questions. Hold up a toy microphone (or make your own from a cardboard tube) and ask “who” they’re wearing or what they think their chances of winning are.
Someone needs to host the show, right? Put your child in the spotlight and help them write an opening monologue. They can tell a few cute jokes and announce the night’s events. This might include listing out the movies that are up for awards (your child can pick out their favorite kid’s films) and who is nominated for awards (in other words – family members).
Your child has already handcrafted the awards. Now it’s time to hand them out. And, what does every good awards show need? Speeches! Pick categories for each family member, such as “Best Helper” or “Best at Putting Toys Away.” Help your child write an acceptance speech, and then put up a podium for the big moment.
Your family saw plenty of movies in the past year. Whether these were movies you saw in the theater or ones you watched at home, everyone has their favorite. Nominate flicks that you’ll feature as the “Favorite Film of the Year,” write down the top nominations, and have a family vote. The movie with the most votes wins. Along with the prestige of being your favorite family film, it can also star as movie of the night for the evening’s family feature!
No matter how you end up spending your Family Oscar Night, there are bound to be endless adorable photo opportunities. Whether it’s your kiddos walking down the red carpet, accepting their award, or acting out a scene from their favorite film, be sure to capture every dazzling moment! Turn it into an Oscars Night board book and look back on this flashy and fun family night for years to come.