Planning a birthday party for a child who is turning ten or older can be quite tricky. Since tweeners have already celebrated several natal days and, therefore, have experienced and seen different party types and themes, surprising them and bringing genuine happiness to their faces can be a difficult venture.
Also, many kids between 10 and 12 tend to have more sophisticated preferences. As such, most of the time, a birthday party held at home won’t live up to their expectations.
A birthday party at a movie theater, though, won’t fail to disappoint a child of any age. With a great venue, superb menu, excellent company, and a movie that everyone wants to watch as a bonus, it will certainly be a celebration like no other.
It would be the kind of birthday party your kids will remember for a long time.
Throwing a birthday party at a movie theater, though, is no mean feat. You have to plan it well and prepare lots of things to ensure it will be fun and a roaring success.
If you’re thinking of celebrating your child’s birthday at a movie theater, here are the seven things you need to prepare for this type of party:
A movie theater
Since the theme for your child’s birthday party is “movie night,” you have to host it in a theater.
One of the first things you have to do when planning a movie night birthday party is to look for a kid-friendly cinema that can be rented for private events. The theater should be able to accommodate all your child’s guests. It should have comfy seats and an atmosphere that everyone will love.
More importantly, the theater staff should be able to accommodate any special requests you have for the party, such as bringing in a birthday cake and other food items that they do not have. If you need a table laid out for the spread you prepared or ordered, they should be able to provide this, as well.
Lastly, you also have to be sure that you can rent the theater at the date and time you want for the party.
Invitations
Another must-have for a fun movie night birthday party is customized invitations. You can put all the guests in a festive mood with the right invites.
Invitations that look like movie tickets will go well with the theme of the party. It will also immediately give the guests an idea of what to expect for your child’s birthday celebration.
You can go the DIY route and create your own design and print out the invitations for the party. There are various templates you can use online. You can also have a printing company take care of this part if you have a budget for it and want to have standout invites.
Make sure you have ironed out all the details for the party, including the time, date, and movie theater name, before printing out the invitations. Go over all these carefully to ensure only the right information is included in the design.
Popcorn
Food is another highlight of all birthday parties. It is something that the celebrant and guests will definitely look forward to.
Since the party will be happening inside the cinema, the event won’t be complete if it would be missing a staple movie theater food: popcorn.
Make sure the kids will have at least one bag of popcorn throughout the movie screening. If you choose the right theater and private cinema hire package, your guests might even get unlimited refills of this yummy snack.
Cake
Since your child is still celebrating his or her natal day, you still need a birthday cake.
Order a customized birthday cake or a ready-made one from a bakery. If you get a cake, make sure there are paper plates and cutlery so that you can also give the guests a slice of this treat after the traditional blowing out the candles.
Another option would be to get cupcakes. This is more convenient for the guests since the mini frosted cakes are easier to eat. There is no need for any cutlery, as well.
Other snacks
If you want the whole party to take place at the movie theater, you have to prepare other food in addition to the cake and popcorn. After all, you don’t want the kids to get hungry, especially if the movie they will watch will be longer than a couple of hours.
Burgers and sandwiches are the best snacks for kids to eat at a movie theater. Whether they will eat them before or during the film screening, they won’t create a mess or have a hard time munching on them.
Also, ensure there are enough beverages for the kids to drink. Aside from soda, bottled water drinks should be available for all the guests, too.
If you are still finalizing your rental for a movie theater, find out if they have packages that come with complete snacks for parties. Consider availing of such a deal so that you won’t have to get stressed out about this part. The items you want the guests to enjoy will be prepared and served by the in-house staff.
Decorations
If you want the movie theater to have that fun party vibe, you have to spruce up the venue a bit, too.
Hang up a banner, paper pinwheels, and ribbons around the theater and party food table. If the film to be screened is your child’s favorite (i.e., Frozen 2 or Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), incorporate decorations that highlight the movie and characters.
Many movie theaters also provide decoration services. Again, find out if the one you will rent offers this so that you can also do away with or get help with this task.
The movie
Lastly, your child and all the guests will have an enjoyable and unforgettable night at the movies only if you choose the right film for them to watch.
You won’t go wrong with choosing surefire hits from Hollywood, such as the latest installments of Frozen, Jumanji, and Star Wars. These are films that kids of any age, even those approaching adolescence, will enjoy.
If your child is a big fan of other franchises, such as MCU movies and Harry Potter, find out beforehand if the theater you will rent can show one film from these series.
A movie night birthday party is a great way for your child and his or her friends to get together and have fun. If you want to celebrate this occasion with just the whole family, you may want to plan another event, such as a day at a water park or an indoor entertainment center.
AUTHOR BIO
Paul Fox is the Director of Roxy Cinemas under Meraas Group/DXB Entertainments. Roxy Cinemas currently has five Dubai locations: The Beach, La Mer, City Walk, Box Park, and Bollywood Parks.
