Pick a night once a week or month, and mark it on the calendar, or put a reminder on a family-central corkboard. Kids love to have something to look forward to.

Picking a movie everyone likes can be easy. Start with the classics. Most kids will enjoy old Hollywood musicals, and movies like Mary Poppins, The Wizard of Oz and Star Wars™. Or, introduce kids to Charlie Chaplin or the Marx Brothers. Check your local library for current favorites.

A dark room and comfortable seating are a must. Have a special spot just for the kids like a couple of our beanbag chairs or an Anywhere Chair. Darkening the room helps create a theater atmosphere. Young kids can make and sell tickets and usher parents to their seats. And don't forget to schedule an intermission for bathroom breaks, getting beverages or refilling the popcorn bowl.

Of course, you'll have popcorn and candy, but here are some ideas to help make your new family movie night truly individual:

• Have everyone wear pajamas.
• Eat dinner backwards, starting with desert and ending with the appetizers - the popcorn, of course!
• Make the evening a family sleepover. After the movie, pull out the sleeping bags and fall asleep in the living room as a family.