The one thing I’ve been looking forward to since we put the pool in the backyard is outdoor movie night. It’s like the ultimate summer experience, right?! Well, this is the year we finally made it happen! We got a projector, a screen, our trusty pool, some glow lights, some floating food trays, and we had some friends and their kids over. I have to say – why did we wait so long!? It was so much fun, and the girls can’t wait to do it again.
Best of all, outdoor family movie night is easy to do on almost any budget! You can hang up a white sheet of paper or a stretch of cloth and rent a projector from an equipment rental store or borrow from a friend. Set up some air mattresses, outdoor pillows, blankets, lawn chairs… anything to get comfortable. These evenings make the best kind of essential memories.
Floating lights | Floating Pool Tray | Backyard Resources
For “dive in” movie night, we added inflatable toys in different shapes and sizes to make it easier to relax. When it came to projecting the movie, we chose a projector that was designed for outdoor use, so it’s weather and water resistant which is very important poolside. It also runs for five hours on battery, has a built-in Dolby speaker and has a built-in power bank for additional accessories like a phone for streaming a movie or even a DVD player or other device.
Bluetooth speaker | Portable Projector | Projector screen Travel status | String lights
What to keep in mind is that in the summer it takes longer for it to get dark (it was around 8:45pm when we started the movie). Fortunately, this projector works when it’s lighter outside (some only work when it’s pitch black), and it was really easy to see the screen.
I set up some bags of popcorn and boxes of movie candy on some floating trays (what I would give to be able to eat hot tamales again), and the stage was set.
Floating Pool Tray | Popcorn Bags | Metal serving tray Colorful acrylic cups | Color changing cups | Striped Pool Floats | Inflatable pool float
The trays worked great. One thing I would change for next time is that since hands are wet, some candy like M&Ms can get messy, so stick with things like Sour Patch Kids, Nerds Gummy Clusters, and pretzels. I was so happy that we had cups with lids – we even sent our friends’ kids home with their own cups (“a great party favor” at $1 each!)
The larger cart had its own cup holder, and it was easier to put a big bowl of popcorn for the group of kids hanging out in there rather than individual bags of popcorn (but it’s a lot of fun).
Striped Pool Floats | Floating lights | Inflatable pool float
We watched the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, which was the first viewing for many of the kids. I’ve learned that at the pool with a group of kids, it’s best to go with something they’ve seen before. Being in the pool is a natural distraction, so kids can get upset sometimes! Maybe next time I’ll choose something with music for a solo song.
It was really fun and we would definitely do it again. I want to put one on the calendar every month – just enough to keep it special. We actually have our next date on the calendar already for June!
If you’re hosting an outdoor movie night in the backyard or on a “dive,” here are 19 of my favorite summer movies!
The ultimate family summer movie list
Sandlot (PG)
I mean, can you even include this movie without saying “You’re killing me, kids!”? When I was growing up, I had a squinty character and I would do impressions of him. We even dressed up as Sandlot characters for Halloween one year as a family.
Angels Abroad (PG)
Growing up, this was one of the movies we watched as a family on movie night in the basement of our house. Coming from a family with five girls, I must say that even though we did not watch sports with our father, he made us interested in sports related movies.
That Thing You Do (PG)
Calling all Oneders fans! We were so obsessed with that soundtrack…as kids we used to lip-sync it to the company. Fun fact: My daughter Faye is named after Liv Tyler’s character in the movie “That Thing You Do.”
Now and Then (PG-13)
Definitely some mature themes in this but it feels like summer in my memory so far. It takes me back to my pre-teen years when we rode our bikes everywhere – maybe once a week we’d watch it with our childhood best friend Kelly on the street.
Parental Trap (G)
Lots of fun. Having seen both versions, I have to say that Lindsay Lohan’s version is not as good as Hayley Mills’ version.
Honey i shrunk the kids! (Bagh)
We watched this with our girls last summer, and it’s still poignant.
Little Rascals (PG)
The cutest little kids do the sweetest little things. Honestly, kids of all ages love this movie because it’s like watching themselves on screen and that’s really fun.
Dennis the Menace (PG)
You don’t want to give your kids all these terrible ideas about how to act, but they’ll be laughing really hard throughout the movie, so maybe it’s worth it?
Jumanji (PG)
Very exciting. Robin Williams is very good in this movie, and there is a lot of great talking point. It will keep kids on the edge of their seats, and it’s a fun ride even for adults. This will probably be reserved for kids 9 and up as it contains some risky scenes.
A League of Their Own (PG)
We played Wiffle ball as a family on family night, and I was pretending to be Dottie. I really related to this movie.
Moana (PG)
I loved seeing this movie with my girls when it came out, and I still love it. It’s just one of the best Disney movies ever.
Mamma Mia (PG-13)
The themes are a bit more mature, but the music and dancing are a lot of fun. Sounds like a summer movie.
National Treasure (PG)
I think this is my dad’s favorite movie. We just watched this with the girls, and it kept them engaged in the entire movie. Just a fun treasure hunt.
Wild America (PG)
I’m out of control here, but here goes: This is one of the best movies ever made. I watched this over and over again when I was young, and I can’t tell if it was because of the plot or the boys. It’s a fun movie for little girls, and it’s a great adventure movie.
Hook(PG)
Oh Rufiuu!!! Hook was one of our favorite things growing up. How adorable is a young Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell? The fantasy holiday scene…so adorable.
Secret Garden (Version G – 1993)
This is just a tear-jerking kind of movie, but it’s also charming. I probably haven’t seen it in 20 years, so it’s time to watch it again. Our school actually did this as a play when I was in fifth grade.
Fever grade (PG-13)
There’s nothing more summery than a game of baseball. The ending gives you all the feels. Fun fact: They had to change the ending during filming. Jimmy Fallon is a die-hard Red Sox fan, and they haven’t won in a long time, but then in 2004 when they were making the movie, they won and his joy was real!
Rudy (PG)
Another feel-good sports movie. Just a heartwarming story and the acting is spot on! I can watch this classic over and over again.
Brotherhood of the Traveling Pants (PG)
This is a great coming-of-age story. I have three girls, so this one will be fun for them (I’ll probably save it until my youngest gets a little older).
What summer movies are on rotation at your house? Share more ideas in the comments!
