
Our librarians have created a Movie Night Staycation Kit to help you host your own movie night at home with your family and create new, special memories together. You can put DVDs or Blu-rays on hold to pick up through curbside pick-up. You can access movies with no waiting using Kanopy and Hoopla. You can also check out a Roku from our Library of Things to access Netflix. You can find animated adaptations of picture books on Hoopla and Tumblebooks to host a literary film festival.
Lincolnwood residents can sign up for our Movie Night Staycation Kit (pictured above) that includes a popcorn, cocoa, a DIY puzzle, & movie lists for the whole family. Fill out this form to request a kit – while supplies last. One kit per family, please.
Everyone can use the resources in this post to host their own family movie nights. You could even host a watch party on Zoom with friends and family!
Hosting a Movie Night
You can apply print and visual literacy strategies with young people during and after watching movies together. Here are some suggested questions to discuss:
Discussion Questions
What was your favorite part of the movie?
Which character is your favorite?
What did you notice? What do you wonder?
What did this movie remind you of (ex: other films, books, stories, toys)?
What is something new you learned?
Would you recommend this movie to a friend? Why or why not?
Move Night Extension Activities
Imaginative Play
Encourage young people to create their own interpretations of films you’ve watched through playing pretend, LEGO creations, craft, art, and/or film responses, and extending the story with their own ideas.
Movie Review
You can create your own movie reviews, whether it’s an essay, a 3-panel comic, or a picture inspired by the film. Submit your review to the library via email to youthservices@lincolnwoodlibrary.org and we’ll share your recommendations.
Make Your Own Puzzle
You can continue the family time by working together to color your own puzzles in the style of your choice. Feel free to share pictures of your finished products with us!
Game Break
Take a break from the movie to play a board game such as the ever-popular Exploding Kittens, Telestrations, Super Fight, Meow, Uno, Suspend, or Fluxx. You can see a full list of suggested games at https://tinyurl.com/LNK-Games.
Dietary Information
Family Movie Night Suggestions
Our librarians have curated a collection of movies that can be fun for the whole family to watch together. From old favorites to modern classics to hidden gems, we hope you will find something everyone will enjoy. These films are general suggestions from our librarians. They may appeal to younger or older viewers. You can use resources like Common Sense Media to learn more about them and determine what is the best fit for your family. You can also always call or email our librarians to get personalized recommendations just for you. We’ll even create a movie bundle for you! You can also put DVDs we own on hold here.
The Cat in Paris
Kedi: The Cats of an Ancient City
Quill: The Life of A Guide Dog
Storm Boy
A Dog’s Courage
All Dogs Go To Heaven
A.X.L.
Charlotte’s Web
Heidi
Hoot
Imagine That
L.M. Montgomery’s Anne Of Green Gables
Maya The Bee Movie
Racing Stripes
Swift
A Wrinkle in Time
Because of Winn-Dixie
The BFG
Black Panther
Book of Life
Born in China
Brave
Charlotte’s Web
Coco
Dora and the Lost City of Gold
Free Willy
The Great Gilly Hopkins
Howl’s Moving Castle
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kubo and the Two Strings
Matilda
Moana
Monkey Kingdom
Onward
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The Tale of Despereaux
Tangled
Netflix
Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices (also available on YouTube)
The Baby-Sitters Club
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting
The Dragon Prince
Hilda
Mary Poppins Returns
Over the Moon
The Secret Lives of Pets
Finding Ohana
City of Ghosts

Which movies or shows would you recommend to host a fun family movie night? Feel free to share your suggestions with us!
Feedback
We are eager to get feedback from our community about our Grab & Go Kits! Each kit comes with a postcard with a QR code you can scan using a device with a camera that can lead you to a form to complete. You can also access the form here. We’d love to know what you think about the kits – and ways we can improve.