How to Pull off the Ultimate Backyard Drive-In Movies

Anna Meek • June 1, 2021
With the summer quickly approaching, the sky is the limit when it comes to affordable things you can do outside with your kids. These modest activities may not seem like much, but when you have a free afternoon and a small budget to work with, these activities are a way to keep your kids preoccupied for a short while. What may surprise you is how much of a lasting impact these memories can make on your children, and one day, maybe even their children. 

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have a mom who sacrificed her career to stay at home with us, which made it possible for us to spend all our summer days adventuring in our huge backyard. Between my brothers and cousins, there were a whopping six of us running around! To keep all of us, including my mom sane, she planned out exciting and unique crafts and activities on a daily basis. Among the many activities my mother planned for us over the years, there is one clear winner in my mind: Backyard Drive-Ins. 

No memory “hits me in the feels” more than sitting out in the grass with my siblings and cousins in our cardboard cars, popcorn in hand. We had the snack bar within eyeshot, warm blankets for whenever the dusk turned to dark and our favorite flick, The Goonies rolling. This tradition would continue, year after year. Each year, our decorated cardboard cars would get a little more impressive and a little less spacious. 

Fast forward 20 years, my husband and I have continued this tradition with his family, and I plan to continue it with my own kids one day. Maybe you will feel inclined to start the same tradition in your family. Here are the steps to the ultimate backyard drive-In. 

Steps

If you are still reading this, my guess is that you are at the very least, "intrigued" by taking on the challenge of backyard drive-in. The beauty of this project is that you can easily modify certain parts if your budget or time does not allow for it. Premade cars can be purchased on Amazon in place of designing cars on your own. Also, this activity can be done inside if you do not have a yard or a way to display the movie outdoors.

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