A night at a Drive-in Movie Theater is a great activity for kids.

Looking for an activity to do with your kids?  Try a drive-in movie!  It’s true, not all areas have drive-in movie theaters anymore.  If you’re in an area lucky enough to have a drive-in movie theater, I encourage you to patronize it.

If you’re in the United States, this listing of drive-in movie theaters will help you know if there is one in your area.

The best drive-in movie theaters are open drive-in theaters!

In masses drive-in movie theaters are closing. This is due in part to the masses of large multi-screen indoor theaters being opened. Also to blame are the large cuts of ticket sales taken by the movie industry.

In my area, we drive about an hour to go to a drive-in movie.  It is totally worth the extra effort though, as our drive-in, Tri-Way Theater in Plymouth, Indiana has a double feature every week.  You pay to go to the drive-in movie, and get to watch a second movie. FREE! They have three screens, so three choices for what to watch during each showing.

Movie ticket sales go almost entirely to the movie makers.  This means that purchasing concessions are key to keeping the theaters alive.  And hey, who doesn’t want some popcorn and a gallon of soda during a screening of a movie? Keep this in mind, as you come to the drive-in movie.  Kids love walking to the concession stand in the dark to get popcorn, candy and slushies.

Drive-in movie theaters make great memories

The memories kids make at a drive-in movie theater will last a lifetime.  The drive-in theater in our area opens about an hour before dark and has a playground for the kids.  The more you let kids play before the movies start (at dark), the more tired they’ll be.  Tired kids sit still.  Wired kids don’t.  Take it from me.  Come early, and let them run, play and be noisy. It will improve the movie watching experience.

My family always brings blankets and pillows, and lay out in front of our vehicle to watch the drive-in movie.  We bring a portable radio, and dial in to the frequency for our screen to enhance sound quality.  If we sit outside, it’s hard to hear the car speaker.  If it’s early or really late in the season, we sit in our vehicle.  We are shielded from the elements, and bugs.  Speaking of which; don’t forget the bug spray!!

Checklist for the drive-in movie theater family activity:

1. Vehicle with working radio & speakers: Check out this new AM/FM reciever
2. Blankets & Outdoor Pillows / lawn chairs
3. Glow in the Dark Flying Disc / Lawn Games for before the movie
4. Extra money for concessions
5. Portable Radio
   w/good batteries
6. Extra batteries
7. Natural Insect Repellent

Give your local drive-in movie theater a try!  Then comment on this post and let us know how it went.