Bond With Your Kids This Summer: Movie Nights With Classic Films

Bond with your children this summer with movie nights (and afternoons). Here is a list of movie classics that are not just enjoyable, but also deep in wisdom. Watch them together with your child. Add in some popcorn and a few fluffy pillows and turn your movie-time into special family-time. Here we go:

The beloved Dr Seuss book Horton Hears a Who, featuring Horton the Elephant, was turned into a charming animated film of the same name in 2008. In the film, Horton chances upon a tiny speck of dust while playing in the pool and discovers a whole community of people living in a tiny town called Whoville. The kind elephant vows to protect the speck from danger and encounters various hurdles to honour the commitment. As you sift through the timeless journey of the kind elephant, your child will learn important lessons on equality.

Activity: Make your own version of a sequel to the movie using your child's toys.

What better movie for your adventurous little preschooler than a roller-coaster adventure drama set in Hawaii with stunning watercolour-painted backgrounds? A naughty, but good-hearted little girl named Lilo and an alien called Stitch promise to make this an exciting fare. The alien is created by a scientist to cause destruction, but Lilo adopts the creature and teaches him about love and the importance of family. Your child will also learn those two valuable aspects of living.

Activity: Ask your little one to make and give a thank you card for everyone in the family using chart paper. They can draw them and describe why they love them. You can write it down for them.

If you have read Japanese folktales to your little human, you are on the right track. How about introducing him to animated children's features from the same country? The award-winning My Neighbour Totoro is one such visually superior film that traces the lives of two little girls, who move with their father to be closer to the hospital, where their ill mother is admitted. The girls befriend a large rabbit-like creature, who is, ironically, a spirit from the woods. The themes of childhood, innocence, hope and positivity are indeed heart-warming.

Activity: How about taking your child to a family dinner at a Japanese restaurant in your city? They will enjoy the experience of a big group eating together.

Can your child's holidays be complete without a movie featuring their four-legged friends? Not quite. This charming and funny film about three talking pets, an American Bulldog, a Golden Retriever, and a Himalayan cat and their journey to their owners' home, makes for a delightful watch. It can teach your child the importance of family bonding and a thing or two about perseverance.

Activity: Since the film is about a journey, ask your primary schooler to trace a colourful map showing the route from their grandparents' place (or the home of a close friend) to your home.

This 2005 film, based on Ruskin Bond's 1980 novel, won the National Film Award for Best Children's Film in 2005. This highly engaging tale revolves around a girl named Biniya, who lives in a small village in Himachal Pradesh. Little Biniya acquires a beautiful blue umbrella from Japanese tourists visiting the area and everybody in the village grows jealous of the girl's prized possession. The village shop owner steals the umbrella. How Biniya manages to get the umbrella back, forms the crux of the story.

Activity: Encourage your preteen to try their hand at paper crafts inspired by the blue umbrella, such as colourful origami animals or Japanese paper fans.

We all grew up watching these two classics, didn't we? Now, get your children to experience the clever antics of adorable Macaulay Culkin as he gets the better of a pair of burglars who break into his parents' home during the Christmas holidays. The second part, Home Alone: Lost in New York, has a similar theme, where the boy is on his own in a hotel in the Big Apple. The memorable films have subtle messages about the importance of family, love, and friendship.

Activity: Ask your child to list out five things they love about their family and five things they would like to change. Let them also make a list of cherished family values.

Your teenager might be into big-budget action adventures or superhero flicks, but use this holiday to introduce him to this iconic, time-travel film. It may not be easy, but once he starts watching, he will simply fall in love with it. Here, a teen goes back in time to unite his parents, on a time machine. Though made in the 1980s, it has moved generations and is a great movie for the family to watch together.

Activity: Encourage your teenager to read classic sci-fi novels and to come up with their own storyline set in the future, complete with characters.

This feel-good Indian sports movie tells the story of young girl athletes and their unconventional coach, played by Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan. How their coach teaches them to overcome sexism, racism, and prejudice while finding their true potential, forms the central theme. Find out whether this Indian women's team will make it to the World Cup. Your child will learn about the importance of staying focused, working in a team, and working hard.

Activity: Have a chat about the key elements of the story and let your teen express their thoughts.

So, gear up for the holidays and spend quality time with your precious ones.