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Enjoy the Academy Awards as a Family

Use the Awards to Teach and Celebrate Your Kids

By Barron Whited, MS.ED February 19, 2015
*Editor's Note - This is a guest article*

How Parents Can Celebrate the Academy Awards with their Kids
The 87th annual Academy Awards are just around the corner, and this is great opportunity for parents to plan their own awards ceremony for their children. As younger actors, animated films, and children’s movies are nominated every year, kids are becoming more aware of the Academy Awards. Parents can use this time to reward their children for academic achievement and good behavior, as well as educating them on the importance of the arts. Here are some suggestions for 
parents for planning their own awards ceremonies:

1. Plan An Awards Party
Parents can plan a special dinner and movie night (Oscar related) with their kids by 
inviting family and friends. They can make their favorite foods and have them pick out a movie to watch that night. This is a great opportunity to celebrate their achievements in school, art and music, and for good grades.

2. Encourage Kids To Dress Up
It might be a good idea to encourage kids to wear a nice outfit for this special night. It doesn’t have to be formal but maybe business causal. This can teach kids how to dress appropriately for certain events such as: family gatherings, weddings and banquets. 

3. Create Your Own Awards (good grades and behavior)
Parents can create their own awards for excellent grades and behavior by making 
certificates and coupons for their kids. The coupons can give them a free pass to the 
movies, iTunes cards, CD’s or even getting clothes.  Parents can put these awards in 
envelopes like the Academy awards does when they reveal the winners.

4. Play Movie Games
Parents can plan to play movie games by having their kids write down their favorite 
Oscar nominated film of the year. They can share their favorite songs of the year and 
what they mean to them.  Kids also can play games through celebrity word searches and crossword puzzles.

5. Educate The Importance of Arts/Music
It is vital to teach kids about arts and music because it helps with achievement tests and helps them with their creativity. It can assist kids with having higher math and science scores because it helps with problem solving skills and thinking outside the box. Kids can learn a series of events through music such as history dates, math formulas and the periodic table.