We love Netflix in this house. My husband loves to watch movies while I prefer TV shows. My kids are open to both and love to discover new shows they've never heard of before. Everyone I knew had been talking about how good Scandal was. So when I saw that the first 4 seasons were on Netflix, I decided to check it out. Once I started, I couldn't stop and the Netflix binge watching began. I watched 4 seasons in a few weeks. It was consuming me. I would sit down to watch an episode at lunch and end up watching them until I had to pick up the kids at school. I'd go to bed early so I could watch a few at night. Once I was 2 episodes in, I knew my husband would like the show too, but I couldn't stop to let my husband get caught up. (I did make him jump in for the new season that began on network TV, but I've had to explain A LOT!). It would have been so much fun to have someone sharing the emotional highs and lows of binge watching with me which is why I'm sharing ideas for how to have a Netflix binge watching party. Also, if you are packing all the shows in to a day or two – depending on how many seasons, you'll get your life back sooner. Your family will thank you.
I am sharing this post in partnership with Netflix as part of their #StreamTeam. I get to share my favorite Netflix programming with you each month. Which means I'm “forced” to watch TV as part of my job. I love this job.
Binge watching isn't just for adults. Netflix has tons of shows that your kids would love but they haven't found them yet. Sometimes what we'll do is if there is a new movie coming out based on an old character, we'll watch some of the old shows first, to get the kids familiar with them. We did this with Jem, and although the newest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie might be a little too mature for my kids, we can still binge watch old episodes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The New Mutation on Netflix. To make a binge watching party fun for kids, theme the food around the program you'll be watching. So for a Ninja Turtle party, serve pizza. Duh. Make a special punch and call it “Sewer Juice”. And if you can find them, get the kids costumes (which can be as easy as buying a shirt that looks like a costume. Or you can create a turtle shell using plastic plates!
For more examples, check out a binge watching party I did for Max Steel.
Other shows for kids to binge watch:
Phineas and Ferb: This show appeals to older and younger kids (and parents will even like it). If you haven't seen the show there are some fun things you can play up for a party. They have a pet platypus so you could theme all the food around things that start with “p” or make a snack mix and call it Perry (the name of the Platypus) Feed. And if you are watching this is summer, you can play off the episode called “S'winter” where they try to create winter, in summer. You could set out scarves and make iced hot chocolate.
The Day my Butt Went Psycho: I had to stop when I saw this title because I'd never heard of it before. And because I have 2 boys and I know they would love this. I have not watched this show so I can't vouch for the appropriateness (in our house, this type of humor is called Boy's Club and is only allowed if I'm not in the room or there are no girls around). But now that the poop emojii is so popular, creating things for this party would be rather easy.
Also: Lab Rats, Scooby Doo, Kickin' It, Ultimate Spider-Man
While I could certainly watch TV all day, I know that some people would rather do activities. Take a look at the shows on Netflix and see which ones you could recreate at home (in way less detail) so that you watch a few shows for inspiration and then complete an activity inspired by the show. Cupcake Wars is a show that I watch often. I love to see how creative the contestants are with the flavors and incorporating a theme. This show is one that adults and kids would both like. Create a cupcake decorating station for your guests to compete in a miniature version of the show at home. If you have kids and adults, you can break them in to teams so they can work together. Or against each other if you prefer. You can keep this simple, by just having them decorate cupcakes or you can set out different flavors that they could use to create their own frostings, etc. Don't forget to give them a theme! And pick an impartial judge to choose the winner.
Other shows you can create activities based on:
Bob Ross: Beauty is Everywhere – Get out the paints to make “happy trees.”
Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed – You've seen the secrets, now see if you can do the tricks yourself!
Also: Chopped, Diner's Drive Ins and Dives 
Decorations don't have to get too crazy. Find little ways to acknowledge the TV show, easily. You want the focus to remain on the TV not on distracting decor. Use small plastic animals for an Animals Gone Wild viewing party. Or if you are watching a show like Aquarius (which we just started by the way. It's super dark but has a great soundtrack and I'm totally hooked!), which is set in the 60's, you can burn some incense, or use tapestries on the table and maybe light some candles. The show is happening in the summer of love so you can ask people to wear their best hippie outfits. Not like, costume store hippie, but legit, moon-loving hippie.
Other shows that you can decorate for:
The League: All about Fantasy Football
Nurse Jackie: Medical themed paraphernalia
Also: Mad Men, Club de Cuervos, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Food and drinks for a Netflix binge watching party can be as detailed and themed or as easy as you want it to be. These simple fruit skewers didn't take too long to prepare and would be a fun little nod to the sword fighting cat in Puss in Boots. Since you will want to be in on the binge watching, unless this is something you've set up just for the kids to do, you'll want to make things that you can make ahead of time and just grab them between episodes. Pre make pitchers of punch or cocktails (have enough for refills or set up a drink station so they can refill their own drinks as needed). Make things that don't require reheating or are good at room temperature. Don't forget to stock up on snacks, things like popcorn, pretzels and even candy are perfect for guests to nibble on during the shows.
Have you ever hosted a Netflix binge watching party? Invite me over if you do!!
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