My 8-year-old son always has a cape handy, so that he can transform into Captain Underpants at the snap of a finger. He loves Captain Underpants books, so my other two children know all about the unlikely superhero that sports white underwear and a red cape. The book has had a quite the impact on my house, and now that my kids know about the premiere of Captain Underpants, The First Epic Movie on June 2, they are in a total frenzy.
To commemorate the upcoming movie release, we created this Captain Underpants-inspired movie night. I never thought decorating with “tighty whities” would be so much fun. My kids look forward to movie night every Friday night. It’s our tradition. We make popcorn. We share treats. But, this movie night was more fun than usual because they got to be a comic superhero.
Here’s how we threw a special, affordable, and wedgie-free party for the superheroes in our house. Try these ideas, and let us know what you think in the comments section!
1. Serve fun (and easy) movie snacks. Since movie night is supposed to be easy, our movie night menu is store-bought popcorn, water or juice, and candy. Everyone loves it, including me. I used Avery sticker labels from my office drawer to spruce up the yellow popcorn boxes with a photo of Captain Underpants. Then, I cut out text bubbles from the characters in one of our books and glued them onto red cups to dress up our drinks.
2. For decor, start with what you have. I rounded up all the toilet paper rolls I could find for Captain Underpants’ weapon of choice, aka the “Toilet Paper of Justice.” To make the “Now Showing” sign, I used a foam core board and patio string lights, and paper bulletin board letters. (You can also trace and cut them out from construction paper, or write them with a marker.) My husband won the bronze toilet during a golf tournament last summer. (If you’ve just got to have one, click here.) I did make an exception for the plunger: I spent $2 on a new (read: unused) one!
3. Then, get creative with your favorite Captain Underpants characters. I picked up an official Captain Underpants movie handbook for $5, and it was the source of inspiration for the DIY hypnotic rings. Using Crayola Model Magic modeling compound, which is similar to working with air-dry clay, I made several “worms.” I rolled the red and white clay into a spiral for that hypnotic effect, and super glued them to a flat ring base like this one. Additionally, I ironed the characters on to tighty whities, which made the best (and most funny) banner. George, Professor Poopypants, Harold Hutchins, Captain Underpants, and Mr. Krupp – everyone made the cut.
4. Let everyone be a superhero for the night. It’s amazing what a tiny red cape, cut from a regular red t-shirt, can do for a kid’s self-confidence. (Follow these instructions to cut the shirt into a cape.) To get the image on the cape, buy the Avery Image Transfer paper for dark fabric (you can find images online). Size the image and print on the image transfer paper provided. Trim the excess paper around the image, and then peel off the image from the backing of the paper. Place the image on your shirt, cover with the tissue paper included in the packet, and iron on (consult instructions on the packet for more specifics).The custom DIY cape, along with a pair of white underpants, will transform your child into another person born to save the world from Poopypants and evil toilets!
5. Create a cozy space for the main event: watching the movie! A movie night is not a movie night without blankets and pillows. So gather all the blankets and pillows you have, and create a giant bed on the floor, or the couch. Even superheroes need a place to rest their heads.
The most important thing about the DIY Captain Underpants movie night is to have fun, and create lasting memories with your family. Have a blast!
