Ralph and Vanellope are back in an all-new adventure in the movie Ralph Breaks the Internet. Macaroni Kid got to join them on this unforgettable journey when we held a screening party for 18 kids and their parents last weekend.
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Let Them Eat Candy!
As I love every excuse for a well-themed party, this one included the crowd-pleasing pre-show activity of making Sugar Rush race cars out of cookies and candy. I found great ideas on Pinterest and settled on the graham cookie base (although I grabbed mini banana chocolate chip bread snacks at the last minute to put inside the cars so the bears had something to sit on and was really happy I did ... its the details people!). All of the kids loved the activity and it occupied them for approximately 20 minutes before we started the show. It also gave them something extra to snack on while watching the show, and we all know kids love a good excuse for more candy!
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Internet Safety for Kids
Before the movie started we also discussed internet safety for young users, utilizing Google’s resource site online Be Internet Awesome. A great topic to bring up for older kids that are watching the movie as Ralph, specifically, encounters a lot of issues on their visit to the ‘Internet’ which can encourage further conversation later. (On a side note I will be utilizing this curriculum and movie with my Girl Guide unit (ages 9-11) as it covers a lot of current scenarios kids are facing.)
Don't Forget the Ice Cream
When it was time to settle in for the movie we grabbed out Root Beer Floats, inspired by Ralph and Vanellope’s favorite drinking hole, ‘Tappers’, and popcorn (well technically Popcorn twists because the microwave decided not to work and we had to improvise). We found comfortable spots on our mats with pillows and blankets and turned off the lights.
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Getting Comfortable
The sequel to Wreck-It Ralph starts up six years later, where Ralph is very comfortable in his daily routine of hanging out with his best friend Vanellope after the arcade closes for the day. Vanellope on the other hand is looking for more excitement which leads the duo to accidentally causing the Sugar Rush game to break. In search of a way to save the game they set off through the newly installed WiFi router to the internet, looking for the infamous E-boooy (‘Ebay’) to get a new steering wheel.
With twists and turns, laughter from parents and kids, the show kept us all entertained as we watched them encounter pop-up spammers, a predictive search know it all, the dark web, viral videos, comment trolls and even a cameo from our favorite Disney Princesses who are part of a social media quiz.
A message of Lasting Friendship
But the take away this mom liked the most? It was a great family friendly movie about internet safety but it was also a movie on friendship. Specifically about how friendships change and how different emotions come up when you have to deal with this. I personally thought it would be a perfect movie to watch when your child (or their best friend) has to move to a new house/town or even changes schools. How friendships can stay strong even if the way a duo sees each other changes. That one friend’s dreams can be different from the other and they can still remain close.
I definitely recommend having your own family movie night with Ralph Breaks the Internet. Maybe even add a Sugar Rush car building session. You can get your copy now on Digital & on Blu-rayTM February 26. But don't just trust me, watch our video to hear what some of the kids thought of the movie.
* I was compensated and received some party favors this article/review, yet all opinions are my own.*
