I can't remember what we went to see but she was four (almost five) before we went properly and she spent the whole time sat on my lap. She was too small, even with the chair raiser, to see and the chair kept collapsing on her and she got sucked into the ravine.
So with my boy we wanted to go as a family and seeing as he is only three we were sure it was the best time for us. He is a runner by nature and doesn't sit still for very long so I was understandably nervous beforehand.
If you aren't sure when to take your child for the first time then these tips might help:
- Take plenty of snacks
- Family Screenings
It can be expensive to go to the cinema and very frustrating if you have a child that doesn't want to stay after you've forked out a second mortgage on tickets. To be on the safe side we went on a family friendly screening and we didn't see a latest release. It was £2.50 per person and spending £10 for a family of four was much better than what it normally is (£10 per adult).
- Pick the right film
- Book in advance
- Go with it
So on the whole I don't think we'd have got away with taking him any younger than three as he is a natural runner and full of mischief. I think I would wait until he is a little older to take him again to a film he really wants to see, especially if I am alone with both of them. The kids both loved sharing the experience together although Bubba did get frustrated that her little brother kept getting up.
Oh and one other tip...if you have a runner like we do then it's best to sit near the exits or near the back because at one point our little man was just happy pottering along the row that we were in (it was the row where two other families left with smaller children).