This week, I took Charlotte to the movies for the first time, and it was so much fun! She did way better than I expected. While we were there, I learned a thing or two on making it an enjoyable experience for the both of us. With so many new movies coming out this summer, I bet you’ve probably contemplated if you can take your little boo is ready to go. Here are some tips to consider when taking your child to the movies for the first time.
1. Know if your child is ready. I think this is the most important thing to consider. Charlotte is three years and three and half months. I knew she was ready because she can sit with me during “rest time,” watching a movie and being perfectly content for a good hour and a half. If your child can sit still for a long time and be entertained by a movie at home, you’re probably good to go.
2. Go in the morning, well before nap time. Definitely consider the movie time. For your first outing, I would recommend going in the morning when your child is happiest. In the summer, many movie theaters have summer programs for dollar movie showings, and that’s the route we went with (because if we had to walk out, it wasn’t too much money down the drain). Our dollar movie of the week was a 10 a.m. showing, and it was a great time to go. This also was to our benefit because there were so many kids of all ages in the theatre. Monkey see, monkey do, and most of the kids in attendance behaved great!
Check your local theater for summer programs or dollar showings. If you’re in the Houston area, check out Houston Moms Blog guide to cheap and free movies around town this summer. That’s how I found out about our theater’s program!
3. Pick a movie you know your kid will love and build up the hype. Because we went to a dollar movie, it was an old film from last year. (We saw Paddington.) However, I knew she would like it because I showed her the trailer on YouTube, and she was all about it! I talked about the movie, about going to the movie theater like a big girl, and about how fun it would it. She was so excited to go! And it paid off. We made it into a fun day, and it’s a day I’ll remember forever.
4. Buy snacks and bring reinforcements. Now once you’re there, you’re definitely going to need snacks. I had a coupon for the kid’s pack (popcorn, fruit snacks, and a kid’s drink), and Little Miss was so proud to be toting around her treats. But you know us moms: we never have our Mary Poppins bag of tricks empty. I of course had some back ups in my purse. And yes, everything was eaten! But I can neither confirm nor deny that I ate most of the popcorn.
5. Grab a booster seat from the lobby. If your little one is anything like mine, they weigh less than a feather. At 32 pounds, Charlotte’s seat folded up when she sat all the way back into her seat, so I had to get a booster seat to remedy that problem. We quickly went back to the lobby to get a booster seat, and then we were all set!
6. Take a restroom break. Toward the end of the movie, Charlotte started getting a little antsy. She started sliding in and out of her booster seat because she was getting restless. I needed a restroom break, so I knew she did, too. Don’t be afraid to walk out when you need to. If you’re in a movie showing where the audience is primarily children with their parents, it’s the norm.
7. Have low expectations and enjoy the experience. Go a little early to find a seat and relax a little before the movie gets started. (If your theater has tickets available for purchase ahead of time, that might be a good route to take, too.) I knew I needed to sit on the edge of an aisle because I didn’t know how she was going to act. Also know that there just might be moments that your kid will be a kid. When Charlotte started sliding in and out of her chair and wanted to stand, I had to pull her into my chair with my seven-months-pregnant belly, and we snuggled in the same seat. But my expectations were low because I knew I was dealing with a three-year-old after all. You just never what you’re going to get some days. If things don’t go as well as you had hoped, there’s always next time!
We are crossing off activities from our summer bucket list left and right.
What movie do you want to take your child(ren) to this summer? I think Finding Dory and Pets are next on our list!
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Great tips! We took Odette to her first movie on Monday too :)