Tips For Your Toddler’s First Movie Theater Experience
Ah- the joys of Summer movies! I love all of the new family movies that come out each Summer. The movie theater is the perfect escape from the oppressive heat and a great family bonding activity. This year, we have plenty of fun movies to choose from to enjoy with the kids.
As a first-time Mom with a two year old, we finally took him to his first movie theater experience. My husband and I are sensitive to other’s opinions of his hyperactivity and two-year-old antics, so we waited until the timing felt right. I know 6 months prior, he wouldn’t have been able to sit through a movie. But he did great!
There are definitely some things we did though that made his first movie theater experience fun for everyone… including the people around us.
I’ve got some tips to make their first movie theater experience a memorable one. It’ll be easier on you and your squirmy toddler!
Tips For Your Toddler’s First Movie
- Bring all of their usual comfort essentials from home. I packed a sippy cup, bottle and his favorite lovey. It’s best to be prepared when they are asking for something mid movie.
- Pick a movie that has been out for a while. It won’t be fun to go on opening weekend to a packed movie theater. You’ll enjoy it more if you pick a movie that has been out for a while and at an unpopular time. We picked a weekday morning.
- Think about the length of the movie. We picked Curious George for his first movie theater experience. It’s 86 minutes long. I noticed all of the kids got restless around the 60 minute mark.
- Pre-purchase tickets online, if you can. It’ll cut back on the time you wait in line.
- Bring a stroller if your child is active. We kept him in his stroller the entire time, next to our seats. That way he couldn’t run around the theater.
- Movie theater snacks are exciting for them! We bought popcorn for him to munch on. Just pack baby wipes for afterwards.
- Don’t be upset if they can’t keep quiet during the movie. My son asked questions and wanted to go home at one point. It was just a lull during the movie and he got over it quickly.
- If it doesn’t work out and you need to leave early, don’t be embarrassed! You can attempt to go again in a few months. All of the parents in the theater will understand. I promise!
I hope you enjoy your first movie theater experience with your toddler, just like I did. It was a fun experience for our family and it’s worth squeezing in a flick before the end of the Summer.
Great advice for parents! Sometimes going out for a few minutes with a fussy kid and then coming back in is enough to settle him down. I know my youngest grandchild just sat through his first movie a few weeks ago, the secret life of pets!
My kids are all about the snacks too! I also found that I need to go with another mom and her kids so that we can take turns taking kids to the bathroom or out to the lobby and not have to take all our kids out. My boys would freak out if their younger sister needed to go to the bathroom and I made them all go with us but they are too young to be left alone in the theater. Now I always partner up with another mom. 🙂
I brought my daughter’s car seat(she was 3) to her first movie and it was perfect! I stuck it in the theater seat, buckled her in and she was good to go!
We just took our 2-year-old to her first movie too! We took her to Finding Dory and she was fantastic! I think it was all about movie choice for us, she loves Nemo so she wanted to watch!
There will always be a first for everything! You always have to make sure that you give them at least hints of what they’re going to experience so that they won’t be surprised when the lights go off. I think these are very good pointers and I hope a lot of new parents read this!
Great tips that I can use when we take my preschooler to her first movie. It looks like he had a really fun time.
Aw the pic of his experience is so cute! I’ve been wondering when we’ll take our toddler to his first movie. I like the ideas to bring the stroller and their favorite essentials from home!
I always want to take my nieces and nephew to a movie, but wonder if they can sit through the entire show. Will be keeping these tips in mind when I eventually to take them.
I tried to bring my daughter to the movies when she was 4 – it did not go well. We stayed about 20 minutes and then left – and it was a movie she loved! We had success the next time when she was 6 and went to see Frozen during the re-release.
My son always loved going to the movies. He sat through most of his first movie which was a pleasant surprise!