5 year old never been to cinema?

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Hi, AIBU to think it's strange that a 5 year old boy has never been to a cinema before? I'm looking after him tomorrow to help him mum out in the holidays, and thought I would take him and my DS (same age) to see Waterpark but the mum has vetoed it saying he's never been before. My DS has been loads of times and loves it.

Mine have been a couple of times a year since toddlerhood. It's the price of new films that puts me off going more frequently.

Choose the film wisely and there's far less distractions than home. Mine have both watched the new Star Wars films at 5. Admittedly in the late stages they did snuggle up on our laps, but still remained quiet and attentive. They always have sat through films at home since about 2yo.

I have to be slightly more careful with content for DS2 as he doesn't like characters being eaten which rules out films like Trolls or the BFG.

A film is 90 minutes or longer, and the concentration span of most 5 year olds isn't anythign like that.

Most under 5's woudl struggle to follow the storyline in a longer film.

I think 3 year old sin the cineam is a bit daft to be honest, waste of money. 5 sounds like about the right age to start

My 6 year old has never been to the cinema.....

My 7yo has only been twice: once to Peppa Pig around age 3 or so, and then again to a proper feature at almost 6. That experience lead DH to say "not ready yet!" Couldn't keep quiet, fidgeting, scared, a little bit of crying. He had really wanted to see the film and went later again on his own to really see it.

I'd also say reasonable for the Mum to veto: either she doesn't know how her child would respond, or suspects it might not be well and doesn't want you to have to handle it.

id say it would be more unusual now.it used to be a cheap(ish) thing to do.pizza hut and cinema night yay! but now its fecking stupid money.

What about stuff like Theatre/Panto etc? Do MN 5 year olds not go to them? "

I think it's a little unusual.

Its totally normal. Some do go often and it's great they have that privilege but given that many families with two working adults are having to use food banks I don't think it's unusual that many families can not afford regular cinema, theatre and pantomime trips.

I find it strange so many people are saying cinema is expensive for children. Normally yes I agree however on a weekend morning when it's a children's showing it's really cheap. And that's when people tend to take the children. So if people do want to go then they'd take them then. That's when everyone I know take them

I'm on minimum wage and barely keeping my head above water.

I have 6 dc, even at the £3 a head it is to take them to see the Saturday morning showings (I work Saturday mornings anyway) that's £21 before drinks and snacks, and they are films that I can usually get online for free at that point anyway.

Is it really so hard to understand why a lot of people are saying it's expensive

Meh both of mine preferred watching films at home at that age - they weren't bothered by the big screen and it's easier at home as they can wander around and ask questions loudly. They probably had been to the cinema by 5 as I remember being stuck on a rainy last day of a holiday where we ended up going (when they were 4 and 2) but it wouldn't have surprised me to find a 5 year old that hadn't been - it's hardly a thrilling life experience to sit in front of a huge screen!

Jeez, cinemas are freaking expensive.

I don’t want to pay a fortune to watch a film with a child nattering in my ear. I get enough of that at home for free!

It's normal mine have never been and probably won't until they are about 7-8 i struggle getting them to sit down and watch a film indoors maybe don't be so judgemental in future

I don't think it's unusual, as everyone else has said it can be a hit or miss at that age that they will sit and enjoy it.
Also cinema are so expensive now and it's far easier to get dvds or stream at home, I haven't been in years now, for the price of just two ticket at the local cinema I can get a dvd or buy a film on amazon if there's nothing free we fancy on netflix/amazon and still have more then enough left for snacks.

I never took my dcs at all.
They are early 20s now and seem ok.
I hate the cinema. Not films...just other people in cinemas.

We tried twice and twice we walked out after 10 mins. Ds is now 6

We've taken our kids since they were 3 (well behaved) we love going to the cinema, one of our favourite treats, so we've done regularly from a young age. I was 6 when I first went though (I could check that as I remember the film!!) so I guess I'd find it a bit odd but would presume they're not big cinema go-ers.

My son is 5 next month and has never been. I do occasionally see a movie I think he might like but then remember how he cant sit still through an episode of Tom and Jerry, never mind at least 2 hours

I go to baby cinema every week but my baby is 11 weeks old, he's "seen" about 6 films! But I imagine once he is crawling around it will be harder and we might have to wait till he is 6 or so! I suppose it depends on the child and whether they would sit through a film?

Mine are 5 and 3, we took them to see The Grinch at Christmas. They enjoyed it but got fidgety half way through, and it cost a fortune so don’t think we’ll bother again for a while. Maybe when they can sit still for a whole film at home.

My 5 year old won't even sit through a 20 TV programme at home she's just not interested.

My 5 year old hasn't been yet. My eldest was 3 when he first went but I'm not sure my DD has been ready as of yet. Hopefully I'll be taking her over the half term though.

DD would have been 6 or 7 when she first went to the cinema, and that was for a party. There's no particular reason other than that DP and I don't really go to the cinema, so it never crossed our minds as a potential activity.

Our local theatre has loads of really good plays, concerts, circus performances, pantomimes, etc., for children, and a lot of them cost much less than the cinema, so she's been going to those since she was about 2.

MIne had been to the theatre long before they went to the cinema. Both are expensive-ish, but there isn't much you get at the cinema (at least not for a child) that you wouldn't get equally well from a DVD.

For my generation or older, the cinema represents something a bit special, something you should experience, for my children's generation not to much so.

The theatre otoh still is something they can't get at home.

Not at all unusual that a 5 year old hasn't been to the cinema. Most 5 year olds wouldn't sit still long enough to follow a 2 hour film. My eldest was about 7, if I remember correctly.

He was 10 before it suddenly hit me that he'd never been on a train or a public bus. (He could sit still by the time he was 10 - honest! But I (or his dad) took him everywhere in the car).

He's in his 30's now and has been to the cinema - and taken public transport many times.

Taking your dc to the cinema before the age if 5 is not a parenting test. It is what it is. Everyone has different experiences at different times.

I took my youngest from 2 so I could have a nap! Took him to a kids viewing with my older DC thinking meh, it's only a quid each, we can leave if he doesn't cope and he sat transfixed! He genuinely had no interest in watching the TV, would get bored after 2 mins and wander off to play (he's still like it years later!) and yet cinema - total stillness and silence. I'd take a little fleece blanket and have a light doze. Total sanity saver!

I don't think its strange although my son who just turned 2 has been about 6 times. He sat through 2 hours of Black Panther with dad and I🤣. If we don't have a baby sitter which we rarely ask and its something he can watch we just take him and he sits throughout.