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.

I think it's odd OP. Most folk in my area take DC to the kids showing at weekends and holidays. My two went most weekends from age about 3. Cost £1 per child with adult going free. Thinks its more now though still inexpensive. we'd take a drink with us and as it was morning time didn't have snacks as it was between breakfast and lunch.

Special treats would be different and might be an afternoon or evening showing with snacks.

DSs rarely bother with TV or movies now as teenagers. They did plenty of outdoor activities and exercise so a couple of hours cinema on a usually horrible day was fine.

Much better seeing some stuff on the big screen imo.

The cinema just isn't a big thing here, I don't know anyone, adult or child, who goes regularly

No I didn't go until I was around 8 😂

Just checked the release date of DSs first cinema experience, Ds1 would have been just over 3 and DS2 a year younger. They loved it and weren't in the habit of constant TV watching and ipads didn't exist then.

My DC are 7 and 9 and have only been a few times. I've got nothing against the cinema, but I get precious little free time to go and do something nice with them, and sitting in a dark room watching a big screen doesn't especially appeal. Just like DP and I rarely go to the cinema - we don't get to go out together often, and when we do it would feel wrong to ignore each other and watch a film... we can do that in the comfort of our own home

It's expensive, people have big tv's and Netflix at home. I took mine but it was cheaper then and we had terrestrial (5 channels) and a 12 inch screen!

My 4.5 year old has never been but wants to go. It's hard finding a time either me or DH can go on our own with her while the other has our toddler. She only developed the concentration to watch films at home last year as she finds them too long (watches loads of TV though )

My eldest was terrified of dark auditoriums when around that age so I'm not certain we would have been before 5.

No it's not that strange. My DS didn't really sit through a film at that age.

Dd has been going to the cinema since being about 3. She's an older teen now and loves the cinema- she asks for cinema gift cards for presents and goes a fair bit. It's something she and her dad love to do together too. They've always had a daddy/daughter cinema trip fairly regularly since she was small. She also goes with friends these days.

Oh, and to get the undercurrent judgy comments dealt with: yes, as a child she also adores a whole range of other activities too including being outside, doing nature walks, running and climbing, reading, craft, etc. She was, and is, capable of enjoying a range of activities at different times and fortunately was always good at being able to sit quietly for periods of time too even when small.

Most of the 5yo I know have been to the cinema. I teach this age and it's fairly normal to hear the children talking about cinema trips. However there are some who haven't been. We've done a Christmas cinema trip a few tunes with year 2 and there's always the odd one who's not been before.

It's a shame mum now won't let him go to the cinema with you and your child. Is it because she wants to be the one to take him first, or that she doesn't thing he'll manage it?

There is no way I would take my 4 year old to the cinema. I took her to see Gnomeo and Juliet when she was 3.5 and thankfully we were the only people in the showing (specifically chose a Sunday morning showing for this reason) as she was a nightmare! At 4 we try to watch movies at home now and she still loses concentration half way through. So I don't think it is unusual for a 5 year old not to have been to the cinema.

I didn't take dd1 until she was 7. She didn't like loud noise etc. Bonfire night was a nightmare. So I took her when she asked to go could understand it's loud etc and would be more comfortable. My dd2 who's 3 however has been twice now and loves it. She happily sits quietly watching with popcorn and some sweets. A few parents I've seen though have to carry screaming children out because they're scared or leave early because they're bored and playing up.

Not unusual at all

Not strange at all.

I didn't take dd to the cinema until she was 5 or 6. Loud, too long , waste of money until she was old enough to enjoy the experience properly. By which I mean, sit still for that length of time, not need loo breaks, cope with loud noise.

Don’t think it’s overly abnormal but I had taken all of mine by this age. Think I took them at about four. It’s dependent on the individual child, some simply won’t sit still for 1.5 hours.

Strange that the mum has vetoed it really, if you are paying and it’s not an inappropriate film and you are helping her out with childcare then I’d find that a little rude.

My oldest has been going to the cinema since age 3 to see films that would interest him like Cars and Toy story but only able to as DM would look after baby DD. He has ASD but has always loved the lights down and loud volume, very rules orientated and got to know the ‘routine’ of the cinema. Still loves it now age 12.

Youngest DC has been going since age 2 as she is very good at sitting and would concentrate on the film well. We go often in the winter as a family to the 10.00 kids screening, only £2 each and the cinema is fine with people bringing their own drinks and snacks so it’s actually quite a cheap morning out of the house if it’s raining.

I took DD2 for the first time when she was 3.

Once she finished her snacks during the trailers she was a nightmare, wouldn't sit still / didn't want to watch the movie.

She hasn't been since and doesn't show any interest in watching a film all the way through at home, so we won't be taking her again until she does.

My daughter is 4.5 and has been to the cinema 3 times, she flat out refuses to watch films at home and will remove herself from the room if I put one on! Bizarre as we watched Dory and Nemo obsessively for about 3 months but then just flat out refused. Gets very scared of lots of them so no we don't go.

She has been to the theatre more - apparently its not as scary! Go figure. But Tiger who came to tea, Elmer, What the ladybird heard plus Christmas stuff all ok!

Not weird at all that a 5 yr old hasn't been to the cinema. We took my niece's 15yr old over night and took him to the cinema. He'd never been before. He has 3 younger siblings and TBH his parents don't have a lot of disposable income. He had seen a lot of films though so hadn't missed out totally (think torrents etc) but the experience of visiting the cinema was something he really enjoyed.

DS (4.5) has only been once-to see Mary Poppins- and has not asked to go again so we haven't. I don't think it is odd at all for a 5 year old to not have been.

All my 3 had first went to the cinema around 3yrs. Lots of cinema have kids viewings early morning which are much more relaxed and no-ones too bothered about little ones being a bit fidgety. Not much point taking them if you think they will get bored. Very much depends on what they are going to see.
Eldest ds it was Finding Nemo, 2nd ds it was the Postman Pat movie, 3rd ds it was Shaun the Sheep movie. All fine. Big bags of popcorn and they were happy.

I guess it depends what you like doing too. I’m not a fan of the cinema, I haven’t got the attention span to watch a whole film without doing something else at the same time! So it doesn’t really occur to me to pay a fortune to take fidgety DC (who also aren’t bothered by films) to see a film that I won’t enjoy 🤷🏻‍♀️.

off the subject but wow your cinemas are expensive

we have a local maxime cinema that charges 2.50 a ticket