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Films

Related: TV discussion forum.

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Original poster

How old were your dc for first film at cinema?

19 replies

monkeybump · 13/07/2012 17:21

I guess this varies alot depending on the child, but I'm really keen to take DD to the cinema as I love going myself, but she's only 2.5..

I just wondered what the average age is for first cinema experience?

OP posts:

FuckityFuckFuck · 13/07/2012 17:38

DS went on his 3rd birthday

I might have taken him earlier but he is full of beans and I wanted to wait until he would sit still for longer than 2 minutes. As it happened, he fell asleep after 20 minutes

We did 'practise' at home first, shut the curtains and watched a programme in the dark so he wouldn't be scared

Chubfuddler · 13/07/2012 17:39

Ds was 3 and a bit and went to see Toy story 3. He loved it.

DandyDan · 14/07/2012 18:21

Daughter was two and a half - went to see The Hunchback of Notre Dame and loved it (had dummy and sat on my knee for scary bits). It is now pretty much her favourite Disney. About the same age - around 3 yrs - for the others too.

fuzzpig · 14/07/2012 18:34

DD just turned 5 and hasn't been yet

That's not been a deliberate decision, more that we never got round to it and mostly that we can't afford it! We've never been big cinema-goers anyway and I get free DVD rentals with my job. DH has a back injury so he wouldn't even be able to sit in a cinema.

However now that it's summer holidays we can go off peak and I just got my student discount card arrived so I pay less - and we are going to see ice age 4 in the next few weeks. Very excited!

RackandRuin · 14/07/2012 18:45

I think my dd was about 6 and my ds 4, nearly 5. The main reason we didn't go sooner is the ds wouldn't have sat still for 10 minutes let alone for the whole duration of a film, and i wasn't about to spend £20+ to have to leave early.

Then I discovered the £1 shows. They aren't the screaming sessions I thought they would be, and if the film's rubbish I don't mind leaving early.

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 14/07/2012 18:47

Mine are 3 and 5 and not been yet. I would happily take the 5yo but the 3yo has the attention span of a gnat. Gorgeous boy, but he would be That Child that runs about being a PITA.

Seona1973 · 14/07/2012 18:48

I think my two were about 3 when they first went

fuzzpig · 14/07/2012 18:49

I was worried about the sitting still issue too.

I was planning on going to the £1 shows too but I just found out they are films that are already out on DVD - which would be good as it would cost less than renting it, but because of getting it free at work I would resent paying anything for it! :o

Original poster

monkeybump · 14/07/2012 20:08

Yes I agree it can be so ridiculously expensive-- I'm loving the idea of the £1 showings (although I can only find £4 ones near me...London prices perhaps??) especially then if DD gets bored etc we can leave half way thru and I won't so feel guilty about spending loads.

Saying that I think I'll wait til she's 3 as that seems to be the average age and it makes sense. I just reeeally want to see ice age 4 and brave and probably a load of other summer blockbusters

i think I need to borrow some older kids to use as an excuse!

OP posts:

squishysquashy · 14/07/2012 20:18

I am taking DD who is 2.1 tomorrow for the first time to see ice age 4. She is a quiet child and think she will watch half the film at least and I am prepared to leave early. I will report back!

richardlon · 14/07/2012 22:37

took my son first time when he was 2. He watched all the way through, but some scenes frightened him (cartoon characters flying through the air screaming). Mind you, there are some episodes of in the night garden that really frighten him.

Even in London, there are still £1.50 showings for children's films. They're not the newest films, but my son doesn't know or care.

nulgirl · 14/07/2012 22:56

Depends on the temperament of the child. My dd was first taken by her nursery when she was 2.5 and she sat happily through the entire film. She is now almost 6 and has been quite a few times. This morning we took her and my ds who is almost 4 to see ice age 4. Had to take him outside after 20 minutes as he squirmed and talked really loudly. I should have known it was not going to work when he asked if it was finished after the first preview.

Have decided he is not going to go again until next autumn after he starts school and has hopefully learned to sit still for longer than 10 minutes (living in hope he ever learns)

TroublesomeEx · 14/07/2012 23:01

I took DS to the cinema for his third birthday to see Monsters Inc. He was captivated!

DD didn't go until she was nearly 5. She has far too much to say for herself!

UniS · 14/07/2012 23:01

hes been twice. 1st time was with school and he sat next to teacher , was terrified at parts of "the winnie the pooh movie" and kept clutching teacher hard . We had warned teacher that this may happen based on DVD watching behaviour.

2nd time we went as a family to see "Arthur Christmas", DS wore ear defenders throughout and spent most of the film on DHs lap steadily munching pop corn.

We will take ear defenders with us .

squishysquashy · 16/07/2012 20:05

Well. So much for quiet! She oo'ed and aah'd and lots of other exclamations and was the most vocal kid there, though not so bad I thought it was a problem (considering it was a kids film on a Sunday afternoon). She lasted only an hour though, really enjoyed the trailers and watched the film until the pirates appeared. I think she was a bit scared (though might just have lost interest too) and she wanted to leave so we did. Momentary pause for pirates to do a song which she liked then we had to go. Will start doing the kids films but not a full price one for a while methinks.

Beamur · 16/07/2012 20:09

I took DD when she was about 2.5 but it was a bit too soon. She could sit still for that long, but was really bothered by any 'mild peril' - DVD was much safer. She's 5 now and we've had a few incidents of being very upset by bits in films (she howled at Toy Story 3, but loves it now). She enjoys going to the cinema though.
Really depends on the child.

fuzzpig · 16/07/2012 22:05

I still howl at toy story 3... Can't watch the end without sobbing!

Doomfinger · 16/07/2012 22:53

My eldest was taken for her third birthday (she's 6 tomorrow) but my younger two have pretty much been from babies because they went with us in the sling. I don't think the middlie has been properly much before 3 though and the baby is 13 months so she's never been old enough to pay attention.

Original poster

monkeybump · 17/07/2012 08:15

Squishy thanks for the update! Sounds like she did enjoy the little bit she did see, I think my DD would be the same vocally, she likes to give a running commentary while watching DVDs so I'm sure she'd happily keep everyone informed in the cinema

I agree with toy story 3, such a classic!

Thanks for all the responses, general consensus still seems to be around age 3... Think I'll stick to her fav DVDs for now (ponyo & wall-e) until I can't stand them anymore and they accidentally break

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