First trip to cinema- how old?

[Shadowboy]

Roughly how old were your kids when they went to the cinema for the first time?
Did they sit through a full movie ok?

"He stood up and waved his arms about a bit when it got exciting"

Oh, HemanOrSheRa, I sort of wish I'd had DCs after reading that! Little M gets a bit unruly and has a bit of a dance when exciting incidental music happens during a film. Can't take him to the cinema, obviously. He'd probably love it though, and do a fair bit of arm waving!

You are very welcome to borrow DS Mantra . He's a worldly wise 12yo now but still quite exuberant . Loves cats too .

There was one particular part of the Ice Age film that he found very exciting. One of the little creatures was chasing after a nut or an egg or something. Kept getting there hands on it, only for it to roll away, bounce iff etc. The nutty egg thing finally bounced off over the edge an iceberg. DS stood up, waved his arms around looking like an aircraft marshall, and let out a strangled 'MmmNoooooMeeep'. Because I had told him No Talking during the film .

birth onwards?

I took my twins to watch a 60 minute screening of Peppa Pig Golden boots when they were 2.8. It was a perfect introduction to the cinema and to test how they'd do. They loved it and we've been back often since. They are 4.5 now and we go at least once a month.

I think if they can't sit through a movie at home without getting bored, wandering off etc, then don't bother. I think my youngest was about 3 the first time. She did get a bit bored (Inside Out so a bit harder to follow maybe) but she just sat on my lap and scoffed her popcorn. We go a far bit now- usually do morning shows as they're so quiet here (and cheap)

Mine were all three, but it was a Thomas the tank engine for Ds 1&2 and DD was bored after an hour.
I think 4+ is better.

DD1 was 6 or 7 as had a short attention span. DD2 went regularly from being 2 and would sit no trouble

About to take my 4 and a half year old for the first time, to beauty and the beast!!

Oldest was 6, youngest was 4.

I think 5 is a good age. 4 was a bit young, especially as we don't really watch much tv at all at home, and I think it was only her second or third film overall.

I've taken my little boy to the weekend kids club cinema since he was 18 months old. He will happily sit through a film with no fuss and really enjoys it.

He's 2.7 now and still loves it, when we drive past, he says oh look, my cinema

I have taken him to a normal showing once (finding dory for his birthday) but we usually stick to the kids showings where a bit of noise isn't frowned upon just incase he decides that this is the time he doesn't like it anymore

DS1 was 1 when he got lugged along to Tinkerbell with the Brownies. He loved it!

He was also riveted by Despicable Me at 2.5.

Enjoyed Star Wars force returns at 5.

DS 2 is very different. Much more fidgety and concerned about mild peril!

4 months! Well, I was really taking her big brother (who was 6).

Somehow she managed to sleep through the whole thing

The youngest I took them so they could actually watch the film was about 4

Just under 5. Cannot be doing with parents who take tiny kids and toddlers, as 9 times out of ten they don't bother taking them out.
Selfish.

About 3.5 I think. However for the first year maybe I only took her to films where she knew the character already so she had something to draw her in.

I took DD to see Sing a few weeks ago, at 3.5. She was brilliant. We had to creep out for a wee once, and she lost interest in the last 10 minutes or so, but she pottered quietly in the empty row in front of us, not making noise or disturbing people. For the rest of the film she sat nicely on my lap and watched it. Popcorn helped. She won't sit still and watch a whole film at home, but she has toys to distract her there. At the cinema there's not much else to do.

Mine was just before 3, we've been a few times since, she has just turned 4
I would say pick your film very wisely.
Trolls we watched it 4 times with no issues
Sing, didn't hold her attention at all and was quite painful.
Strategic snack breaks also help

I think dd was just turned 2 and she sat fine. Saturday morning cheap kids films though, wouldn't have felt like i was wasting money if we left.

DTs were 3 i think. We took them to a kids morning screening as it was only £2 each so if they wanted to leave then we hadn't wasted lots of money. They both sat through it fine. Bit fidgity waiting for it to start as the bloody trailers are so long so now we try to get there a bit later.

http://mobi.odeon.co.uk/films/peppapiggmyfirsttcinema_experience/17157/

I took DD when she was 2 and a half. She loved it and still talks about it. We saw Finding Dory.

2y 1 month. I was hideously hungover after my first nigt out since she'd been born and the cinema was the only thing I could think of to get through the day! We saw Cinderella (the love action one) and she loved it, I told her we could leave at any point and she suddenly decided she'd had enough before the last 10 mins!! But it is a loooong film.

In fact she loved it so much she asked to go back a couple of weeks later with her granny and stayed for the whole thing.

She is a proper little cinephile now, we go to pretty much every new kids movie that comes out and make a big thing of it, she is 4 now and has been able to sit through a whole movie pretty much since 2.5.

On the flipside she is an appalling sleeper, fussy eater and generally about the most high-maintenance child I've ever met so I might swap some of the lovely cinema trips for a few calmer moments at other times...

live action!!!!! Not love action!!! Good God. That would be a whole other side to Disney wouldn't it?

We have a community cinema here - it's v cheap and local so going is not a big investment so we have taken then from v young. Also the sound is not mega loud.

18 months with the eldest, he sat on my lap, snuggled, and I still remember it as a really lovely thing. Though also remember taking him to see something like Ratatouille when he was 2 and a bit and the peril was not mild enough for him - we had to leave - too scary.

Younger 2 from 2-ish. Youngest one was transfixed - cried at the end of the film, wanted another straight away.

Not relevant but my gran's first cinema trip was when she was 85.

I took her to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet.

It was also the first time she'd eaten popcorn, which she said was 'very moreish'.

She died a year ago, at 95. God, I miss her. She was just the most wonderful woman. I aspire to be more like her every day.

(And now I am tearful! Funny how it catches you out.)

Right, sorry, as you were!

18months and 2 and a half (bit young but it was a special showing and early morning so no one else in it)

I took Ds in his own - now 3.5 and he loved it