Help! Taking kids to cinema!

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Me and DH taking niece and nephew 4 and 9 to cinema on Saturday. Years since I took them to cinema though we go ourselves quite often.

What advice or tips would you give?

Do you take your own food or buy there?
What sort of thing?

We are also taking them for a bite to eat after, possibly MacDonalds but open to suggestions?

Many thanks!

*sorry I mean years since I took ANY kids to the cinema!! Over 20 years in fact.

Take them to the toilet first. The kids snack boxes are sometimes quite good value, they tend to get a small popcorn, some sweets and a drink - maybe check first and see what the prices are like at your cinema to decide if you want to treat them there or take snacks with you.

Go at an early showtime. Go to a U rated film. Don't take them to see the Blair Witch Project at 8pm and wonder why everyone around you is tutting.

You can bring your own snacks but salted popcorn is still my favourite for the cinema as it doesn't give them a massive sugar high. Get one large, sit between the kids and hold the popcorn so they don't upset it everywhere. Only do drinks with sports caps and/or straws.

Make everyone have a wee right before the film starts, even if they don't think they need it.

Most cinemas don't like you taking your own food but if you are taking them to McDonald's (or ask them where they'd like to go - one of my kids wouldn't be caught dead there) after they won't need any. However my daughter would insist on popcorn as part of the cinema experience! Popcorn and a slushie are a must for her.
Just make sure they go to the loo before you go in to the theatre.
Ads run for about 20 minutes before the main feature so you may want to ask the cinema what time the actual movie starts as it's pretty boring sitting there waiting, though again my daughter loves watching the ads and previews!
Have fun hope it's a movie you can all enjoy!

Sit at the end of an aisle so you can get out to the loo if you need to. And yes, take your own popcorn or it will cost you a fortune.

Ooh - and ask if they have booster seats for the four year old. Lots do, and it helps them see a bit better.

definitely take your own food! cinema prices are ridiculous. i normally take my kids to tesco before and let them choose some snacks and drinks. also make sure they use the toilet before the film, it’s such a pain trying to get kids down steps in the dark in silence so as not to disturb others. as fur food, my sons always have kfc after a cinema visit, but mcdonald’s sounds good too!

Oh don't take your own food! It's a special treat right? Let the kids choose their snack, that's part of what makes a cinema trip so fun!

A nine year old is more than capable of being in charge of their own sweets etc. The four year old not so much.

it’s a treat, yeah, but our local cinema only does bags of minstrels, revels etc that are about £3 a bag. i could go to tesco and buy the same for £1. why pay triple the amount just because you’re in a cinema? same for drinks. the only drink i’d buy is an ice blast. i used to buy popcorn but after a couple of times of taking half a bucket home and it not getting eaten i don’t bother now.

If you buy snacks there beware of the pick and mix, it’s very expensive and kids always stuff as much into the container as they can.

Personally I’d go half way house with the snacks. I’d take supermarket popcorn as it all tastes the same, but let the children get slushes there as they are something special (to children) as you can’t make them at home.

I wouldn’t get any snacks or Just get them a very small popcorn to share if you’re going out to eat after, my kids don’t eat for the rest of the day if they have popcorn. Maybe take a drink each for them, a trip to the toilet before the movie and I like to sit right at the back in the isle in case they stand up or decide to wriggle it save some others from being disturbed.

if you cn afford it its great to get to choose the food.but ask them they might want to take their own big sharing back of maltesers and drink.
a promise of food either before or after.we have pizza express next to ours sowe tie it in with tea before or after so this helps.
toilet first.
dont panic.
dont plan.it will be ok.
look up whether its showing in the big comfy chairs.
and depending what movie where you can have a meal in!

You are all so helpful, thank you! I don't feel as nervous now - sounds silly I know but don't want to make any silly mistakes :)

Booster seats! We only found out the last time we went that they do them. Our cinema has those stupid fold down seats so they kept trying to flip back with the kids on it!

Ours also does a snack box which has a slushie, popcorn and haribo for £2.50!

Toilet first and sit on an end.

Our cinema does recliners and sofas - they cost a little more but are much much nicer!

I buy my kids a huge bag of popcorn each from lidl for less than a £1 each!