Earliest age for movies?

[amldaley]

At what age did you take your DC to a movie theater...successfully? Any tips for timing? Animated movie for LO's or???

[HIU8]

4.5. DS could sit through a movie at home way before that. We just never took him to a theater until last summer.

[arivecchi]

3. DS1 has now successfully seen 3 movies! Animated ones are best.

[AnnieW625]

DD has only seen one and she 3/1/2, just two weeks ago. We did take 2 quick trips to the bathroom, but for the most part it was a success. We sat in the back row on purpose those as she did want to move around a bit. Also highly recommend the first show of the day. We'll most likely wait to take her again until she is 4 and that's when Toy Story 3 will come out.

[pinay]

I took DD to see UP last summer when she was just under 2 1/2 and she did great- I did take her during a "Mommy and Me" screening which was the first show of the day and people were generally tolerant of little kid noise anyway. I took her to see The Princess and the Frog just a couple of weeks ago with her cousin who's a year older than her and both girls did great. DD got a little scared in some parts and needed to sit in my lap for the entire movie, but I think she liked the overall experience.

[LarsMal]

DS has seen 2 movies now- almost 4 1/2. DH took him a month or so ago and said he did well. We took him again over the holidays. He took one bathroom break and he and DH fell asleep at one point. At least he was quiet though!! M (just turned 3) hasn't been yet. We've offered, but she keeps telling us no. She could watch 2 straight hours of TV shows if I let her, but still can't make it through a movie DVD.

[emily_gracesmama]

4 1/2 for Princess and Frog and we were fine, now lady next to me had to leave with her 2 1/2 or 3 yo son and missed about 45 min. i guess it depends on your kid a lot of the time. My 2 yo zones out on movies at home and I think she'd do the same at a theater, but the dark atomosphere may freak her out which is why I am waiting to take her to one.

[hillview]

3+
/hillary

[infocrazy]

I took DS1 (2 at the time) and DS2 3 months (slept the whole time) to the summer movie club thing as part of an outing with friends. DS1 did okay, but he pretty much wandered between me and friend looking for who would give him snacks... :)

He did better with animated but bright colors and singing were best. We saw one movie, can't recall now, but it was mostly set at night and it was dark colors and didn't keep his attention much. I think we left early for that one. Even on tv, DS1 now 4 still doesn't care much for anything with live people in it.

We went again this past summer and DS1 did great, but DS2 (now 2, but a totally different 2 than his brother) only lasted until the snacks I brought ran out then he started climbing on the seat, me, his brother...

We've only done the summer movie thing though so they were free or $1/person. No big deal if it didn't work out.

[baymom]

The first time I took them to the movies was to watch Earth last year. DS was 4 and DD was 3 and while they sat through it, they got bored about an hour into it. Since then, they have seen Up and Princess and the Frog--both of which they found scary. I think the large screen and louder sound of the theater was too much for them--although they do scare easy. It really depends on each individual child--but definitely find a really, really non-scary first movie the first time!

[eliasmom]

DD went to her first movie at 3.25. DH made the mistake of taking her to an evening (read: bedtime) show. She thought it was too loud and she fell asleep.

I took her to Princess & Frog on Saturday (she is now 3.5+) and it was a huge success. She sat quietly the whole time and was not remotely scared. (She gets scared during Sleeping Beauty & Snow White at home, for reference.) She wants to go back soon.

[mecawa]

5 years old.

[mommylamb]

4 1/2 for Princess and Frog and we were fine, now lady next to me had to leave with her 2 1/2 or 3 yo son and missed about 45 min. i guess it depends on your kid a lot of the time. My 2 yo zones out on movies at home and I think she'd do the same at a theater, but the dark atomosphere may freak her out which is why I am waiting to take her to one.

We haven't been to one yet. DS is 2.5 and I don't think he's ready. He likes to watch half hour DVDs at home, but sometimes even loses interest part way through that.