Wondering if DS will last through a whole movie?

[Sterla]

DS is 2 and a half, and MIL wants to take him to the cinema this weekend to watch a movie. Apart from being kind of sad at missing out on seeing him go to the cinema for the first time (busy with DD), I'm also just not sure if he'd sit through the whole thing. At home, he will watch movies - but he doesn't just sit glued to the TV, he walks around and plays while the movie plays in the background. I guess one of the reasons I'm asking is that MIL is kind of funny with her money, and she'd hate to waste the money if DS wasn't going to sit through it.

What do you think? Is he old enough to sit through a movie yet?

[Blixie]

honestly i'd probably lean towards no. But some kids get there and are mesmerized by the HUGE screen. So i have no idea. My DD1 is 3 and i wouldn't send her cos i don't think she'd sit.

[Miss.September]

It's hard to know. We're about to take the gamble with our 2 1/2 year old. My niece went a few months ago, before she turned 3, and sat through the entire movie, but she will happily watch movies at home too. My DD will sit though a 40 minute play school or Wiggles DVD, but we haven't yet found a movie for home that she'll sit thorugh. She's very interested in Smurfs though, so we thought we'd give it a go with her. Good luck!

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

We took my nephew to the movies not long ago, he's about the same age. The huge screen and loud noises completely overwhelmed him, and my sister ended up taking him home about 3 minutes into the movie

[Sterla]

We took my nephew to the movies not long ago, he's about the same age. The huge screen and loud noises completely overwhelmed him, and my sister ended up taking him home about 3 minutes into the movie

I hadn't considered that... mmm.

[Lenny]

I have doubts about ds1 and he's 3.5. I have a friend who took her DD and DS to a Thomas movie. The DS was just under two. He made it until 10 minutes before the end and then he got so fidgetty they left! I thought that wasn't bad going.

[HotI]

My DD is a bit younger and survived through a full movie but she wasn't intersted in watching the whole movie itms. She liked the music to dance too, she liked the popcorn, liked playing on the stairs and peeeking at other people but the movie screen wasn't a big interest to her.

[skybie]

i still havent sent DD1 because she hates loud noises and i think the sound in the cinema would be too much for her.
not just loud sudden noises, loud music in the car ect

[LizLemon]

My DS1 is 27 months and there's no way he'd sit still. He sounds a bit like yours too, likes it on in the background but will move around doing other things. I'd be inclined to wait.

[Erin_25]

I was also going to mention to be prepared for being scared of the dark room with the very loud noise. My DS has just seen his first movie and now second aged 4.5yrs. The two times before that he ran screaming when we tried. We tried toy story and yogi bear....small town & small cinema and he still couldn't handle it. So we just left it til he was ready & went with other friends to ease him into it.

Each child is different though. Also my DS1 will not sit still to watch a movie at home so was fair chance at that age he wouldn't watch an entire movie. Does he watch movies at home?? we didn't introduce DS1 til movies even at home until after age 3 as he just didn't sit long enough.

all you can do is try I guess.

[~Kim~]

I only took DD this year for the first time at nearly 5. She was terrified of the noise and the dark....but many kids I know have been earlier. I took her to a free movie when she was about his age and she freaked, so we left.
My kids wouldn't sit through movies and be glued to them either, another reason I delayed it.

[feeb]

I wondered same thing but I took boys to see Hop in cinema when DS1 was between 2 and 1/2 and 3 and DS2 was 15 months and they both were mesmerised and loved it the last 15 mins they were a bit restless but otherwise good.

[Liviam]

DD is 4 and she just makes it through a short movie. We tried earlier and it was just too much for her. We haven't even tried with DS and he is 2.5

[Rumpleteaser]

Depends what he is going to see. Some kids movies are quite short 45-60min. If it is also marketed towards the toddler age it may not matter if the child wanders around a little. They may even find they are the only ones there.

My sis has taken my DS1 to his first movie and his first concert. He is only just turned 3.

[MummyNaomi]

For us, 2-2.5 was too young, DS was petrifried, the noise (and until you really take notice you dont really just how loud it is) totally scared the bejesus out of him, I felt terrible

We left a few minutes in also

I'd say wait (and then YOU get to be the one to share the experience too)

[melsa31]

I took DS1 to see cars 2 as he loves the first one on dvd. He was just over 2.5. He wasn't scared at all but did get very restless. The movie was long and boring and I couldn't wait for it to finish, as about half way through he kept getting off the seat and trying to run away! I plan to wait a while before taking him again and next time I'll make sure it's a shorter kids movie. If your MIL was prepared to walk out early, then I'd say yes try it but otherwise, I'd wait.

[Saffi]

We have recently started taking DD who has just turned 2 to the movies. We started off with a short movie (a 50min Dora movie) and the next week DH took DD and DS to see The Smurfs in 3D. She was great both times, and apart from not getting the concept of 3D glasses we didn't have a problem with her at all. She happily sat there eating popcorn with her brother who is nearly 4 and a vetran movie goer.

So I would say go for it. The worst that can happen is that they have to leave if DS becomes upset or restless. I would recommend a short-ish kids movie at the first session of the day so less likely to be tired and grumpy where you will get the family groups that don't mind a bit of chatter and running around.