Thank you Juicy Juice for sponsoring this Kid’s First Movie discussion.
Baby E is heading to his first movie. A few months ago, I shared how I got Zoe ready for her first movie. We are heading out to see the new Cars 3 movie and since it will be Baby E’s first movie, I wanted to share some tips on prepping for your toddler or kid’s first movie. In my post about Zoe’s first trip to the movies, I talked about her sensitivity to noise how seeing a sensory friendly showing of Beauty & The Beast was perfect for us. I am still working on contacting the theaters in our area regarding offering more sensory friendly movie slots during the week especially since kids are out for school right now.
We decided to take Baby E to his first movie now because CARS! Baby E is all into his cars. Sure he loves books. blocks and if you read my Facebook post the other day, he also loves balls and throwing any and everything (mason jars included!). But cars are his absolutely favorite toys to play with. He has one car, in particular, he takes everywhere with him and on a quiet afternoon, you can find him zipping and zooming around the house or on the driveway with a bunch of his cars and trucks. It’s what he does so Cars 3 here we come.
5 Tips for Kid’s First Movie
Pick The Right Movie
Choosing the first movie with characters kids know and love is one of the best ways to make sure they will actually enjoy the movie. Sure they may want to get up and walk around, or dance or even stand on their chair but if they love the character, they may just sit still and be in awe of the movie the entire time. If your child has a toy from the movie, then bring that with you. But if they don’t, bring their favorite toy or lovey with them. There is no question that Baby E will have his favorite car in hand.
Prep
If you pick a movie where your kids are already familiar with the characters, you can prep them for the movie in advance. This is where a movie like Cars 3 is perfect. We watched Cars 1 & 2 on demand recently. I have to figure out how to rent or buy them for our next road trip because Baby E loved both of them. We also enjoyed our Juicy Juice Cars 3 juice boxes and the kids rocked their Cars 3 sun visors while watching the trailer for the movie. Plus stickers! The kids loved getting sticker tattoos of their favorite Cars characters. We have extras so on movie day, I will use them as a fun way to prep for the show.
Sleep & Eats
I said it in the post about Zoe and I will say it again here. A good night’s sleep or a great nap is absolutely essential for a kid’s first movie experience. In fact, this is a great idea for any movie outing. Listen, it’s a great idea for any outing period. LOL. A well rested kid is usually a happy kid.
A great breakfast or lunch is essential. Now don’t go thinking your kids won’t want the snacks at the theater because most likely they will. Be prepared to get them a snack and even on of the movie themed cups. It’s a great way to keep them engaged during the show. Budget for the cost because movie theater snacks are expensive.
Early Show
I couldn’t decide if I should put this before sleep and food. For some, this will be very important to consider even before the big movie day arrives. I know myself and my kids so usually the first show isn’t the best show for us (another reason why we need more sensory friendly options during the day) but definitely plan for an early show. And on this note, opening night or weekend isn’t an ideal show for a kid’s first movie. An empty theater is better. Fewer people means fewer distractions plus you won’t have to worry about rolling eyes because your kids aren’t exactly quiet during the show.
Go With The Flow
Look the first movie outing may not go smoothly. Be flexible because you may just have to pack up and leave. We did this the very first time we took Zoe to the theater. We even left Disney Live because it was too much for her to handle. Don’t think about the money wasted. Think about caring for your child. We will see how Cars 3 goes. Zoe went to the movies a few weeks ago and she had a great time so I think she will be fine this time around. Hopefully, Baby E will be into it but we have already explained to Zoe that if he is scared, we will have to leave. The backup plan to that is ice cream. Ice cream makes everyone happy. LOL.
Check out the Juicy Juice Cars 3 for more Cars 3 fun. And here is a look at the official Cars 3 trailer.
Do have any other tips for a kid’s first movie?
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