At What Age Could Your Kid Enjoy a Movie in the Theater?

I took my oldest when she was around 2 1/2 and my youngest went when she was 3.

Both loved it and took it in. But both are very much movie and TV watching girls. I have to limit it or they would watch it all day long.

My son did not like seeing movies in the theatre till he was 8. Everything was too scary and he would refuse to see anything. My daughter loved movies starting at 3. Yes, I know, my son is not normal!

Around 4-6, but it depends on the kid and the movie. My younger son used to get easily scared, even by animated children's movies. I think my mom or my SIL took him to see a Veggie Tales movie at about age 4 or so and he was terrified. My older son didn't like to sit still for that long unless it was a movie that REALLY interested him and even to this day at age 17 he's not a big movie guy and doesn't see movies very often.

My daughter was 20 months old when she saw Tangled in the theatre. She sat through the whole thing, munching on popcorn, and cheering/laughing/seat dancing the whole time. She waited a few weeks however before she talked about it, but then she talked about that movie non-stop for weeks. Her 22 month old best friend got restless, got whiny, and bounced between her chair and Mom's lap until she fell asleep about an hour into the movie. It just depends on the kid. Maybe it made more of an impression than you think and he's just processing it like my girl does.

My kids all went to see movies and enjoyed them around 1.5 - 2 years old.

We took our DD to see Monsters Inc 2 when it came out. (She was around 2.5, I think...

She most certainly enjoyed herself! Lol. It was her first time in a theater, and it was all she talked about for a week.

I do think it depends on the movie too... My Dd liked Frozen, but I don't think she really followed the plot. She just really liked Olaf, and the songs.

Our son was about 4 years old.
He was really good.
His first movie was a Spy Kids movie fora friends birthday party.
I stayed with him and there was only one part where there was a lava monster that scared him and he had to sit on my lap for that.
That lava monster did give him a few nightmares a little later on.

We watched all the Jurassic Park movies at home.
I thought they might scare him but he was so in love with dinosaurs that no matter what they did (or who they ate) he was SURE they'd be HIS friends.

It varies a lot from kid to kid.
I've seen some kids (8 - 10 yr olds) who group together while their parents sit a few rows back that should not be out in public - but it's really the parent that's being lazy about making them mind their manners.

I took my 2 yo with my bigger kids (6 and 7) to see Frozen. He was also well behaved and enjoyed just being with mommy and his sisters but did not "follow the plot". I think around 4 - 5 they will "get it" more.

Mine were really young. They have grown up around technologly and I could bring them to the theater and have them behave like you described around 1. It probably helped that I worked at the theater on base when they were really little, so they were used to being there when my husband would bring them in to visit.

about 4 for 1; 6 for another; 2 for another--they are all so different

My hubby took our kids the day after Xmas to see frozen. It was their first time. Both were more than ready. My son had just turned 4. No bathroom stops, nothing. Pure enjoyment, with a long ramble at home about it to me.

I'm glad we waited till they were both older. They had a fabulous time and truly enjoyed the movie.

Yep, 3 for our daughter also.
She was hooked..

I started taking them to the movies at about 3. I waited until they could sit quietly through a whole movie at home before I tried them in the theatre. As for following the plot, I find that when they are little they like to watch the same movie several times before they really get the big picture, but they enjoy watching just the same.

Kids following the plot, may not come for a long time. I remember sining sons from artist that I like.. with out "thinking" about what the words truly meant. I think that Disney does an awesome job hitting all the age groups with differnt things.. We adults gain the most, and as a kid ages they see the movies differently.

I think he enjoyed it..

We just stick to the free kid movies our local theater offers in the summer (DS will be 3 in April, so last summer he was a little over 2). It's full of kids and babies and you don't lose ticket money if you leave early. Some shows he made it through the whole things and others he didn't. I'm going to use that as a tester next summer to see how well he does before I'd take him to a real movie.

I think this is very dependent on the kid! We started taking dd to movies when she was just a few months old (too young to pay attention, so we went to grown-up movies). Yes, I was one of *those* parents. I will say, I've only ever had to leave a theater due to daughter's behavior TWO times! She loves watching movies and has been going (to kid's movies) since about 2. If the plot doesn't keep her attention, usually the fun graphics do. If not, she's content to just eat the snacks and take a nap!

Frozen, for a 3-year-old boy probably wasn't the best pick :) There's a lot of plot going on there and it is a bit geared more towards girls... We took dd a few weeks ago and she (we all) loved it! (she's 5)

I know some parents with 3, 4, 5, heck, even 7, 8, 9 year olds who cannot sit through an entire movie... I really do think it just depends on the kid. My suggestion would be to wait out the movies until they come on DVD so you can watch in the comfort of your own home. Or, wait until they are in the discount theater so you don't feel so bad if you do have to leave.

Wow, we are overdue. My son is eight and we have not seen a movie in a movie theater yet. He has been to plays and we have been going to nice restaurants since he was 8 weeks old. Guess it's time to see a movie.

I didn't see Frozen, so I can't comment on that movie specifically. But, my 3 year old saw Despicable Me 2, Monsters U, Turbo, and Planes in the theaters last summer and loved them. Maybe Frozen is aimed for a little older audience (6+)??

Perhaps by age 5. Chickpea is 7 and still prefers to watch movies at home, Her bladder still can't last the entire movie and she hates missing part of it to visit the restroom.

I love going to the movies and waited until I thought it would be an enjoyable, stress-free experience. On my D's 5th Birthday we took her to see her first movie-The Muppets. She was old enough to sit still and be quiet during the movie. And now I love to take her! She's a good movie goer :)

I waited til she was 5 and Frozen was her first theater movie as well. I think it varies per kid and I also wanted her to be able to sit all the way through (no potty breaks) if possible. DD was enchanted.

We've done movies at home before, of course. Just not in the big theater.

I think 3 would be the minimum if you are actually paying for it. I think it also depends on the movie. I think Frozen is really more for older kids (5 and up) while there are movies ok for younger kids. We take our son to 1 movie a year (he is 5) although he asks for me. Way too expensive in my opinion, especially for a movie I probably don't really want to see. I might go see the free summer movies until maybe next year. I think he did well though.

My son got a theater Gift card for his 2nd birthday. He did great. Sat through the whole thing , eating popcorn. I'll never forget it, he was so cute , movie was Sharktale.

I started taking both sons at age 2 and they loved the movies and still do. (Ice Age 2, G Force, Chipmunks, stuff like that). Some of it was inane and not that great for me (Yogi Bear movie---boooooo!) but I'd just sit and watch them, and that made the experience better for me.
For what it's worth, I LOVED the movie Frozen, and my son, now 7 1/2, said "I didn't get it". So it might not be his age, as much as it was maybe more for an older audience. He liked it well enough, but just didn't follow the intricacies and emotions from the plot that well.

We just stick to the free kid movies our local theater offers in the summer (DS will be 3 in April, so last summer he was a little over 2). It's full of kids and babies and you don't lose ticket money if you leave early. Some shows he made it through the whole things and others he didn't. I'm going to use that as a tester next summer to see how well he does before I'd take him to a real movie.

my first was 4 and my middle was 3 at first movie theater experience and enjoyment. my three -year-old was ready to go home. so I think 4 is best.