How old to take to the movies?

My daughter is 2 1/2 and is beginning to have the attention span to sit through a movie at our house. I love going to the movies and I am excited to take her to her first show. What age was your child when you first took them to the moviesand what was that experience like?

We took my 2 1/2 year old niece  to the movies and she sat still the entire movie, however, every child is different. The second movie we took her to, she was a bit restless, but snacks help!

Thanks! I am excited because your reply gave me the green light to give it a try! I can't wait to take her!

We took my daughter to her first movie when she was 2 1/2... She was a bit restless but I do agree that snacks help. It really depends on the movie....

My older boys started going to the movies, restaurants, public places in general as newborns. Honestly, they behaved better as toddlers than they do as teenagers. My baby went to her first movie at 1 week (Clash of the Titans) and then again at 5 weeks to see Iron Man 2. We try to schedule around feeding and naps. She really enjoyed Iron Man and stayed awake through most of it. We had to leave for about 5 minutes to change a diaper and I made sure I had a bottle ready and waiting when it was feeding time. The most noise she made was a huge burp during a quiet scene.

Go during an off time - not peak time. Go when you can get a discounted rate, so if you have to leave you won't be out a fortune. Sit on the end of an aisle or near the front. Take kid friendly snacks. Pick a movie that will be colorful/musical/interesting. If you want them to watch it, don't go during naptime or right before naptime. If you want to watch a movie that's not fit for toddlers, go during naptime and take a blanket.

My mom always said if you bring them up in public, they'll know how to act. Again, mine were better behaved as toddlers than teenagers. I'll bring this baby up the same as I did my boys, but hope that my influence will keep with her later in life. :)

It depends on your child's personality. My son, who is a bit rowdy, could barely sit through a 1 1/2 hour movie at the age of 3. My daughter though, could sit through the entire Bee Movie at 2. Try to find a movie that is appropriate for your child's age group and one that is about 90 min. long. Then go for it! If you have to leave early, then it is no big deal...they will probably just love going for half of it!

My son sat through his first movie at 2 1/2 it was the movie up but i think it helped out that we sat really close 2 the front b/c for some odd reason he lies to stand up alot so it gave him room 2 stand without being in any one's way along with his goldfish and juice box