I love cartoons. I always have. I have a pretty decent collection of box sets and DVD’s, and that was before I had kids. Now that I have three I finally have a good reason to be in the theater again to watch the latest animated blockbuster by Disney/Pixar, or Dreamworks. Whenever our budget allows I get one of the kids ready for a little trip out with daddy to catch a movie. We’ve had a chance to watch; Wreck It Ralph, Despicable Me 2, Planes, and just recently the Lego Movie. Each of these trips have helped me to understand the 5 reasons why going to see movies with little kids is the best thing ever;

See the empty seat with the coat on it. That’s me missing the movie fetching snacks. 

1. Improved Coordination- Going to movies with adults, or even older children means everyone can carry their own snacks. Not so with young children. So when you are at the theater as the lone adult you have to learn how to balance all of the popcorns, drinks, and candy treats all the while holding someones hand AND passing your ticket to the movie theater guard. I don’t know about your kids but mine are pretty good at keeping a tally of every piece of popcorn I drop.

2. Develop Your ESP Skills- As soon as a new person walks on to the screen the questions being to flow. ‘Who is that?’ ‘Why did they do that?’ ‘Are they a bad guy?’ Etc. Young kids are not interested in timely plot revelations and character development they want to know what is happening, they want to know it now, and they expect you to be able to tell them.

3. Plenty Of Opportunities to Stretch Your Legs- Let’s face it 95 minutes is a long time to go without peeing and pooping. And just because you went twice before the movie started  doesn’t mean nature won’t call during the movie. But hey who wants to just sit there the whole time right. Also be prepared to answer all questions about what happened while you both were in the bathroom. But hey you’ve been developing your ESP right?

4. Practise Your Quiet Scolding Voice– Right around the last 30 minutes of a movie my kids start to get the ‘wiggles’ They want to get up,  and just really move around. The problem is this tends to be the most critical time storywise. People are expressing love, villains are being defeated, battles are taking place. This is the part of the movie that you really paid to see! Which makes this the worst time for wiggling. This is also a terrible time to raise your voice, to do a loud 1-2-3 timeout count, or to make your kid cry/scream because they just got in trouble, or to drag them out of the theater. That really leaves you with the lean in and quietly scold with the harsh whisper move. It is a great skill to learn for the grocery store too, might as well practise.

5. Their Huge Eyes Filled With Amazement- At every movie I have been at there comes that moment. It comes once you finally get it in your seat, and the movie starts. It comes before the bathroom breaks, the wiggles in the chair, and the near endless questions. It is the moment when their eyes get huge and if only for a few minutes they are transported to a whole new world. A world of amazing things, and incredible possibilities. A world where good always wins over evil, and love conquers all. That is why going to movies with little kids is the best thing ever.

Enjoy the show.

They can’t sit still for the movie, or for the picture afterward.

Thank you so much Laura from mommy-miracles.com for the pictures. The first is of my daughter Ariella and her son Cameron taken the other week at the Lego Movie. The second is most of our favorite group of friends at Planes during the summer.