How To Have The Perfect Night Out at The Cinema With The Kids

I have worked in our local cinema for 3 years, it constantly surprises me how many people arrive late, and unprepared for the evening, and then proceed to blame the cash desk and front of house staff for all their problems.

Here is a, hopefully, helpful guide that should show you how to get the maximum enjoyment out of your trip to the cinema.

Planning

Work out what films are suitable for your little ones, film certifications are a good way to check if the film you are interested in is will be ok for your child.

(please note, these are for UK age ratings)

U - Suitable for Everyone

PG - Is aimed at the younger kids, but may contain action or scenes that small children will find disturbing

12A - Is aimed at older kids, younger children will be ok watching with a parent or guardian, but there may be the occasional scene that will upset them, the Harry Potter series is a good representation of this.

Arrival

You will want to make sure you arrive at the right time, arriving too early will leave you waiting around, either for the doors to open or to be sat staring at a blank screen.

Cinema's will usually advertise when the "Program" starts, this is the industry term for adverts. To minimise waiting around you should aim to be at the cinema at least 5 minutes before the advertised time.

If you have had a particularly stressful day up to this point *remember* do not take it out on the staff, we are just doing a job, we are not responsible for your boss giving you a hard time, or the children being loud on the journey here.

Sweets & Drinks

Think about your choices at the kiosk, getting the largest bucket of popcorn and drink combination possible may sound like a good idea for your child, but how much of that will end up on the floor?

If you do buy the large popcorn and drink combination, carry them yourself until you get to the screen, and then give them to your kids.

Minimise spillage, you paid good money at the kiosk, and nobody wants to be the one person stood with an empty popcorn bucket with popcorn around your ankles, being stared at by everybody in the foyer, do they?

Entering The Screen

Food and drink bought, bladders empty, time to view your movie. Some cinema's will have an usher to guide you to your seat, if the one you're visiting does, treat them with respect, you wouldn't like it if someone came into your place of work and started shouting demands at you.

Trailers Starting

Before the main feature starts you will usually be show trailers for upcoming movies, take note, if your children are now staring intently at "Super Kids Do Awesome Stuff" that will be the sign for the next film to take them to.

Film Is Starting.. Shhhh

The lights dim, and the film starts.

Make sure your children know, now is quiet time. we have all been in the situation, somewhere in the screen a small child chatters away, parent ignoring them, everyone else staring daggers...

The amount of complaints we get about other people's children talking, screaming or throwing stuff at everyone is surprising. Every cinema will have its own rules and guidelines on how to deal with problem customers. Regarding children making too much noise, our's is 2 warnings and then ejection.

Films Over, Home Time

The credits are rolling, the lights are up, time to go.

Occasionally there will be an extra scene after the credits, a good way to check is to watch the screen when the credits first appear. If there is an extra scene at any point the lights that shine on the screen will stay off. If the lights fade up with the main lights, there is nothing more to see.

Try to leave the screen as you found it, the usher's will need to clean up in between the shows. And if you leave a pile of rubbish around your seat, you are only making the next load of customers irate at having to wait longer while the ushers clean your mess.

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