A playground in a movie theater.

I think parents bringing very young kids to see kid movies could embrace it. No matter how beloved the character or how happy the kid is to watch the trailer 157 times a day, actually keeping a small child in their seat for an hour and a half or more can be tricky.

I imagine that they only show select films in these particular cinemas and that movie goers will likely have a choice of this or a typical movie watching experience.

I would totally go to that but I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old and haven't been to a movie since the 4 year old was small enough to go to a baby matinee. I actually wish there were restaurants like this, the only McDonalds left with a play place is about 30 min away so I probably pass like 100 McDonalds on the way (jk)

How weird. Maybe I am just paranoid, but I like to keep a close eye on kids on playgrounds. Make sure they are behaving and making sure they or some other kid aren't climbing up the tube slide. How can you watch a movie like that? Why not just go to an actual playground? If your kid can't sit through a movie, don't take them to a movie theater.

They already exist in another country. My sister took my niece (4 yo). They saw Moana. She liked it although she wouldn't do it every week. My niece had a blast. Not sure if it was because of the movie or the play structure.

That slide looks scary.  
Jen

The thing is that kids old enough to wander around a playset alone are also (typically) old enough to sit and watch a movie. I hope they are at least kind enough to not advertise this on kids channels, for the parents sake.

Personally, I feel that if a child isn't old enough or ready enough to sit still during a movie, then they shouldn't be going. If they want to be playing, take them to a playground, where they can get fresh air and sunshine - not a dark movie theater - I couldn't enjoy watching a movie there anyway, because I would be constantly looking to see where my kid was.

I doubt that the lights will be out. Maybe dimmed a little.

There are already "sensory friendly" showings at many theaters for kids on the autism spectrum and/or with ADHD where the lights are left on and getting up and walking during the movie and talking, etc., is allowed. These are popular/profitable enough that the number of theaters offering them is growing. When my boys with autism were younger, we certainly went to a number of these. They can sit through movies quietly now, but it wasn't always the case.

It certainly isn't for all families, but I think that there will be a segment of the population that will be thankful for this type of experience. When you have multiple young children and one has a hard time sitting still throughout a movie for any of a variety of reasons, the other kids miss out if they can never go to the theater.

I know which theatre I'll stay away from! Now, if all parents with kids will just go there so the rest of us can enjoy a child free movie elsewhere!

It's attitudes like this that make me terrified to take my son to any "normal" activities. For example swimming. I never would have taken him to a swimming lesson for fear that he'd have a tantrum because he's on the spectrum. This past weekend a local swim school invited us to go to a lesson where all the children have autism. My son who is normally pretty cheerful and most people couldn't tell he's on the spectrum from seeing him at say sea world where he's happy, was the only child that screamed through the entire 20 minutes. Despite my fear that we'd be asked to not return, the instructor said she thought he relaxed a little and would do fine after a few lessons. The same thing happened at our music class. I feel horrible for the other family that had to sit through his screaming, but they knew us from our preschool. Now he goes to music class just fine. Anyway my point is at a theater like this where there's no expectation to conform, I'm sure my son would have a blast. It's if I had to keep replacing him in his seat that we'd have issues and would probably have to leave, so I've never tried it since he's been diagnosed.

If we went to an indoor playground theater and he did start to melt down we'd leave, but I just think it provides and option for kids who normally wouldn't be able to sit in a theater. When I was young I once complained to my mom that a lady let her daughter scream at her for 20 min in the store, I want it I want it and throw a tantrum over a toy. My mom told me that as long as I wasn't responsible for the screaming kid, I should just relax and ever since I've never been bothered by a screaming child, until I became the parent of one.

as if it's not already distracting enough trying to watch a movie with kids in the theater... let's ENCOURAGE them to play instead of sitting still and paying attention to the movie that we've PAID GOOD MONEY (usually too much, too) to see!!     <sarcasm>

eta:  I guess I could see it if it was marketed as being 'sensory friendly' or something to that effect, but hopefully the idea is NOT to allow kids to play while parents are trying to watch a movie.  Because I think kids / people nowadays (lol) already have more shortened attention spans than they used to due to the instant gratification' of the internet, etc. and this just exacerbates that issue.  Information / sensory overload, so to speak.  


I get that not everyone can do it if they have some sort of issue, but isn't sitting still and focusing on just one thing for a period of time a GOOD skill to have??  Isn't this just playing into the internet generation issue of 'I've done this one thing for 5-10 minutes; now I'm bored...' ? ? ?

I think it is interesting that Cinepolis is the chain bringing in this playground concept. We already have Cinepolis Luxury theaters here with reclining, oversized leather chairs, waiter service, a gourmet menu and full bar. Rather than trying to force everyone into one kind of theater experience, they are offering a range of experiences for people to choose what suits them best. They will find out quickly enough if there is a market for the Cinepolis Junior concept.

I was curious where these theaters are going to be so did a bit more reading and discovered one is local.

You will not accidently find yourself in the playground theater as the ticket has a $3 surcharge and it is just one of the theaters available in a multiplex.

I think that slide has all sorts of danger potential.  Kids will climb up it while other kids are coming done if no one stops them.  Kids will pig pile at the bottom or go down too many at a time, kids will climb up the outside.    it is just such a long side and I have seen way too many injuries on those tube slides at school, they are awful.  I don't know what teacher who likes them.  There is one student right now sporting a wicked blackeye and burst blood vessel in his eye from a child climbing up the  slide as he was going down and it's only maybe 4 feet long.  I think beanbags are great, I think the kids being able to get up and walk around is a great idea. I think maybe some like little spinning thing and a rocking apparatus would be great. I just think that slide is going to be nothing but trouble and I could not enjoy a movie with a child in that particular theater.