Baby-friendly theaters? Yes, please.
Thank God for TiVo, but did you know some theaters also have special showings for new parents? These showings have different names in different cities, but the idea that yours will not (most likely) be the loudest baby in the movie theater is the common thread.
Julian’s first movie as a newborn was Closer and Holden’s was Star Wars Episode III. Both kids were frequent attendees of “Baby Brigade” (now known as “Bringing Up Baby“) at the El Cerrito Theater during their first year.
Select theaters are participating in a program called Baby Pictures. Check the website to see if there is a baby movie showing in a city near you.
The Kerasotes chain in Illinois and IndianaMatinee Movie Magic. I thought I was pretty magical when I watched Julia Roberts in Closer while doing my first in public breastfeeding (without crying!) when Julian was 5 weeks old. This mistakenly led Heather, my 19-weeks pregnant escort, to believe that nursing is easy.
Stroller matinees are a good early outing for freaked out new parents. Crying is totally allowed.
In LA, Monday Morning Mommy Movies weekly at 11:00 am (on Mondays, duh!) at the Grove, Beach Cities, Paseo, and Town Square. Thanks Portia!
In Portland, McMenamin’s Kennedy School hosts the occasional Mommy Matinee and for cheap!
Austin, TX has Baby Day Movie at Alamo Draft House Cinema (Tuesday and Friday). Parents are allowed to bring infants into the movie for shows starting before 2:05 pm. (check website for movie times and location).
In the Bay Area:
In Alameda, the Central Cinema also has a baby night for those under a year. We found out about it just after both babies were too old to go – darn!
In San Francisco, realtor Jill Russo sponsors a monthly Mommy Movie on the second Thursday of each and every month. And it’s FREE!
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I can also suggest going to a weekend matinee where other (noisy) children are likely to be present. We saw Chicken Little and Harry Potter this way.
Cinemagic in Merrimack, NH just started this. They play a first run movie at 10Am each week for Moms and babies.
Here is the website for “Monday Morning Mommy Movies” at Pacific Theaters in Southern California.
Hey, the Parkway Theater has expanded! For those in the N. Berkeley area there’s now a “Cerrito Speakeasy” too!
http://www.cerritospeakeasy.com/index.php
We tried it out last night for family night (Sunday). The theater is very clean, comfy and food is reasonably good considering it’s a movie theater. The volume is a little too loud for baby to sleep, so don’t count on it. Just take the opportunity to snuggle or bounce them on your knee.
Overall, based on the location and “newness” I’d say it’s a definite added value for the neighborhood. Get out and support’em if you can.
Joanne
Empire Theatres in Canada has ‘Reel Babies’:
http://www.empiretheatres.com/promotions/reel_babies.asp
In metro Washington DC, the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse has started up a “Mommy & Me” series:
http://arlingtondrafthouse.com/
Scroll down to the schedule. The Mommy & Me matinee is Tuesdays at 1:30 PM.
A couple theaters in the San Diego area offer movies for parents and children.
Ultra Star Cinemas has Parent Movie Mornings at several locations at 10am on Wednesdays or Thursdays (depending on location)
http://www.ultrastarmovies.com
Pacific Theaters has Monday Morning Mommy Movies at 10am on Mondays at the Town Square location on Clairmont Drive.
http://www.pacifictheaters.com
I wish I could find something like this in NYC. The closest seems to be out on Long Island, which is too far for me and the little one on our own right now.
where in long island do they have this?
Hi Whitney
I loved your article. I am part of the bizymoms.com Chicago community and I know they would love to read it. http://www.bizymoms.com/chicago/index.php
The El Cerrito Speakeasy closed & then reopened under new name/management. And thank goodness! Starting September 8th, the baby brigade nights are back, renamed to “Bringing up Baby Show”.
SECOND AND FOURTH TUESDAY EACH MONTH
RIALTO CINEMAS CERRITO PRESENTS
THE BRINGING UP BABY SHOW!
Parents are encouraged to bring their new babies (under 1) the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. Babies free, adults normal admission price. When the little one wakes up, take your bundle of joy for a stroll in the back of the theater. No need to miss out on the movie – everyone else will understand – they have one too!
Rialto Cinemas Cerrito
10070 San Pablo Avenue
El Cerrito, CA 94530
The El Cerrito Plaza BART station is 2 blocks away.
AC Bus Transit Lines 72R, 52L, 72M, 72 and the Transbay 800 all have stops within 1/4 mile of the theatre.
Be sure to call first — we went to the 8:30 pm show, per the website, and it turned out to be the wrong show. They said it was fine & asked us to stay, which was nice, but the other customers didn’t feel the same way. One woman looked at us resentfully and finally asked us to leave. What a bummer! Kind of the opposite of the experience we had before. Theater management was very apologetic & nice, but couldn’t make up for that feeling of being a leper. Ugh!
Please do go, but make sure you have the right showtime! Don’t trust the website, call the theatre directly.
The Vine Cinema in Livermore is now offering a “Diaper Date Night” every Tuesday for the 7:00 hour showings.
The lights are slightly higher, the sound is slightly lower, and you will not get looked at like you are a leper! Of course, the baby is free – with normal admission price for the parents.
The Vine Cinema is now an ALEHOUSE, serving draft beer and wine with some limited food items. The movies are independent films like you would see in Berkeley or Pleasant Hill.
VINE CINEMA
1722 FIRST STREET
LIVERMORE, CA. 94550
(925) 447-2545
http://www.VineCinema.com
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Rainbow theatres in Canada present Movies for Mommies every week and Cineplex Odeon presents Stars and Strollers across Canada.