By Dorie Meek
Strained dinner and a show Dear Dorie, I’ve noticed a lot of summer movies for kids this year. What’s the right age for watching a film out of the house?
Dear Mama, A nice air-conditioned afternoon with some healthy snacks and quality visual entertainment can be very tempting to parents with young children. Many 4-year-olds can make it through a feature film but, as is usually the case with young children, there’s no black and white answer on this one. Ask yourself the following questions: Is your preschooler sensitive to sound? Is he/she afraid of the dark? Does your child adjust to new spaces easily? Can your child watch three PBS kids shows in a row without getting distracted or fidgety? Basically, you need to assess the abilities of your preschooler before diving in to the feature film outing. Prepare for an early departure on your first attempt and alert the manager that you may be asking for a refund if it doesn’t work out.
A few of the Westside movie theatres offer a program called, “Movies for Moms.” These are usually weekday matinees projected with lower volumes and less dim house lights. Call your favorite local movie theatre and ask if they have anything like this.
Finally, notice that I did not refer to infants or young toddlers in my response. Get the picture?
Dorie (Dorie Meek is director of the Infant & Family Support Program, provided by Saint John’s Health Center in partnership with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. Meek answers questions concerning children ages birth to 5 years old. Submit your questions to “Dear Dorie” at, or call (310) 452-6132; fax (310) 452-6392).
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 4, 2006. Read the original PDF.