Cinema checklist for children

Experts agree that 5 is a good age to start taking children to age-appropriate movies: At this point, they generally have a long enough attention span to sit through all or most of a feature, can follow a basic story line, and are beginning to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

But before you buy tickets to the latest “family” flick, keep in mind that not every G-rated film is entirely appropriate for all young kids. In fact, the same grandiose features that make movie-going such a magical experience for the rest of us can also overwhelm young viewers.

“It’s dark, the music is loud, the picture from their perspective seems huge. And unlike watching a video at home, a parent can’t fast-forward past the scary parts or pause the movie to explain what’s happening,” says Joanne Cantor, professor of communications and author of “Mommy I’m Scared”: How TV and Movies Frighten Children and What We Can Do to Protect Them. To help make your child’s early movie-going years as positive and fun as possible, keep these big-picture pointers in mind:

Do your homework

Don’t assume that a movie is appropriate for young children just because it seems kid friendly. “The Nutty Professor is a case in point — it looks fun, but there’s material in there that many parents wouldn’t be happy about,” says Nell Minow, author of The Movie Mom’s Guide to Family Movies.

Do your own research by talking to friends who have seen movies you are considering, and make good use of the Internet: A handful of sites offer reviews offer parent-oriented reviews that detail what movies are about, what may be scary or disturbing to a child, and other useful information.

Does this mean parents should shy away from any movie, no matter how critically acclaimed, because it may be a bit scary or introduce some difficult subject matter? It’s all about timing. “At the right point of readiness, scary or unsettling material provides kids with a dress rehearsal for their emotions and responses in real life.

It can be thrilling and enriching,” says Minow. If you’re thinking of havig your 5-year-old watch a potentially unsettling movie with you, such as Bambi, which brings up the issue of parental death, think about whether your child is ready to experience the emotions that go along with viewing such a loss. If you don’t think she is ready to handle it, it’s best to hold off.

Your 7-year-old might be generally comfortable with being at the movies, but still not ready for some scenes — an intrusion like the break-ins in the Home Alone movies or the moment when E.T. is abducted by scientists can be too much for even some 8-year-olds.

Prepare your child

If it’s your child’s first movie outing, explain that the lights will turn off and that she’ll be expected to sit for a while. Make it equally clear that she will in no way be forced to stay in the theater — tell her that there will be a bathroom and a well-lit lobby just outside the door. It’s also important to explain basic details about the movie before you view it.

“Go over the story, talk about the characters. If the picture takes place in Paris, tell her very basically what Paris is. This way, your child will spend less of the movie struggling to understand what’s going on and more time enjoying it,” says Minow.

Work out the logistics

Imagine how jarring it must feel for a young child to be raced into a parking lot and rushed into a dark theater just moments before the big show begins. With this in mind, give yourselves plenty of time to get to the show, purchase the popcorn, and most importantly, snag the most strategic seats. With young kids, this means choosing chairs set a good distance back from the screen (close up, the picture can seem more overwhelming) and right smack on the aisle to ensure easy exits and re-entries.

Expect the unexpected

If you take the above precautions, a child still might end up being frightened or confused. “Adults look for the obvious things — monsters, ugly villains, complex plots — that might be inappropriate. But a young person’s mind often works in ways we often can’t conceive of,” says Minow. She recalls her own son’s utter confusion with a movie because he could not figure out how the “bad guy” could possibly be driving such a “good” car.

Cinderella’s evil stepsisters may not scare a child, but Lucifer the cat might give them nightmares. If your little one is old enough to cooperate, work out a system with her so she can let you know if it’s too much, says Minow.

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