Our First Movies We Never Forgot (And How to Pick One for Your Child)

Watching movies can be transformative. You can escape the stress and pressure of everyday life, explore magical lands, journey into outer space, travel across the world or lose yourself in someone else’s story for a few hours. But when should you introduce your kids to the movies? And what should they watch?

While I don’t have any definitive answers for you, I do have plenty of things to keep in mind and real-life experiences of ParentMap staff and friends.   

When should I show my child their first movie?

Knowing when to show your child their first movie can be tricky. Are they ready? Will it be scary? Will they want to pay attention the whole time? Every kid is different, so unfortunately, no one can tell you the exact right age for a first movie.  

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the five Cs of media use as a guide to help parents make healthy decisions about how and when children (there are guides for different age groups) consume media:

• Child: Since each child is different, parents are encouraged to think about their specific child and how their personality influences what media they are attracted to, and how it affects them.  
• Content: Content quality can shape whether kids have a positive or negative relationship with media. Think about the content of a movie your child wants to watch (or you are considering showing them). Does it contain violence? Rude role-modeling? Scary images or ideas?
• Calm: Kids need to learn strategies for how to manage strong emotions or fall asleep at night. Some kids may turn to media to calm down, and the AAP suggests working with them to find other methods. When introducing your child to their first movie, think about if you are doing it to calm them down when they are emotional, or help them fall asleep. If so, it may not be the right moment to bring in a movie.
• Crowding out: Is media crowding out other things your family cares about? Has it taken over story time, playing outside or even sleeping? We all know media has lots of hooks intended to keep us online longer than we intend. The AAP suggests creating a family media plan to help manage when and how media is used every day.
• Communication: Help your kids develop digital literacy by talking about media early and often. Even when these conversations are difficult, keeping the lines of communication open is an important part of ensuring your family’s media use remains healthy.    

And sometimes, despite your best efforts and family media plans, the opportunity for a first movie just presents itself. When my youngest son was 2, he spent an entire day at the hospital receiving treatment for an infection. Of course, it was literally the only day of the entire year my husband was out of town. So, I found myself in a hospital room with a 2- and 3-year-old. There was a TV in the room and my older son asked if he could watch something. I turned it on, found the movie “Cars” and he watched the whole thing. Twice. And that was his first (and second) movie.   

What should I keep in mind when choosing my child’s first movie? 

With so much streaming content available, the choice for a first movie can feel endless and overwhelming. Narrow down the field a little by asking yourself these five questions: 

Is my child emotionally ready for this movie?

Consider your child’s sensitivity to loud noises, suspense, conflict, sadness or characters in danger. Some kids breeze through intense scenes, while others may be thinking about them for days. My kids were shockingly fearless when it came to movies when they were little, I don’t know where they got it. When we watched the Harry Potter movies, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named didn’t even make them flinch. My friend’s son, on the other hand, was terrified of the claymation movie “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” for years. Knowing your audience is key.

Can my child follow the story?

A first movie should be engaging, not confusing. If the plot is too complex or the movie too long, your child may lose interest before the credits roll. Look for a simple storyline with relatable characters and a manageable length. I remember the first time I tried to show my boys “Mary Poppins,” one of my all-time favorites. Do you know how long that movie is? Two hours and 19 minutes! And Dick Van Dyke is only singing and dancing with cartoon animals for about 20 of those minutes. We did not make it through. 

What parts of this movie might spark questions?

The best first movie often leads to conversations afterward. Whether it’s friendship, courage, grief or kindness, think about whether you’re ready to talk through any themes that come up. This is one of the great benefits of watching movies and shows with your kids, no matter their age (this happens with my teens just as much as it did when they were toddlers).

Where will we watch it?

Watching at home lets you pause the movie, cuddle through the scary parts, move around or take a break whenever your child needs one. If you’re heading to a theater, ask yourself whether your child is ready for the dark, loud room, and the expectation to sit quietly. 

Will this be fun for both of us?

Remember, you will be watching this movie too! Choosing something you’ll both enjoy makes it easier to stay engaged, and you can talk about your favorite scenes afterward. Shared excitement can be just as important as the movie itself. And if your child loves the movie, they’ll likely ask to watch it again (and again, and again …).  

Memorable (for better or worse) first movies

I asked the ParentMap staff and a few friends to tell me about their kids’ first movie, and the first movie they could remember watching. Their answers ranged from the cute and predictable to the somewhat questionable to the downright terrifying!

Classics and kid hits of their day

• Mallory: “Free Willy” for me, I think! “Paw Patrol: The Movie” for my daughter.
• Bronwyn: “Pocahontas.” I was 3 and peed on my dad’s lap early on in the film but I was so engrossed in the movie he just let me sit there and keep watching until it ended. We both went home with wet pants after the movie was finished.
• Claire: “The Sound of Music.” We watched it every holiday season on TV as a family and it was a big deal because we were a family of seven. We knew all the lines and songs. The first movie I remember going to in a theater was “E.T.” but my little brother was so scared we left pretty early.
• Brooke: Mine was “Monsters, Inc.”
• Allison: I took my son to see “The Lorax” in the theater when he was about 3. A friend told me to give him a sucker to keep his mouth busy so he wouldn’t talk through the movie.  It worked — for a little while anyway.
• Beckett: “The Princess Bride.”
• Aaron: “Star Wars,” in ’77 … blew my mind. 

Questionable first-movie decisions

• Kari: When I was a baby, my parents took me to the drive-in with them to see “Star Wars,” assuming that I would sleep through the whole thing. Instead, I did that thing babies do where they cry unless you are standing up and moving around. My poor dad spent the entire movie walking between the aisles of cars so I wouldn’t cry. Sorry, Mom and Dad!
• Alayne: Baby Eli got his ears blasted at “The Doors”!
• Celia: “Flashdance” in the theater when I was 5 years old. I love that movie now and it has inspired many a karaoke performance, but at the time I thought my parents had taken me to watch a porno.
• Catherine: “Flash Gordon.” I mostly remember my sister being absolutely terrified of the Wood Beast. My sister was kind of my true north, so I was like that must be really terrifying because it scared my sister!
• Meredith: “Alien.” I was 7, and when the alien came out of the astronaut’s chest I ran out of the theater.
• Marley: When I was 6 I watched all the “Halloween” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” movies.

Looking for some movie ideas? Common Sense Media and Rotten Tomatoes both have extensive lists of great first movies for kids. Of course, every child is different, so there’s no single “right” first movie. Trust your instincts, consider your child’s personality and don’t worry about getting it exactly right. The best first movie is one that leaves your child feeling delighted and eager for the next family movie night.

When I asked our staff about their first movie, I learned that most people remember more than the plot. They remember who they watched it with and how they felt. That’s the real magic of a first movie, and it’s a memory worth creating together.