We all know how much your life changes when you have a baby but it doesn't have to change everything. If you enjoy a trip to the cinema, this doesn't have to stop just because you have a young baby now.
Sure, a quiet cinema and a noisy baby may not seem like they go hand in hand, but all of the mainstream cinemas and many smaller ones offer baby-friendly cinema screenings where you don't need to panic if your little one starts crying.
Taking place on dedicated days and times, lighting is soft, the volume is lowered especially for those delicate little ears and you and your child are free to move around the auditorium as and when you need to. With many cinemas, there is also plenty of space for you to park your buggy too.
So if you fancy a trip to the big screen, here are the best baby-friendly cinemas to visit across the UK.
Baby-friendly cinemas to visit
ODEON - Newbies screenings
ODEON run 'Newbies' screenings - special baby-friendly cinema screenings for mums, dads, guardians and their children under two. Little ones under two years old get in for free, however if your baby enjoys the entertainment from their own seat, you’ll be asked to buy a Child ticket.
Showcase Cinema
Every Monday afternoon at 1pm and Thursday morning at 10.30am, Showcase Cinema run Baby Pictures with soft lighting levels, lowered film volume, a dedicated area for prams and free movement around the auditorium, should you or your child need to have a wander. Tickets are only £6 (per parent/guardian and baby). Babes in arms admitted free of charge.
VUE - Mini Mornings
VUE's Mini Mornings take place every Saturday and Sunday morning from 10am, plus every day in the school holidays. Both adults and children pay £2.49/£2.99 per ticket if you buy online and £3.49/£3.99 if you buy in venue.
Cineworld
At Cinebabies screenings, Cineworld will store your pushchairs, provide nappy changing facilities (not available at Cineworld Brighton), dim the lights down and turn down the sound slightly so you can enjoy your movie with your little one in your arms. The screenings are primarily aimed at parents rather than the children but they won't show any films rated higher than 12A.
Picturehouse
Exclusively for parents or carers with babies under the age of one, Big Scream was established in 2016 and is a baby-friendly cinema club for parents and guardians. Tickets cost £7.50.
Picture house also does Toddler Time for pre-school children and their parents or carers where you can watch a selection of preschool favourites on the big screen. Tickets are £3 for children and free for accompanying adults.
Alternatively, there's Kids' Club which takes place every Saturday morning and a mix of children's classics and recent releases are shown on the big screen. Tickets are £3 for kids and adults.
Curzon
Bring Your Baby is a weekly new release screening. Auditorium lighting is slightly higher than normal and kept on during the film and volume levels are lower. There are changing mats in the auditorium. There is a limit of 20 buggies in the auditorium but buggies beyond the limit can be left downstairs and baby carriers/child car seats can be brought in.
Everyman Cinema
Baby Club is a weekly screening on a Tuesday or Thursday morning where you can watch one of Everyman's newest releases with the volume turned down and with dim lighting throughout the auditorium. Plus you'll also get a hot drink and a slice of delicious cake or small popcorn is included in the ticket price.
The Light Cinema
Although they run during term-time only, The Light's baby-friendly screenings are suitable for parents and their babies under one year old. The sound will be lowered and the lights will only be dimmed.
The Luna Cinema
The Luna Cinema team have set up some fab screenings in the great outdoors, perfect for summer, but they also have stunning indoor locations and pop-up drive-through cinemas to attend. We love one of their most recent collaborations at Kew Gardens with viewings of some great films for grown-ups and the kiddies, such as Encanto, Moana and Sing 2. Although all of Luna's cinemas aren't all-year round, you can see The Luna Cinema winter cinema choices for fun over the festive period.