Taking a Child with Autism to the Movies: 5 Tips From a Mom Who's Been There

My son has autism and, at age 13, recently saw a movie in a theater for the first time. It is not something I thought would work for him--until now. 

When we walked past the movie theater and he said he wanted to go see a movie, I got so excited. It was time to plan for this event. Challenges I knew we would face included the darkness, the loud sounds, sitting still, and staying quiet. This is what I did to prepare him and what I’d advise any parent of a child with autism to do to get your child ready to see a movie in the theater: 

Pick the right movie and prepare for it: I did research to see what was playing that would be appropriate and keep his interest for as long as possible. I looked to see what the running times were as well--the shorter the better for him. Once I found the right movie, we watched the trailer a bunch of times. We talked about it for a few days before actually going. I pointed out any ads I saw for that movie on top of taxis or at bus stops. I tried my best to keep the title in his head, to keep him exciting about going. 

Plan snacks beforehand: If your child is a popcorn lover, like mine is, this is an easy one! I also brought a few others for back up. Ask your child what he would like to eat--let him be part of choosing so there will be no surprises to have to deal with. Plan to bring everything inside with you, so once you are watching the movie you will not need to get up out of your seats. I had water ready, also, and plenty of napkins. 

Choose the best time: Think about what time of day would be easiest for your child. For me, it was the first show on a Sunday morning, with the hope of a small audience. Before heading over, we ran around in the park to let out some energy. I was hoping this would make it easier for him to sit longer.