The post The Richmond Regent Twin Cinema – Child-friendly Cinemas in Sydney appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.

I’m starting off a series of posts about fantastic family-friendly cinemas and screenings with the historic Richmond Regent Twin Cinema.

If you live near Richmond, this is the cinema for you.

Richmond Regent Twin

149 Windsor Street, Richmond 2753

Phone: 02 4578 1800

Website: www.richmondregent.com.au

Times: All screenings in Cinema One

Cheap sessions: All screenings on Tuesdays, except public holidays.

The Spanish-style Art Deco exterior of this cinema is a delight, as is the baby-friendly interior. Cinema One has a ‘baby crying room’. The room has nine seats and babies usually sit on their parent’s knees.

There is no extra charge to use the room and bookings are not taken so an early arrival is advised.

Baby change: No

Map reference: Gregory’s 118 H5, Sydway 166 P1, UBD 84 N5

Parking: Street parking on Windsor Street

Nearest station: Richmond is a short walk away

Bus stop nearby: Yes

View Larger Map

Have you had good experiences at the movies with babies, toddlers and preschoolers?

What are your top tips?

Thanks to John and Erica for permission to use their photos.

For an overview of baby and child-friendly cinemas and screenings in Sydney, click here.

The post The Richmond Regent Twin Cinema – Child-friendly Cinemas in Sydney appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.

Roseville is a really charismatic, old-fashioned picture house. It’s a family owned and operated independent cinema, quite a breath of fresh air.

I’m terribly fond of it for it’s olde worlde features and its great choice of art house movies.

This was the first cinema with a ‘baby crying room’ that we ever tried… long ago now, but still remembered!

Roseville Cinema by night, always a welcome sight.

Roseville Cinema

112 Pacific Highway, Roseville 2069

Phone: 9416 8555

Website: www.rosevillecinemas.com

Times: Baby crying room in both cinemas

Both screens of the Roseville cinema have separate ‘baby crying rooms’ inside the cinema. This is a glassed in area, suitable for families with babies and young children.

Both have six seats. There are volume, air conditioner and light dimmer controls in the rooms. No bookings are taken for the rooms, so it is a first-come-first-served scenario and the cinema advises arriving at least 15 minutes early.

Prams cannot go into the rooms but car seats and bouncers can. A bouncer and a change table is placed in each room.

Parents can take partners and friends into the crying rooms, but if another parent and child need the seat the companions will be asked to sit in the main part of the cinema.

Baby change: Change table in each crying room

Map reference: Gregory’s 284 G4, Sydway 236 P20, UBD 195 F4

Parking: Street parking on Pacific Highway and side streets

Nearest station: Roseville is a short walk away

Bus stop nearby: Yes

View Larger Map

Are you a fan of Roseville Cinema too?

Have you taken the kids to the movies?

The post Roseville Cinema – Child-Friendly Cinemas in Sydney appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.

Now I lived too far away to visit the Bubs Club at the Randwick Ritz, but my friends who lived over that way raved about it.

Have you been to the movies lately with your baby or toddler in tow?

The Randwick Ritz Bubs Club

45 St Paul Street

Randwick 2031

Phone: 9399 5722

Website: www.ritzcinema.com.au

Times: Every Monday morning at 10am

Bubs Club is the name of the baby-friendly screening at the Randwick Ritz. The screening is held in the main cinema and is very popular.

The lights are left on very low and the movie’s sound level is slightly reduced, easier on those little ears.

Strollers are not usually taken into the cinema but can be left in the foyer.  It is preferable to carry baby into the cinema, or use a capsule,

Baby change: Change facilities in ladies toilet

Map reference: Gregory’s 377 C16, Sydway 77 G20, UBD 257 C16

Parking: $5 parking at Ezipark just alongside, ask for a voucher at the box office.  Street parking on St Paul Street and side streets

Bus stop nearby: Yes

View Larger Map

All baby-wrangling at the movies ideas and tips very welcome!

The post The Randwick Ritz Bubs Club – Sydney’s Most Child-Friendly Cinemas appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.

Remember to let your babies know that they don’t HAVE to cry when you take them into the ‘baby crying rooms’ at Warriewood Cinema Centre!

Tell them, really you’d prefer if they snoozed, or watched the movie with you!

This much-loved cinema on Sydney’s Northern Beaches is a bit of a mecaa for local mums and dads, and worth travelling to get to.

Enjoy your movie!

Warriewood Cinema Centre

4 Vuko Place

Warriewood 2102

Phone: 9913 2744

Website: www.unitedcinemas.com.au/warriewood

Times: All screenings in three of the cinemas

‘Baby crying rooms’ are found in three of the centre’s seven cinemas. Each has four seats. There are volume, air conditioner and light dimmer controls in the rooms.

Strollers can be left in the front of the cinema. Many people bring their carseat or bouncer in for the baby to sit in.

The cinema’s website doesn’t have any information about the ‘baby crying rooms’ so it’s best to call ahead to check what movies you can see. It’s a very good idea to book ahead to. Just call the cinema to chat it all through.

Baby change: Change mats provided in the crying rooms

Map reference: Gregory’s 199 C11, Sydway 199 K19, UBD 138 H11

Parking: Free carpark, entrance on Vuko Place

Bus stop nearby: Yes

Do you take your baby or toddler to the movies?

The post Warriewood Cinema Centre’s ‘Baby Crying Rooms’ – Child-Friendly Cinemas in Sydney appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.

Well done the Palace Cinema in Norton Street, not only is there a weekly screening for mums, dads and bubs, but the ticket price is cheap as chips.

Well done!

Grab that baby bag and get down to Norton Street to catch a first release movie. Don’t forget the nappies and a bag of popcorn for yourself!

Palace Norton Street

99 Norton Street

Leichhardt 2040

Phone: 9550 0122

Website: www.palacecinemas.com.au

Times: Every Thursday at 11am

Babes in Arms is the name given to the weekly family screenings of first release films at this cinema in trendy Norton Street. During the film, the cinema lights are dimmed but not fully blacked so that parents and carers can see what they are doing when dealing with the kids.

Baby change: Change table in disabled toilet

Extra: The Shearers on Norton bookshop is below the cinema in the same complex and has a cafe. Bar Italia is a short walk away  and there are numerous other cafes on Norton Street.

Map reference: Gregory’s 9 J10, Sydway 63 F5, UBD 255 A1

Parking: Pay carpark under the cinema, entrance on Norton Street beside Shearers on Norton bookshop

Bus stop nearby: Yes

View Larger Map

Seen any good movies recently?

Did you take the kids ?

The post Palace Norton Street – Sydney’s Most Child-Friendly Cinemas appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.

One of the best things about baby-friendly screenings at Sydney cinemas is they tend to be MUCH cheaper than the general screening.

Noisier too, no doubt, but still, cheap is good.  Event and Greater Union cinemas charge only $8.50 for their Babes in Arms screenings – bargain!

Event Cinemas and Greater Union

Website: www.eventcinemas.com.au

Click on Times and Tickets then filter session by Babes in Arms.

Times: Wednesday mornings at 10am or 10.30am, check with your local cinema (not on in school holidays)

* Screenings are for carers of young children.

* Children under 4 are free

* Lights are dimmed but not fully off

* Prams cannot be taken into the cinema but are stored safely outside

The following Greater Union and Event Cinemas have Babes in Arms sessions.

Arndale

Bondi Junction

Burwood

Campbelltown

Castle Hill

George Street

Hornsby

Liverpool

Macquarie

Miranda

Mosman

Parramatta

 Do you take your baby to the movies?

Is there screaming at the screening?

The post Babes In Arms Sessions at Greater Union and Event Cinemas appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.

What is it about giving birth that suddenly makes mums stop loving going to the movies?

Nothing, is the answer!

I was at the movies when I was in labour with my first son, turning up the TENS machine scene by scene. I was just as keen to see movies after he popped out as I had been before.

How To Go To The Movies With A Baby or Toddler

Tiny babies often behave very well in cinemas, sleeping a lot and feeding the rest of the time, but as they grow bigger they don’t always comply with accepted adult cinema etiquette. Other cinema-goers are not very impressed when a baby starts to squawk and splutter, or even screech and shriek.

When they get a bit older, babies want to sit up and watch the screen and pass their own comments on the action.

The special baby-friendly film screenings and the cinemas with ‘baby crying rooms’ are the ideal places to frequent.

Baby Crying Rooms

A ‘baby crying room’ is not the most descriptive term since most babies are very happy in these sound-proof rooms set at the back of the cinema. The rooms have huge windows, and up to 10 seats. Some have other amenities for babies such as bouncers and change tables.

Finding Out About Baby-Friendly Cinemas and Screenings

I’ve posted on all the baby and child-friendly cinemas in Syney:

Babes In Arms at Greater Union and Event Cinemas

Babes In Arms at Palace, Norton Street

Baby Crying Rooms at Warriewood

Mums and Bubs Sessions at Hoyts

Randwick Ritz Bubs Club

Reading Cinema, Rhodes

Richmond Regent Baby Crying Room

Roseville Cinema Baby Crying Room

[Things do change… please do email me if you find a new cinema which is great for babies and young children. Likewise if any of the details have changed. Thank you!]

What Do Parents Say About Baby-Friendly Cinemas and Screenings

As is often the case in baby-related matters, some parents swear by the screenings and crying rooms and others swear about them!

Here is a handful of comments from film-going parents are carers.

 ‘I wouldn’t advise anyone to go to see a film that requires much concentration. It’s not the way to see a Schindler’s List, there can be just too much commotion, but with light-hearted films it’s no problem.’

‘Sometimes you get a bit of a pram traffic jam, so I just walk her along in the sling. She likes to sit on my lap now, watching the screen sometimes and playing with her toys, blowing raspberries if she gets fed up.’

‘Baby crying rooms are great for parents; there’s more choice of films as they are available for every screening in cinemas that have them. They’re great for nights out as a couple—it’s a bonus if the baby does drop off and let us watch in peace, but it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t.’

‘You do gets lots of screaming at the screenings, but that’s the beauty of it. No-one expects perfect peace and quiet, and no-one gets it!’

And here’s a post on whether to BYO popcorn to the movies!

Do you visit the movies with your baby?

Any top tips?

Enjoy your movie!

The post UPDATED! Baby and Child-Friendly Cinemas in Sydney appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.

Hello, have you been to the cinema recently with babies or young children?  Do you know how many Sydney cinemas aim to be child-friendly? (Read my list of all the baby crysing rooms and child-friendly screenings in Sydney here.)

And here’s a post from Linda Anderson of  Linda On The Go.

She visited the Crying Room at Reading Cinema Rhodes.

Reading Cinema Rhodes – Crying Rooms

If you love going to the movies and have a bub or toddler in tow then you will love Crying Rooms!

Reading Cinema Rhodes has two – they are essentially a little sound proof room positioned in a prime viewing area. You can see the main screen easily through the viewing window but nobody else can hear your little angel crying.

The Crying Room means you can go to any movie, at any time, on any day in that cinema which offers much more flexibility than weekly Mums & Bubs sessions you will find elsewhere.

If you make a trip to Rhodes Reading Cinema be sure to leave enough time for a quick visit to IKEA too!

Reading Cinema Rhodes

Rhodes Waterside Shopping Centre

1 Rider Boulevard

Rhodes 2138

Phone:9736 7900

Website: http://readingcinemas.com.au/locations/theatre/rhodes

Times: All screenings in Cinemas 4 and 5

Crying Rooms are located in the two largest cinemas which means you get to see the latest release movies. Each has nine seats, however avoid sitting in the front row as the seats are really low down and makes the screen harder to see.

Strollers can be left in the front of the cinema. Most people will bring a baby in a baby carrier, capsule or even bring a little bouncer to put on the floor.

You can’t see which movies are on in Cinema 4 and 5 by visiting the website but if you call the cinema you will reach a recorded message. Dial 4 for Crying Room session times.

Baby change: There is a change table available in each Crying Room. It is has a dimmer light switch available to ensure you can change a nappy without disturbing other parents or blinding your baby with a bright light.

Map reference:

Parking: Rhodes Waterside Shopping Centre has a large underground carpark. Reading Cinemas Rhodes’ ticket holders can enjoy FOUR HOURS of free parking seven days a week.  What’s better, if you enter the carpark after 6pm, parking is unlimited and FREE!

Bus stop nearby: Yes – Route 458

Train: Rhodes Train Station is a 5 minute walk away

Hooray for all the Sydney cinemas that are baby, toddler and child-friendly.  

The parents of Sydney salute you?

Have you visited a crying room?

What did you think?

Happy movie going,

Linda’s also written a post about taking bubs to the movies, find it here.

The post Reading Cinemas Rhodes Baby Crying Room appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.

Hooray for the big multiplexes who offer screenings for mums, dads and carers of babies and toddlers.

And at a much reduced ticket price too!

BYO popcorn, don’t forget the kids and enjoy that movie.

Hoyts Prams At The Pix

See Prams At The Pix webpage here

(or go to Hoyts, then More, then Offers – View All

Times: weekly on Wednesdays at most Hoyts cinemas, except in school holidays

Here’s what Hoyts say:

Relax and unwind, as we host the latest movies on the big screen, including comedy, drama, action and sci-fi flicks with all tickets just $11* and kids under five FREE!

We’ll dim the lights and soften the volume, to ensure you can sit back and enjoy your break.

Weekly sessions times are updated regularly, so check the website for upcoming movies.

NB   Prams at the PIX sessions are not held during school holiday periods. Sessions are subject to change without notice. Not available in the following locations; Chatswood Westfield, Melbourne Central and Chadstone. An online booking fee applies per ticket – $1.20 for General Admission.

All the other viewers have kids too so no-one will mind the odd squawk from your child.

 Do you take your baby to the movies?

Can you share any top tips for cinema success?

The post Baby-Friendly Screenings at Hoyts Cinemas appeared first on Hello Sydney Kids.