← All bedtime stories · Social stories
Social Story for Going to the Movies
A first trip to the movies is exciting, and also a lot: a huge dark room, sound that is much louder than at home, and a screen so big you can’t see all of it at once. For some children, especially those sensitive to noise or the dark, knowing what will happen makes the difference between loving it and wanting to leave in the first five minutes.
The story below walks through a first movie in order, and says plainly that it is fine to cover your ears or step out for a minute. Free to read aloud, or make one with your child in it.
What will happen, in order
- Buy the tickets
- Find our seats
- The lights go down
- The movie is big and loud
- We can step out if we need to
Read the steps together in the daytime, more than once. The free printable below has these steps at the top and the bedtime story underneath.
Theo’s Big Screen
A free story to read aloud tonight
On Sunday, Theo and Aunt Jo went to the movies. Theo had never been to a movie theater before. He had only watched movies on the couch, under a blanket.
At the front, Aunt Jo bought two tickets and a big bucket of popcorn to share. Then they walked down a long hallway to a door with a number on it. Theater 4. Inside, there were rows and rows of soft red seats.
They found their seats near the middle. The screen was enormous, bigger than their whole house. Then the lights went down, slowly, until it was nearly dark, with little lights along the floor so you could still see the steps.
When the movie started, it was very loud. Theo jumped. He put his hands over his ears, and Aunt Jo whispered, “That’s fine. You can keep them there as long as you want.” After a while, he took one hand off, then the other.
In the middle, there was a scary part, with a storm. Aunt Jo whispered, “Want to go out for a minute?” They went out to the bright hallway and got a drink of water, then came back. By then, the storm was over, and the movie was funny again.
At the end, the lights came up, and everyone clapped. In the car, Theo told Aunt Jo his favorite part three times. That night, in bed, his room felt very small and quiet after the big screen, and he fell asleep thinking about the popcorn.
Read it a few nights running rather than on the morning of. Familiarity is the part that works. The aim is that by the day itself, none of it is new.
What age is good for a first movie theater trip?
It depends on the child and the movie more than an exact age. A short, gentle movie, seats near an aisle, and a plan for stepping out if it is too much all help. Some theaters offer sensory-friendly showings with the lights up and the sound down.
What if my child gets scared during the movie?
Covering their ears, holding your hand, or stepping out to the hallway for a minute are all fine. Telling them before you go that those are allowed tends to help them stay.