Going To The Movies - Cinemas for Kids
One thing that visitors to Qatar always notice is how family-orientated a country it is. Family is one of the most important aspects of Qatari life, and it shows in the plethora of family-friendly activities and entertainment available. Land in the international airport, you'll find artwork across the terminals, some of which cleverly incorporate playgrounds for kids. Drive across the city and discover a myriad of play parks, theme parks, waterparks, adventure playgrounds, trampoline parks, arcades, beach parks, zoos and much, much more specifically designed to entertain families with kids of all ages. Even malls, traditionally for shopping pursuits only, are transformed by family-friendly entertainment zones to ensure a day's shopping suits everyone. It is no surprise then that Qatar has quickly cottoned on to the latest family-centred entertainment trend - cinemas for kids.
Worldwide, the movie industry is enormous, with no shortage of kids' films. However, for the longest time, children have enjoyed watching their favourite flicks in movie theatres designed for adults. Inevitably, since kids are spontaneous, enjoy fidgeting, think nothing of getting up to play or talk during a film and tend to need the bathroom on multiple occasions, cinemas can be pretty stressful for parents. Other cinemagoers' needs and general social etiquette while watching a movie don't necessarily match with kids' exuberance. But, recently, a new type of cinema experience has begun - family-friendly auditoriums!
Child-friendly screens are specially adapted to create a fun, relaxed and comfortable worry-free zone for kids, parents and guardians. Kids’ cinemas are brighter, more colourful, have space to play and incorporate features such as chairs designed for kids, areas for parking prams and pushchairs, enhanced lighting during the film and lower audio volume for sensitive ears. Some screens even have associated lounges and playgrounds nearby to enable very active kids to burn off steam before, during or after a movie.
Numerous cinemas in Qatar have adopted family-friendly options into their design - here are our favourites:
Qatar’s Family-Friendly Cinemas
NOVO Kidz
Image: Novo Cinema Qatar
NOVO Cinemas is one of the largest cinema chains in the Middle East. In Qatar, there are six NOVO movie theatres, all offering a variety of experiences, from 3D and 4D Motion EFX theatres, immersive IMAX screens to auditoriums offering VIP 7-Star and VIP Majlis (private booths complete with comfy sofas, dining tables and four-course menu). And, of course, kids' screens.
NOVO Kidz can be found in NOVO movie houses at the 01 Mall, the Mall of Qatar, The Pearl and Souq Waqif. The family-friendly auditoriums have been specially created for kids. There are bright, colourful features, plush, comfortable chairs (ergonomically designed with smaller folk in mind), a safe environment with adjustable lights and sound levels, showing age-appropriate content, and plenty of room for restless and excitable kids to move around in.
Families can even rent out a screen at NOVO for kids' birthday parties. Not only do kids and their friends get the whole screen to themselves, but they can also pick their favourite film to watch while there.
To book an experience for the whole family at one of NOVO's kids' screens, check out their website, https://qa.novocinemas.com, or contact them at +974 4031 5800. And don't forget to keep an eye open for special promotions; the cinema chain often offers two-for-one tickets, concessions for students and other great money-saving deals.
VOX Kids
Image: VOX Cinemas Qatar
VOX Cinemas is the largest cinema chain in the MENA (Middle East, Africa and Central Asia) region, with almost 600 screens in operation. In Qatar, VOX operates out of Doha Festival City Mall and the Doha Oasis development. The 18 and 19-screen cinemas offer a host of VIP cinema experiences, 4DX, MAX Laser and kids screens, and the standard cinema experience.
The kids' screens have been created especially with little moviegoers in mind. VOX Kids features brightly themed interiors with comfy, colourful seats and, at the Oasis, a choice of bean bag-style recliners, chairs and sofas. Each auditorium has adjustable lighting and sound levels to cater for kids' needs and shows family-friendly content only. For that extra special touch, the cinemas host appearances from kids' favourite movie characters and provide adjoining play areas for kids to burn off energy during their visits.
Birthday parties can also be organised at Qatar's VOX cinemas, with screen rental and birthday party rooms available.
Booking seats for your little ones couldn't be easier; just check out the VOX Qatar website, https://qat.voxcinemas.com. And don't forget to check for promotions; VOX often offers two-for-one tickets, half-price tickets and other such bargains.
Great cinematic experiences shouldn't just be for adults - so get out there and make the most of Qatar's movie theatres tailored and exclusively designed for kids and fun!
Main image: Zoriana Zaitseva/Shutterstock.com