Nothing ruins a moviegoing experience quite like crying, screaming, rambunctious (i.e. noisy) children. Between that and someone filming a key scene on their phone…it’s hard to tell which is a bigger buzzkill. We get it—kids will be kids. It’s not their fault they’re not exactly wired to sit still for 2+ hours. But too many times exhausted parents just sort of let their kids run amok, as though the theater is their own personal playground, which is…frustrating, to say the least. And even more baffling when it happens during a movie not even geared towards kids. Ratings are there for a reason, people!Of course, it can’t be easy for parents either. They want to offer their children the magic of seeing films on the big screen, and movie theaters fit the bill for reasonably priced family activities—a list that grows shorter and shorter all the time. So simply “waiting until they're old enough” doesn't feel like the perfect solution either. One movie theater chain, Cinépolis USA, seems to have a brilliant idea for keeping everyone happy, by making a theater just for kids. In a TikTok posted by art teacher and dad Austyn de Lugo Liston, we get a glimpse into Cinépolis’ "Junior Theaters," which is designed specifically for toddlers. Liston, who took his kids to see Moana 2, shared that this is the only theater we ever take our youngest two kids to because they're not really ready for the full movie theater experience where they sit and just watch for two hours.”After watching his video, it’s easy to see why his kids love it. It features a ton of play areas reminiscent of a McDonald's PlayPlace—tunnels, play pens, fun little orbs that the little can crawl into, you name it. Listen said families are able to get in half an hour early to allow kiddos get out some of that energy before settling in for the movie. @austynliston Cinépolis Junior Theater #cinepolis #toddler #parenting #losangeles #thingstodolosangeles #familyfriendly #juniortheater @Cinépolis USA ♬ original sound - Austyn de Lugo Liston Plus, each movie in the Junior Theater has a 15-minute intermission for a potty break, which is something I know a lot of adults would like in their own movie.All in all, Liston felt that “it's a great way to start easing kids into movie theater etiquette where you're not too scared that they're going to cry and ruin the experience for someone else because everyone in the theater is either a little kid or the parent of a little kid.”Still, others who saw the video had some reservations. Primarily, people were concerned that this just instilled bad moviegoing habits for later in life. “Isn’t this teaching the kids they can go crazy at the movies?” one person asked. Another remarked, “That’s definitely not easing them into any etiquette.”Still another wrote. “I feel like this just teaches them not to sit still during a movie. Cause once they hit the ‘right age’ they’re not going to be able to just sit through the movie.”A few still argued that the best method was to simply wait until they're old enough. As one person put it, “or...take your kids to the movies when they are old enough to sit still...for this just take them to a play place.”However, there were a few notable clapbacks to some of these criticisms. For one, someone said “with this logic the playgrounds at McDonalds teaches them not to sit still during a meal.” Which is a fair point. Sitting still, whether at dinner or a movie theater, is a skill that develops in kids over time. Working with where they are now isn’t going to change that. Another pointed out that play areas at movies isn’t an entirely new concept. Back in the days of drive-in theaters, many spots did in fact have playgrounds for families. Considering the alternative (families either missing out on bringing young kids to movies entirely or, more likely, bringing them to regular theaters and waiting for the inevitable cacophony to happen) this seems like a win-win for everyone. Now if only they made potluck style theater specifically made for people who don’t want to buy concessions. Ready to find a Junior Theater near you? Click here.