The Crossing Theatre held a special movie screening for local parents.
The session invited mums, bubs, parents and carers on Monday, March 29 to see the animated hit, The Secret Life of Pets 2.
The event was the first of its kind in Narrabri, featuring dimmed lights and softened sound.
This provided enough visibility for parents to keep an eye on their little ones while ensuring audio sensitivity for young ears.
Parents were also encouraged to move freely around the cinema, allowing them to come and go from the room or change seats, whenever their babies were feeling restless.
The Crossing Theatre worked in collaboration with Narrabri and District Community Aid Service Inc. (NDCAS) to put on this special mums and bubs session.
Children under five-years-old were afforded free entry, with adult attendees paying just eight dollars for their ticket and a small popcorn and drink combo.
All children in attendance were also given a free NDCAS lunch bag upon arrival, which included colouring-in packs, snacks and a popper.
NDCAS’ Kayla Nehrkorn believes pairing this giftbag with affordable tickets encouraged more parents and carers to take advantage of the offer.
“I know how expensive it can be to organise a family outing, so it was important to me that this screening was cost-friendly,” Ms Nehrkorn said.
She also added that this extra resource helped children who found themselves distracted during the movie.
“This way they can have a little something to eat and drink, or do some colouring and drawing, if they grow restless,” she said.
Ms Nehrkorn believes the event encouraged an increased sense of belonging in the community, allowing parents and carers to meet up in a pressure-free environment.
“They’ve all got little ones, so there was no judgement if one of the babies started crying or some of the older ones wanted to play around in the cinema,” she said.
Ms Nehrkorn said the event was well-received, and hopes to host similar initiatives in the future.
“There’s a real call for more groups and activities dedicated to parents and carers of young ones in the local community,” she said.
“They’re all parents with young kids so it makes sense to have more occasions, specifically designed for them, that bring them together.”
“With the success we had today, we’d definitely be interested in planning more events like this.”
