Guide to Sensory-Friendly Movie Showings Near Reading, PA

Going to the movies is a simple pleasure that everyone should be able to enjoy, including those with sensory sensitivities who may get overwhelmed and overstimulated during traditional movie screenings.

You can find sensory-friendly movie showings near Reading at R/C Movies’ 11 and IMAX theaters, nearby AMC movie theaters, Penn Cinema, and the Philadelphia Film Society. Dimmed lighting and lowered audio help prevent overstimulation at sensory-friendly screenings. Moviegoers are free to move around, talk, dance, or sing along with the film without worrying about being shushed by others.

Visit Rollie’s Place in Reading, a sensory-friendly café and dining experience.

What Movie Theaters Have Sensory-Friendly Movie Showings Near Reading, PA?

There are several movie theaters in and around Reading that offer sensory-friendly movie screenings for people of all ages.

R/C Reading Movies 11 & IMAX

R/C Reading Movies hosts sensory-friendly Sundays on the first Sunday of every month. Movies start in the early afternoon, featuring softer soundtracks, dimmed but not totally off lights, and a relaxed atmosphere where viewers are welcome to move, talk, and sing along while watching family-friendly films in a relaxed, welcoming environment.

AMC Dine-In Berkshire 8 & Fairgrounds 10

As a partner of the Autism Society, AMC Theaters hosts sensory-friendly film programs for children and families on the second and fourth Saturday of every month, and for adults and mature audiences with sensory sensitivities on Wednesday evenings.

Sensory-friendly movie showings begin right at the scheduled show time so that you don’t have to sit through boring or loud trailers and advertisements while waiting for the film to begin, which can be anxiety-inducing for some.

Penn Cinema

Penn Cinema in Lititz also has sensory-friendly movie showings periodically throughout the year, just under a forty-minute drive from Reading. The volume is turned down, the lights are kept dimmed, and viewers are welcome to talk and move around during the viewing experience.

Philadelphia Film Society

The Philadelphia Film Society’s sensory-friendly screenings may be well worth the drive from Reading, especially for such an inclusive, welcoming experience. The Philadelphia Film Society turns the lights down but not completely off, lowers the audio levels, and even makes earplugs available to viewers. There is also a quiet space in the lobby for viewers who may get overstimulated and need a private place to decompress, as well as pre-screening activities.

What Are Key Features of Sensory-Friendly Movie Showings?

Many aspects of movie theaters can be overwhelming for anyone with sensory sensitivities, and sensory-friendly movie showings aim to limit stress and overstimulation by taking intentional steps.

Dimmed Lighting

Movie theaters traditionally turn all of the lights off once a film begins. While this can be the optimal viewing experience for some, for others, the darkness can be disorienting and frightening. Dimmed lighting allows moviegoers to safely walk, move, and even dance around during screenings without tripping or falling.

Lowered Volume

The audio in movie theaters is typically very loud, making it extremely overwhelming for those with sensory sensitivities. For a more comfortable, enjoyable viewing experience, movie theaters lower the volume during sensory-friendly screenings. The lowered volume reduces stress and prevents pain and discomfort in viewers with sensitive ears.

No Trailers

For sensory-friendly screenings, movie theaters may eliminate the trailers altogether to help prevent sensory overload from potentially frightening or disturbing content that has nothing to do with the movie being screened.

Eliminating trailers also helps ensure sensory-friendly screenings begin on time so there is no waiting for movies to start.

Talking Allowed

Talking is allowed, and even encouraged, during most sensory-friendly movie screenings in and around Reading. Viewers can audibly respond to what happens in a film without being shushed or feeling self-conscious about uncontrollable outbursts. Not just talking, but singing, dancing, and other movement and sounds are permitted during sensory-friendly screenings, eliminating a ton of stress for moviegoers.

How Can You Make Any Movie Showing More Sensory Friendly?

Even if a particular movie screening is not explicitly sensory-friendly, there are ways you can make the space more enjoyable for you or your child with sensory sensitivities.

Wear Noise-Reducing Headphones

Bringing noise-reducing headphones or earplugs along with you to a movie screening can make it more enjoyable for you or your child with sensory sensitivities. Earplugs can help prevent overstimulation and stress from loud noises during films and enhance the viewing experience, even if it is not an explicitly sensory-friendly screening.

Bring a Weighted Blanket

Weighted blankets are great to bring to movie screenings to help sensory-sensitive moviegoers feel more grounded and calm during films. In addition to helping greatly with self-regulation, a weighted blanket can keep you warm and cozy in movie theaters, which are often quite chilly.

Take Advantage of Assigned Seating

By purchasing movie tickets with assigned seating, you don’t have to stress about finding a good seat or enough seats together for your entire party. This eliminates any anxiety over seating, and lets you mentally prepare for where you will be sitting and what view of the screen you will have. You can also intentionally choose seats that give you more privacy to make your movie-going experience more enjoyable.

Strategically Time Your Arrival

Sensory-friendly movie screenings may eliminate pre-movie trailers, but other screenings do not. Rather than sitting through fifteen or twenty minutes of trailers, time your arrival at the theater so that you arrive towards the end of the trailers and closer to the actual start time of the movie. You can call ahead and ask how long trailers typically run for so you can time your arrival.

Stop by Rollie’s Place Before or After

Before or after going to the movies, spend some time at Rollie’s Place. Our sensory-friendly café is a welcoming, inclusive space for all, and is a great meeting point for friends about to go out to the movies together.

Try Rollie’s Place Today

Try the food and drinks at Rollie’s Place, an accessible, sensory-friendly café in Reading, Pennsylvania.