Cinemas in London

For pure scale, BFI IMAX is the one reviewers rate for older children and teens who can sit through a full feature; the Best Cinemas in London for Kids and Families guide names it among the best for families for having the UK's biggest screen. Reviewers there flag tight rows and awkward mid-film exits, and suggest checking whether a film was actually shot in IMAX. Cineworld London Leicester Square gets similar special-occasion praise for IMAX and 4DX, while Cineworld Wandsworth is the 4DX pick for teens who can handle wind and water effects (reviewers say to dress in layers). ODEON Luxe West End is singled out for its Dolby screen, with one reviewer tip to bring hair clips because the 3D glasses are adult-sized.

If the outing is the point, the sofa-and-table-service cinemas suit children of around eight and up: Everyman Muswell Hill, Everyman Canary Wharf and Everyman Crystal Palace all run Baby Club and Toddler Club sessions, and reviewers say any sofa at Muswell Hill has a decent sightline. Electric Cinema on Portobello Road delivers food to your seat; book at least a day ahead.

For regular trips on a budget, Peckhamplex charges a flat price and runs Watch with Baby and autism-friendly screenings, though there is no assigned seating. Picturehouse says its weekend Kids' Club at Clapham Picturehouse and Greenwich Picturehouse charges a flat low price per ticket, and Barbican Cinema 1 has a weekend Family Film Club with reduced tickets. Genesis Cinema stands out for ground-floor sofa seating and staff who help with accessibility unprompted, and drivers get five hours of free parking at ODEON Greenwich.