A cry room, crying room, or infant care room[1] is a space designed for people to take babies or small children for privacy or to reduce disturbance of others. Started in the 1950s, they are usually found in churches, theatres, and cinemas.[2][3] Cry rooms are often designed with soundproofing properties to dampen the sounds made within. Many are equipped with a speaker system to allow the occupants to continue listening to the presentation in the main space, be it a church service or performance in a theatre.[4]

Some churches have cry rooms for when a child becomes "out of control, disruptive enough to distract people, or makes it hard for others to hear or contemplate".[5] Cry rooms are used in theatres and cinemas to allow a child to be taken out of the main auditorium while still allowing the accompanying adult to watch the performance.[6][7]

There are hardly any cry rooms anymore, particularly in cinemas, which is mainly due to the rise of multiplex theaters beginning in the 1970s.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Landmark Theatres. Archived from the original on 25 June 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  2. ^ Bott, Tim (2009). "Cry Room Acoustics". Acoustic Sciences Corporation. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  3. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions - What is a Cry Room?". Warren Theaters LLC. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  4. ^ "Cry/Toddler Room". St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Question: Do you have a Cry Room or Childcare?". Saint Thomas The Apostle Roman Catholic Parish. Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  6. ^ "About Reading cinemas". Rhodes. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  7. ^ "Crying Rooms". CMAX Cinemas Palmerston. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  8. ^ "The Cry Room". cinelog.org. 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
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