Since my 2 girls can not hold still for longer than 2 seconds at a time, I know waiting in lines at Disney World is going to be a challenge, so I came up with some ideas that I hope will help.
1. Lots to do in Line: Walt Disney World
This is a book (which I bought) and there is also an app (which I didn't buy). Full of trivia questions for every ride and attraction (the answers are found in the queues and also at the end of each chapter) and scavenger hunts. Play by yourself or compete with your family to see who can get the most points.
2. Walt Disney World Adventure a Field Guide and Activity Book for Explorers
I wrote about this book in an earlier post. It has puzzles and games you can do while waiting in line.
3. Look for hidden Mickeys.
There is a book and an app of where to look for them (although I didn't buy either so can't comment on them). Although not up to date you can also check out hiddenmickeys.org/WDW/. Some of the books I mentioned in my resources post also list a few hidden Mickeys.
4. Play I-spy. Or 20 questions.
There are a lot of things you can find in the lines, get creative.
5. Bring a bottle of bubbles to blow.
I saw this idea somewhere but probably will not do it.
6. Many of the rides have interactive queues.
Haunted Mansion supposedly has a mystery you can solve. Dumbo has a play area. Pooh has fun things to do. At Test Track you can design your own race car.
7. Make sure to have snacks and drinks with you.
8. If waiting in line at night, bring glow bracelets/necklaces (check the dollar store).
9. Give the kids the camera and let them take a few pictures. Maybe even give them each a disposable camera so it's not a big deal if they drop it.
Now for a few airport/airplane ideas.
Since it's recommended you get to the airport so long before your flight, I know my girls will be antsy before they even get on the plane. So I packed a small inflatable beach ball in each of their carry on bags. I figure we can find an empty waiting area and let them throw and kick the balls around. Being so small the balls will deflate quickly to repack when it's time to board the plane. Then they can also use the balls at the hotel pool/beach.
I made up an airport scavenger hunt.
-person on a cell phone
-someone using a laptop
-a pilot
-someone with more than 3 pieces of luggage
-a baby in a stroller
-a boy wearing a backpack
-someone eating
-a newspaper
-a woman reading a book
-a red suitcase (or any other color you pick)
-a man wearing a baseball cap
I know we will be the family on the plane that everyone hates with the uncontrollable kids. I am so nervous about the girl's first airplane ride. I packed their carry-ons with lots of things that will hopefully keep them busy.
1. I made them each a Disney activity binder. I printed lots of free Disney coloring pages, word searches, connect the dots, and other age appropriate activities for each girl (I just searched google for "free Disney printables"). I also included a few blank pieces of paper for drawing and some 8 1/2x 11 patterned scrapbook paper for putting stickers on. Then I filled a pencil case (the kind with holes so it would fit in the 3 ring binder) with crayons, markers, Disney stickers,Disney tape, etc.
I forgot to take pictures of this and the camera is packed now but I will try to remember when we get back to show some pictures of it.
2. Lots of snacks. Also gum and lollipops to help with their ears popping.
3. Disney themed books, including an I-spy book
4. Leapster and a couple new Disney themed games for my older daughter
5. Their favorite doll/stuffed animal
6. A few new Disney themed toys that I will give out to them throughout the flight. Check the dollar store for these. I got them a Minnie Mouse puzzle in a cute little tin that should fit nicely on the tray. I also got at the dollar store small Disney figures and Disney themed rubber band bracelets (I forget the name of these). And at a yard sale I found Rapunzel (older dd's current favorite character) Barbie.
7. My Kindle Fire with new books loaded on it.
8. Color wonder book (Disney themed of course) and color wonder markers for my younger daughter so I don't have to worry about her making a mess.
9. Both of the girls will have a window seat so they won't be fighting over who gets to look out and hopefully looking out will help keep them entertained.
10. Mini etch a sketch
11. Other ideas I saw (probably on pinterest lol) are window clings for the plane windows, making puppets out of the barf bags, and playing i-spy with the in flight magazine.
So hopefully this will be enough to survive a 3 hour flight with 2 VERY active children!
This is my last post before we leave Monday for Disney (1 more day!!!) so stay tuned at the beginning of November for lots of pictures and posts about our trip. I'm hoping to show you some of the things I made to prepare for our trip (Mickey ears chalk countdown calender, binder full of information, embellished flip flops, mouse ears, etc.). I'll also share ideas and tips I learned while there and things I'd do differently if we're ever lucky enough to go again.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Disney Resources
Here are the Disney resources (books and websites) I found most useful while planning our upcoming trip. Some are for planning your Disney vacation in general and others are from the educational aspect.
*Walt Disney World Resort Guide to the Magic for Kids by Tim Foster
I bought this book (although pricey at about $25) for my older daughter to use while at the parks and as a keepsake afterwards. Has info on all rides/attractions at each of the four parks, scare factor, room for autographs, stickers, and a travel journal. Great book in my opinion.
*Walt Disney World Adventure: a Field Guide and Activity Book for Explorers
Although this book is a little too advanced for my 5 year old, I like it. Has activities like secret codes, photo scavenger hunts, and word searches as well as trivia. Also has websites to explore related topics (presidents, Mars, countries, biomes, and much more). Good to use while waiting in line.
*Lots to do in Line by Meredith Lyn Pierce
Since a large part of visiting Disney is waiting in lines and my girls are not good at that, I thought this book would be a nice idea. I'll let you know how well it worked after our trip. It is full of scavenger hunts and questions (you can keep score or not) for all the lines at Disney World. Keeps your kids busying looking all over (answers are in the back of the book if needed) and if they compete against each other they can practice math by adding their scores.
*Vacation Education Destination Epcot and Vacation Destination Magic Kingdom
Written by a homeschool mom. Both available for Kindle. I didn't read these as I enjoyed coming up with my own ideas but if you need more help I've heard they are good.
*Magical Mouse Schoolhouse: Learn While you Play at Walt Disneyworld Resort
I bought the Kindle version for $5. There were some good ideas and "take away" activities but the majority are things I had already thought of on my own or were only very loosely related to the ride or attraction it went with. There is also a website (MagicalMouseSchoolhouse.com) to go along with this. The website offers monthly "earn your EARS" activities that you complete and submit proof of to get a small prize in the mail. We did the Spetember one (involving dropping an egg to test safety) and received a jumbo Minnie Mouse eraser. We are currently working on October's (time travel).
*The Mystery at Disney World by Carole Marsh and the Teachers Guide to go along with it.
A good chapter book for young readers. The teachers guide has a question for most pages and at the back there is a page of questions for each subject (math, English, geopgraphy, art) and activities (maze, word search, quizzes, design your own amsuement park, etc.).
*sse.disney.go.com/media/ap/spaceship-earth/#/real-disney-theme-park-science
Very cool website with videos from Disney on science related topics, such as, electricity. energy, gravity, magnetism. You can also download extension activities. Connect with Disney imagineers and scientists to find out the answers to all your questions. Take the theme park science challenge. There are also many links to other science websites.
*themouseforless.com
Lots of printables for Epcot World Showcase countries. Use before your trip to study, during as a scavenger hunt, and after to reinforce what you saw and learned. This site also has printable child travel ids (in case your child gets lost), word search puzzles, autograph pages, kids maps, checklists, and more.
*WDWprepschool.com
While not educational, this has been my favorite planning website (she's also on facebook and does a weekly podcast). Lots of good info including best/worst times to go to Disney, packing lists, free printables, and a wealth of other important things.
*http://disneyworldforum.disney.go.com/home.aspx
The Moms Panel is another useful site for planning your trip. You can get answers to all your questions here.
Well I think that covers all of my favorite Disney resources. Let me know if you have any to add.
All opinions are my own. I bought all books myself and received no compensation or credit for reviewing them.
*Walt Disney World Resort Guide to the Magic for Kids by Tim Foster
I bought this book (although pricey at about $25) for my older daughter to use while at the parks and as a keepsake afterwards. Has info on all rides/attractions at each of the four parks, scare factor, room for autographs, stickers, and a travel journal. Great book in my opinion.
*Walt Disney World Adventure: a Field Guide and Activity Book for Explorers
Although this book is a little too advanced for my 5 year old, I like it. Has activities like secret codes, photo scavenger hunts, and word searches as well as trivia. Also has websites to explore related topics (presidents, Mars, countries, biomes, and much more). Good to use while waiting in line.
*Lots to do in Line by Meredith Lyn Pierce
Since a large part of visiting Disney is waiting in lines and my girls are not good at that, I thought this book would be a nice idea. I'll let you know how well it worked after our trip. It is full of scavenger hunts and questions (you can keep score or not) for all the lines at Disney World. Keeps your kids busying looking all over (answers are in the back of the book if needed) and if they compete against each other they can practice math by adding their scores.
*Vacation Education Destination Epcot and Vacation Destination Magic Kingdom
Written by a homeschool mom. Both available for Kindle. I didn't read these as I enjoyed coming up with my own ideas but if you need more help I've heard they are good.
*Magical Mouse Schoolhouse: Learn While you Play at Walt Disneyworld Resort
I bought the Kindle version for $5. There were some good ideas and "take away" activities but the majority are things I had already thought of on my own or were only very loosely related to the ride or attraction it went with. There is also a website (MagicalMouseSchoolhouse.com) to go along with this. The website offers monthly "earn your EARS" activities that you complete and submit proof of to get a small prize in the mail. We did the Spetember one (involving dropping an egg to test safety) and received a jumbo Minnie Mouse eraser. We are currently working on October's (time travel).
*The Mystery at Disney World by Carole Marsh and the Teachers Guide to go along with it.
A good chapter book for young readers. The teachers guide has a question for most pages and at the back there is a page of questions for each subject (math, English, geopgraphy, art) and activities (maze, word search, quizzes, design your own amsuement park, etc.).
*sse.disney.go.com/media/ap/spaceship-earth/#/real-disney-theme-park-science
Very cool website with videos from Disney on science related topics, such as, electricity. energy, gravity, magnetism. You can also download extension activities. Connect with Disney imagineers and scientists to find out the answers to all your questions. Take the theme park science challenge. There are also many links to other science websites.
*themouseforless.com
Lots of printables for Epcot World Showcase countries. Use before your trip to study, during as a scavenger hunt, and after to reinforce what you saw and learned. This site also has printable child travel ids (in case your child gets lost), word search puzzles, autograph pages, kids maps, checklists, and more.
*WDWprepschool.com
While not educational, this has been my favorite planning website (she's also on facebook and does a weekly podcast). Lots of good info including best/worst times to go to Disney, packing lists, free printables, and a wealth of other important things.
*http://disneyworldforum.disney.go.com/home.aspx
The Moms Panel is another useful site for planning your trip. You can get answers to all your questions here.
Well I think that covers all of my favorite Disney resources. Let me know if you have any to add.
All opinions are my own. I bought all books myself and received no compensation or credit for reviewing them.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Epcot
Today will be the longest post about making Disney educational as I will be covering Epcot which has two parts, Future World, and World Showcase.
Epcot is an acronym. What does it stand for? What other acronyms do you know?
First up is Future World
Spaceship Earth
Communications through time. Pick a topic highlighted in the ride and do a unit study on it when you get home. Possible topics include the Renaissance, ancient Egypt (make papyrus or write your name in hieroglyphics), Dark Ages, printing press. Search Pinterest for hands-on activities to go along with these topics. If you could go back in time, what year or period would you choose and why? What do you think the future will be like?
Sum of all thrills
Design your own coaster and then ride it in a simulator. Learn about inertia force, gravity, building, etc.
The Innovations and Imagination pavilions are full of hands-on, educational activities that explore numerous science and technology topics.
Living Seas/The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Study coral reefs. Where are they found? What animals live in them? Study sea turtles, manatees, sting rays, dolphins, clown fish, etc. Which of these animals are endangered and why? What determines if a sea turtle will be a boy or girl? Answer: the temperature of the sand where the eggs were laid. If your child is interested in art have him/her draw a coral reef.
The Land
Where does food come from? Follow your favorite food from the farm to your table. What are greenhouses used for? Study rain forests, deserts, prairies, and other biomes. Locate each on a map and find out what animals live in them.
Soarin'
Find California on a map. What states border CA? What is the capital and population? What sights do you see on the ride and where in California are they found? Study bridges using the Golden Gate bridge as an example. Build a model bridge (see Pinterest for ideas).
Mission Space
NASA, space, famous astronauts, Mars, gravity, and weightlessness are all possible topics of study. Who was the first American in space? How far away is Mars from Earth? Why is it known as the red planet?
Universe of Energy
Obviously you can learn about energy. What are the different types of energy? What is the Big Bang? What are fossil fuels? How can you save energy?
Test Track
Learn about taking care of cars and car safety. Maybe someone can show you how to change a tire and check the oil level. What keeps you safe in a car? Draw or write about your dream car. The cars go 65 mph. Make up math problems related to this speed limit.
Part two is World Showcase.
I plan to briefly study each country before our trip. Ideas I'm hoping to do for each country:
Locate on map/globe
Make a flag; what do the colors/designs on each flag represent?
Capital city
Cook a meal
Study the culture and clothing
Famous landmarks
Language--learn a few words
Music
Customs
Money
While at Epcot I plan to buy at least one educational souvenir in each country. I will be back to post what I got in each one after our trip.
Specific country idea:
Mexico
Make a pinata. What is the significance of pinatas? Learn hello, goodbye, please, and thank you in Spanish. Make Mexican hot chocolate, refried beans, tacos, etc. Study the Mayans and Aztecs. Watch The Three Caballeros.
United Kingdom
Watch Mary Poppins. Have afternoon tea w/scones and tea sandwiches. Have fish and chips. What countries make up the UK? Who is the current queen?
Germany
Make pretzels. Learn a word or two in German. What is Oktoberfest? Who was Saint George? Try to yodel.
Norway
Study Vikings, the Stave Church (similar buildings are the oldest structures in the world), Akershus fortress, trolls/folklore. What is a fjord?
China
Build a model of the Great Wall. Why and when was it built and how long is it? Study the Gobi desert and Yangtze River, Terracotta warriors (see replicas of them here). Watch Mulan. Learn to write your name in Chinese. Make fortune cookies, egg rolls, dumplings.
American Adventure
Possible topics to study include, Pilgrims, the Mayflower, Ben Franklin, Mark Twain, Boston Tea Party, Revolutionary and Civil wars, etc. Learn a patriotic song.
Japan
Watch the Japanese candy artist (Miyuti) while your here. Learn about kimonos. Eat sushi. What is a haiku? Write your own haiku. What is a pagoda? Research Buddhism. What are koi?
Morocco
Learn to belly dance. Try couscous and hummus; eat with your hands. What is a monarchy? What other countries in the World Showcase are monarchies? Answer: UK, Japan, Norway, Canada. Watch Aladdin.
France
How tall is the Eiffel tower? Who built it, when, and why? Build a model of it. Study famous artists from France. Who painted the Mona Lisa and what's the name of the museum it's in? Paint your own masterpiece. Learn to say please, thank you, hello, and goodbye in French. Make crepes. What are Versailles and Notre Dame?
Canada
Learn a few words in French (or review the ones you learned above). What flower is on the Canadian flag? Make maple syrup. Play or watch hockey. What is the significance of totem poles.
Italy
Study famous artists from Italy and design your own masterpiece. Who painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling? Learn a few words in Italian. Why is Venice made up of canals? Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa lean? What other famous landmarks are in Italy? Have some gelato.
While touring the World Showcase, sample food (snacks are inexpensive) from each country. Do the Kidcot (craft) stations along the way, buy a passport ($10 or make your own) and get it signed/stamped by natives of each country. Talk to them and ask them questions about their countries.
Agent P's World Showcase Adventure
Free. Great way to see and learn about the World Showcase countries.
Next time I will be posting some of the books, websites, and other resources I found useful in planning and researching for our Disney trip.
Epcot is an acronym. What does it stand for? What other acronyms do you know?
First up is Future World
Spaceship Earth
Communications through time. Pick a topic highlighted in the ride and do a unit study on it when you get home. Possible topics include the Renaissance, ancient Egypt (make papyrus or write your name in hieroglyphics), Dark Ages, printing press. Search Pinterest for hands-on activities to go along with these topics. If you could go back in time, what year or period would you choose and why? What do you think the future will be like?
Sum of all thrills
Design your own coaster and then ride it in a simulator. Learn about inertia force, gravity, building, etc.
The Innovations and Imagination pavilions are full of hands-on, educational activities that explore numerous science and technology topics.
Living Seas/The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Study coral reefs. Where are they found? What animals live in them? Study sea turtles, manatees, sting rays, dolphins, clown fish, etc. Which of these animals are endangered and why? What determines if a sea turtle will be a boy or girl? Answer: the temperature of the sand where the eggs were laid. If your child is interested in art have him/her draw a coral reef.
The Land
Where does food come from? Follow your favorite food from the farm to your table. What are greenhouses used for? Study rain forests, deserts, prairies, and other biomes. Locate each on a map and find out what animals live in them.
Soarin'
Find California on a map. What states border CA? What is the capital and population? What sights do you see on the ride and where in California are they found? Study bridges using the Golden Gate bridge as an example. Build a model bridge (see Pinterest for ideas).
Mission Space
NASA, space, famous astronauts, Mars, gravity, and weightlessness are all possible topics of study. Who was the first American in space? How far away is Mars from Earth? Why is it known as the red planet?
Universe of Energy
Obviously you can learn about energy. What are the different types of energy? What is the Big Bang? What are fossil fuels? How can you save energy?
Test Track
Learn about taking care of cars and car safety. Maybe someone can show you how to change a tire and check the oil level. What keeps you safe in a car? Draw or write about your dream car. The cars go 65 mph. Make up math problems related to this speed limit.
Part two is World Showcase.
I plan to briefly study each country before our trip. Ideas I'm hoping to do for each country:
Locate on map/globe
Make a flag; what do the colors/designs on each flag represent?
Capital city
Cook a meal
Study the culture and clothing
Famous landmarks
Language--learn a few words
Music
Customs
Money
While at Epcot I plan to buy at least one educational souvenir in each country. I will be back to post what I got in each one after our trip.
Specific country idea:
Mexico
Make a pinata. What is the significance of pinatas? Learn hello, goodbye, please, and thank you in Spanish. Make Mexican hot chocolate, refried beans, tacos, etc. Study the Mayans and Aztecs. Watch The Three Caballeros.
United Kingdom
Watch Mary Poppins. Have afternoon tea w/scones and tea sandwiches. Have fish and chips. What countries make up the UK? Who is the current queen?
Germany
Make pretzels. Learn a word or two in German. What is Oktoberfest? Who was Saint George? Try to yodel.
Norway
Study Vikings, the Stave Church (similar buildings are the oldest structures in the world), Akershus fortress, trolls/folklore. What is a fjord?
China
Build a model of the Great Wall. Why and when was it built and how long is it? Study the Gobi desert and Yangtze River, Terracotta warriors (see replicas of them here). Watch Mulan. Learn to write your name in Chinese. Make fortune cookies, egg rolls, dumplings.
American Adventure
Possible topics to study include, Pilgrims, the Mayflower, Ben Franklin, Mark Twain, Boston Tea Party, Revolutionary and Civil wars, etc. Learn a patriotic song.
Japan
Watch the Japanese candy artist (Miyuti) while your here. Learn about kimonos. Eat sushi. What is a haiku? Write your own haiku. What is a pagoda? Research Buddhism. What are koi?
Morocco
Learn to belly dance. Try couscous and hummus; eat with your hands. What is a monarchy? What other countries in the World Showcase are monarchies? Answer: UK, Japan, Norway, Canada. Watch Aladdin.
France
How tall is the Eiffel tower? Who built it, when, and why? Build a model of it. Study famous artists from France. Who painted the Mona Lisa and what's the name of the museum it's in? Paint your own masterpiece. Learn to say please, thank you, hello, and goodbye in French. Make crepes. What are Versailles and Notre Dame?
Canada
Learn a few words in French (or review the ones you learned above). What flower is on the Canadian flag? Make maple syrup. Play or watch hockey. What is the significance of totem poles.
Italy
Study famous artists from Italy and design your own masterpiece. Who painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling? Learn a few words in Italian. Why is Venice made up of canals? Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa lean? What other famous landmarks are in Italy? Have some gelato.
While touring the World Showcase, sample food (snacks are inexpensive) from each country. Do the Kidcot (craft) stations along the way, buy a passport ($10 or make your own) and get it signed/stamped by natives of each country. Talk to them and ask them questions about their countries.
Agent P's World Showcase Adventure
Free. Great way to see and learn about the World Showcase countries.
Next time I will be posting some of the books, websites, and other resources I found useful in planning and researching for our Disney trip.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Animal Kingdom
Today's park is Animal Kingdom. Obviously there's a lot of educational aspects related to animals here.
Kids Discovery Club
Get a free "passport", complete activities, and get it stamped along the way.
Animal encounters throughout the day.
Be sure to ask the keepers lots of questions.
Kilimanjaro Safari
Learn about African animals. Pick an animal to research before or after your trip. Locate Africa on a map. Mount Kilimanjaro is the largest mountain in Africa--what country is it found in? What is the Serengeti? What are poachers?
Rafiki's Planet Watch
Conservation and environmental issues. Behind the scenes look at how the animals are cared for. May be able to see a veterinarian doing work. Make a list of ways you can help save the planet. Make your backyard into a wildlife habitat (look for ideas along the path).
Dinoland
Pretend to be a paleontologist or archaeologist (learn what these people do if you don't already know). Have a fossil dig in your sandbox at home before or after your visit. Learn about dinosaurs. Put together a dinosaur model. Study the different prehistoric periods that dinosaurs lived during. What are cycads (find a collection of them along the Cretaceous Trail)? On the Dinosaur ride there are 19 dinosaurs--can you count them all? Compare the heights and lengths of various types of dinosaurs.
Flights of Wonder show
Learn about birds.
Maharajah Jungle Trek
What is a Maharajah? Learn about Asian cultures. Look at the architecture and artifacts that you see. Pick up a bird identification sheet before entering the aviary; see how many of the birds you can find.
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
Learn about gorillas. How does the size of your hand compare to that of a gorilla's? What is a silver back? Is there one in this troop? Learn about the Baobab tree. The one in the nearby African village is 40 feet tall. How many yards and inches is that? How tall can Baobabs be? Learn about African culture. Learn a few words in Swahili. Check out the clipboards with animal facts and field notes along the trail. Observe one of the animals for a few minutes and take your own field notes.
Expedition Everest
Learn about the legend of the Yeti. What other legends do you know? How tall are the Himalayas? Locate on a map.
Tree of Life
Count how many animals you can find carved in it (there are over 300 altogether).
Ideas for Animal Kingdom as a whole:
Learn where each animal lives, what they eat, its' predators, if they are endangered, etc. Read the signs at the exhibits to find out more. See if you can learn any fun facts about the animals (i.e. Emperor scorpions glow under UV light, siamangs are the loudest land mammal).
Learn what the following words mean and find examples of each as you tour the park--camouflage, herbivore, carnivore, reptile, mammal, bird, fish, amphibian.
Kids Discovery Club
Get a free "passport", complete activities, and get it stamped along the way.
Animal encounters throughout the day.
Be sure to ask the keepers lots of questions.
Kilimanjaro Safari
Learn about African animals. Pick an animal to research before or after your trip. Locate Africa on a map. Mount Kilimanjaro is the largest mountain in Africa--what country is it found in? What is the Serengeti? What are poachers?
Rafiki's Planet Watch
Conservation and environmental issues. Behind the scenes look at how the animals are cared for. May be able to see a veterinarian doing work. Make a list of ways you can help save the planet. Make your backyard into a wildlife habitat (look for ideas along the path).
Dinoland
Pretend to be a paleontologist or archaeologist (learn what these people do if you don't already know). Have a fossil dig in your sandbox at home before or after your visit. Learn about dinosaurs. Put together a dinosaur model. Study the different prehistoric periods that dinosaurs lived during. What are cycads (find a collection of them along the Cretaceous Trail)? On the Dinosaur ride there are 19 dinosaurs--can you count them all? Compare the heights and lengths of various types of dinosaurs.
Flights of Wonder show
Learn about birds.
Maharajah Jungle Trek
What is a Maharajah? Learn about Asian cultures. Look at the architecture and artifacts that you see. Pick up a bird identification sheet before entering the aviary; see how many of the birds you can find.
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
Learn about gorillas. How does the size of your hand compare to that of a gorilla's? What is a silver back? Is there one in this troop? Learn about the Baobab tree. The one in the nearby African village is 40 feet tall. How many yards and inches is that? How tall can Baobabs be? Learn about African culture. Learn a few words in Swahili. Check out the clipboards with animal facts and field notes along the trail. Observe one of the animals for a few minutes and take your own field notes.
Expedition Everest
Learn about the legend of the Yeti. What other legends do you know? How tall are the Himalayas? Locate on a map.
Tree of Life
Count how many animals you can find carved in it (there are over 300 altogether).
Ideas for Animal Kingdom as a whole:
Learn where each animal lives, what they eat, its' predators, if they are endangered, etc. Read the signs at the exhibits to find out more. See if you can learn any fun facts about the animals (i.e. Emperor scorpions glow under UV light, siamangs are the loudest land mammal).
Learn what the following words mean and find examples of each as you tour the park--camouflage, herbivore, carnivore, reptile, mammal, bird, fish, amphibian.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Here's the 2nd installment of my educational guide to Disney.
If you have a movie maker wanna be in the family this is the park for you. We, however, are not so this section will be short.
Tower of Terror
The tower is 199 feet because at 200 feet, the law states that a building must have a red light on top to warn airplanes and that would spoil the theme of the ride. Figure out how many yards and inches the tower is. Study gravity or computers (the computer randomly chooses a drop sequence). What's the gravitational force on different planets?
Rock 'N Roller Coaster
Utilizes a catapult launch. Make your own catapult. Study force, inversions, speed, or other related science topics. What is the speed of sound?
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream
History of Walt Disney himself and that time period.
Backlot Tour
How movies are made. Study earthquakes.
Streets of America
Learn about the optical illusion called forced perspective (objects appear larger/smaller or closer/farther than they actually are). Cinderella's Castle is another example of forced perspective.
Muppets 3D
Learn how 3D works. When were 3D movies invented and what was the first one? What are the 7 colors of the rainbow?
Toy Story Midway Mania
Same math concepts as Buzz's ride in the Magic Kingdom.
The Great Movie Ride
Study the different genres of movies (watch a few of each before your trip or when you get home and compare/contrast).
The Magic of Animation
Budding artists can try their hand at free character art lessons. Learn what an animator does. Draw your own cartoon when you get home. There are other interactive opportunities here as well
For those interested in performing or acting there are many shows with audience participation and there is the American Idol Experience for singers.
There are many more rides and attractions that will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about film making.
Animal Kingdom will probably be next and I'll save Epcot for last as that will be the longest. I also hopefully plan to do Sea World and Legoland.
If you have a movie maker wanna be in the family this is the park for you. We, however, are not so this section will be short.
Tower of Terror
The tower is 199 feet because at 200 feet, the law states that a building must have a red light on top to warn airplanes and that would spoil the theme of the ride. Figure out how many yards and inches the tower is. Study gravity or computers (the computer randomly chooses a drop sequence). What's the gravitational force on different planets?
Rock 'N Roller Coaster
Utilizes a catapult launch. Make your own catapult. Study force, inversions, speed, or other related science topics. What is the speed of sound?
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream
History of Walt Disney himself and that time period.
Backlot Tour
How movies are made. Study earthquakes.
Streets of America
Learn about the optical illusion called forced perspective (objects appear larger/smaller or closer/farther than they actually are). Cinderella's Castle is another example of forced perspective.
Muppets 3D
Learn how 3D works. When were 3D movies invented and what was the first one? What are the 7 colors of the rainbow?
Toy Story Midway Mania
Same math concepts as Buzz's ride in the Magic Kingdom.
The Great Movie Ride
Study the different genres of movies (watch a few of each before your trip or when you get home and compare/contrast).
The Magic of Animation
Budding artists can try their hand at free character art lessons. Learn what an animator does. Draw your own cartoon when you get home. There are other interactive opportunities here as well
For those interested in performing or acting there are many shows with audience participation and there is the American Idol Experience for singers.
There are many more rides and attractions that will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about film making.
Animal Kingdom will probably be next and I'll save Epcot for last as that will be the longest. I also hopefully plan to do Sea World and Legoland.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Magic Kingdom
So I haven't posted in a while (big surprise there) but with our Disney trip only 27(!!) days away I thought I would start sharing the activities/lesson plans/unit studies/whatever you want to call them that I have come up with to make this both a fun and educational trip. My daughters are only 5 and 2 so I won't be using all these ideas but I thought they might be useful to others. I plan to use some before our trip, others during, and some after to reinforce what we did and saw. That's one of the great things about homeschooling--anything can be an educational experience!
Today I am going to start with the Magic Kingdom. I will be back periodically with the other Disney World parks as well as Sea World and Legoland. The month of October will be spent preparing the girls (and the hubby and me) for our trip. I plan to concentrate on exploring a different park with them each week. I can't possibly cover all the rides and attractions at each park but I will do my best to cover the most popular. I will also do a post on resources (books, websites) that I found helpful while planning our trip and coming up with ideas for educational activities.
To help prepare my girls for our trip and for all the characters that they might see, we have been having weekly Disney movie nights. Usually I'm not a big fan of characters/princesses in books and movies but I don't want them to be scared when they see all of the costumed characters, most of whom they have never heard of until I showed them the appropriate movie. So the past couple of months we have seen (rented from the library) all the princess movies as well as all the movies based on rides/attractions in Disney World. This way they will recognize the characters and understand the themes/story lines they will encounter.
Partial list of movies:
Tangled (my 5 year old's current favorite)
Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Little Mermaid
Aladdin
Peter Pan
Bug's Life
Toy Story
Alice in Wonderland
Mary Poppins (UK at Epcot)
Mulan (China at Epcot)
Dumbo
and probably some more that I'm forgetting
I also plan to have Emma, with my help of course, keep a journal of our vacation. What we did each day, her favorite ride, what the weather was like, what she would like to learn more about when we get home, any special memories she wants to remember, etc. We'll see how well that goes, as writing is not her favorite thing to do at all.
And now on to the Magic Kingdom...
Hall of Presidents
This one is pretty obvious. Discuss the presidents before or after your trip, learn a fun fact about each one, etc. Make history come alive! You can find directions on Pinterest to make Lincoln's hat or Washington's wig. While at Disney you can even buy a copy of the Declaration of Independence or other famous document to study about when you get back home. Who delivered the Gettysburg Address? What is the significance of the number above the door when you enter the Hall of Presidents?
Answer--the year the constitution was ratified (1787).
Since the Hall of Presidents is located in Liberty Square, you can also learn about Paul Revere (what was his message to warn how the British were coming), the 13 original colonies, etc.
Haunted Mansion
See if you can count all 999 ghosts as you ride. The interactive queue has a murder mystery you can try to solve. I'll report back on this once we've done it. Write or tell your own ghost story.
Swiss Family Treehouse
If your kids are old enough, read the book before your trip. Compare it to the treehouse while you walk through it. Would you like to live in a treehouse? Why or why not? What's the name of the Robinsons' ship? Study trees. ID some trees in your neighborhood. Compare bark, leaves, flowers, etc. of different trees.
Tom Sawyer Island
Read the book before you go. Talk about the author and the time period. Write or narrate a story based on your own life. Build a raft from sticks.
Liberty Square Riverboat
Take a ride on this authentic steamboat. Read about steamboats before or after your trip. Locate the Mississippi river on a map.
Carousel of Progress
Talk about inventions and innovations, how technology has changed. What would you invent? How has technology helped us? Has it hurt us in any way? Pick a time period from the ride to do a unit study on. This might also be a good time to learn about Walt Disney himself.
Any of the rides in Frontierland
Learn about the Wild West and pioneers. Who were famous people then? Horses, the Pony Express, mines, or the Gold Rush may be good related topics to explore. Make a model of a covered wagon (look on pinterest for ideas).
Walt Disney World Railroad
Research when railroads first started, how they were powered, how they made life easier, etc.. Build a model train.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Locate the Caribbean on a map or globe. What are pirates? Who were some famous pirates? Learn the parts of a ship (crow's nest, mast, starboard, etc.). Dress up like a pirate. Dig for buried treasure (fake gold coins) in a sand box. You could practice reading a map by drawing a treasure map and having your child follow it to find the treasure.
Jungle Cruise
Locate the Nile and Amazon rivers on a map. What continents are they on? What animals live near each river? Why are rivers so important? What is the longest river in the world?
Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Learn about the Middle East. Watch the movie, Aladdin. If magic carpets were real where would you fly to and why? If genie's were real what 3 wishes would you ask for? Have kids write, draw, or narrate the answers to these discussion questions or come up with your own. Learn about camels. What are one hump and two hump camels called? Why do camels spit? What do they store in their humps?
Cinderella's Castle
Watch the movie. Read Cinderella books from other countries. How are they the same and different? Look up famous real castles. Find where they are on a map. Who lived in them? Write, draw, or narrate your own fairy tale.
Mickey's Philharmagic
Listen to, read about, or go to a real philharmonic orchestra. If you have access to one, play an instrument that's found in an orchestra.
it's a small world
Learn a few words in a different language (hello, goodbye, please, and thank you are good ones). Study the clothing of other countries. Find the countries on a map or globe. What 6 continents and 5 languages are represented on the ride?
Peter Pan's Flight
This ride is unfortunately scheduled to be closed when we're there. But here are some possible ideas anyway. Pirates (if you didn't already do that for Pirates of the Caribbean), crocodiles, London (famous landmarks like Big Ben), volcanoes. Read the book Peter Pan.
Space Mountain
Do a unit study on space--planets, galaxies, asteroids, meteors, space stations, etc.
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Continue your space study. Add in some math. Add up your points as you go along. Who had the highest score? If you ride twice, figure out your average or the difference between your two scores. Look for the higher numbers to score more points. Count by 10's to reach your score. Place values.
For many of the rides in the Magic Kingdom (and other Disney parks) you could study gravity, centrifugal force, animatronics, and a host of other science related topics.
Today I am going to start with the Magic Kingdom. I will be back periodically with the other Disney World parks as well as Sea World and Legoland. The month of October will be spent preparing the girls (and the hubby and me) for our trip. I plan to concentrate on exploring a different park with them each week. I can't possibly cover all the rides and attractions at each park but I will do my best to cover the most popular. I will also do a post on resources (books, websites) that I found helpful while planning our trip and coming up with ideas for educational activities.
To help prepare my girls for our trip and for all the characters that they might see, we have been having weekly Disney movie nights. Usually I'm not a big fan of characters/princesses in books and movies but I don't want them to be scared when they see all of the costumed characters, most of whom they have never heard of until I showed them the appropriate movie. So the past couple of months we have seen (rented from the library) all the princess movies as well as all the movies based on rides/attractions in Disney World. This way they will recognize the characters and understand the themes/story lines they will encounter.
Partial list of movies:
Tangled (my 5 year old's current favorite)
Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Little Mermaid
Aladdin
Peter Pan
Bug's Life
Toy Story
Alice in Wonderland
Mary Poppins (UK at Epcot)
Mulan (China at Epcot)
Dumbo
and probably some more that I'm forgetting
I also plan to have Emma, with my help of course, keep a journal of our vacation. What we did each day, her favorite ride, what the weather was like, what she would like to learn more about when we get home, any special memories she wants to remember, etc. We'll see how well that goes, as writing is not her favorite thing to do at all.
And now on to the Magic Kingdom...
Hall of Presidents
This one is pretty obvious. Discuss the presidents before or after your trip, learn a fun fact about each one, etc. Make history come alive! You can find directions on Pinterest to make Lincoln's hat or Washington's wig. While at Disney you can even buy a copy of the Declaration of Independence or other famous document to study about when you get back home. Who delivered the Gettysburg Address? What is the significance of the number above the door when you enter the Hall of Presidents?
Answer--the year the constitution was ratified (1787).
Since the Hall of Presidents is located in Liberty Square, you can also learn about Paul Revere (what was his message to warn how the British were coming), the 13 original colonies, etc.
Haunted Mansion
See if you can count all 999 ghosts as you ride. The interactive queue has a murder mystery you can try to solve. I'll report back on this once we've done it. Write or tell your own ghost story.
Swiss Family Treehouse
If your kids are old enough, read the book before your trip. Compare it to the treehouse while you walk through it. Would you like to live in a treehouse? Why or why not? What's the name of the Robinsons' ship? Study trees. ID some trees in your neighborhood. Compare bark, leaves, flowers, etc. of different trees.
Tom Sawyer Island
Read the book before you go. Talk about the author and the time period. Write or narrate a story based on your own life. Build a raft from sticks.
Liberty Square Riverboat
Take a ride on this authentic steamboat. Read about steamboats before or after your trip. Locate the Mississippi river on a map.
Carousel of Progress
Talk about inventions and innovations, how technology has changed. What would you invent? How has technology helped us? Has it hurt us in any way? Pick a time period from the ride to do a unit study on. This might also be a good time to learn about Walt Disney himself.
Any of the rides in Frontierland
Learn about the Wild West and pioneers. Who were famous people then? Horses, the Pony Express, mines, or the Gold Rush may be good related topics to explore. Make a model of a covered wagon (look on pinterest for ideas).
Walt Disney World Railroad
Research when railroads first started, how they were powered, how they made life easier, etc.. Build a model train.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Locate the Caribbean on a map or globe. What are pirates? Who were some famous pirates? Learn the parts of a ship (crow's nest, mast, starboard, etc.). Dress up like a pirate. Dig for buried treasure (fake gold coins) in a sand box. You could practice reading a map by drawing a treasure map and having your child follow it to find the treasure.
Jungle Cruise
Locate the Nile and Amazon rivers on a map. What continents are they on? What animals live near each river? Why are rivers so important? What is the longest river in the world?
Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Learn about the Middle East. Watch the movie, Aladdin. If magic carpets were real where would you fly to and why? If genie's were real what 3 wishes would you ask for? Have kids write, draw, or narrate the answers to these discussion questions or come up with your own. Learn about camels. What are one hump and two hump camels called? Why do camels spit? What do they store in their humps?
Cinderella's Castle
Watch the movie. Read Cinderella books from other countries. How are they the same and different? Look up famous real castles. Find where they are on a map. Who lived in them? Write, draw, or narrate your own fairy tale.
Mickey's Philharmagic
Listen to, read about, or go to a real philharmonic orchestra. If you have access to one, play an instrument that's found in an orchestra.
it's a small world
Learn a few words in a different language (hello, goodbye, please, and thank you are good ones). Study the clothing of other countries. Find the countries on a map or globe. What 6 continents and 5 languages are represented on the ride?
Peter Pan's Flight
This ride is unfortunately scheduled to be closed when we're there. But here are some possible ideas anyway. Pirates (if you didn't already do that for Pirates of the Caribbean), crocodiles, London (famous landmarks like Big Ben), volcanoes. Read the book Peter Pan.
Space Mountain
Do a unit study on space--planets, galaxies, asteroids, meteors, space stations, etc.
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Continue your space study. Add in some math. Add up your points as you go along. Who had the highest score? If you ride twice, figure out your average or the difference between your two scores. Look for the higher numbers to score more points. Count by 10's to reach your score. Place values.
For many of the rides in the Magic Kingdom (and other Disney parks) you could study gravity, centrifugal force, animatronics, and a host of other science related topics.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Monday. The end of a busy weekend and the start of a busy week.
This weekend my dad and his girlfriend/fiance came to visit. Saturday Emma had a horseback riding lesson. Then we all went to Milburn Orchards. The girls had fun playing, feeding the goats (there was an adorable baby goat I wanted to take home!), the corn maze, and going on a hayride, among many other farm activities.
Sunday mornng was the start of the next session of swim classes for both girls. Then we went to Newark Community Day, a fun event in the center of town, with demostrations, craft vendors, freebies, etc. The highlight, at least, for Emma was making a scarecrow (my allergies didn't like it quite as much).
This weekend my dad and his girlfriend/fiance came to visit. Saturday Emma had a horseback riding lesson. Then we all went to Milburn Orchards. The girls had fun playing, feeding the goats (there was an adorable baby goat I wanted to take home!), the corn maze, and going on a hayride, among many other farm activities.
Sunday mornng was the start of the next session of swim classes for both girls. Then we went to Newark Community Day, a fun event in the center of town, with demostrations, craft vendors, freebies, etc. The highlight, at least, for Emma was making a scarecrow (my allergies didn't like it quite as much).
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