These stay-at-home orders are taking a toll on all of us. My friends and family with elementary and younger kids are struggling to keep it together. They’re running out of ways to keep those kids home and engaged.
Admittedly, some of us have it pretty easy with this remote schooling thing. My kids are teenagers and relatively self-sufficient, both with their schooling and entertainment. My only real obligation is making sure they’re out of bed and fed a few times a day. But now that the remote schooling order for NJ has been extended to May 15th, even we are getting a bit bored within these four walls.
Fortunately, we’ve found some great resources online that offer FREE ACTIVITIES you can enjoy right at home.
DISNEY PARKS BLOG
The Disney Parks Blog is now all about #DisneyMagicMoments! The site has completely changed its look and layout. It used to be all travel related news and announcements. Now it offers a TON of things you can do and enjoy at home.
Here are just some of the things you’ll find there:
- Experience your favorite attractions with POV videos!
- Take virtual tours behind the scenes!
- Explore the NEW “Learn & Create” section for recipes, educational videos, and printable activity sheets!
- Check out the NEW “Fun & Play” section for live shows, interactions with castmembers, at-home Disneybounding, online chats, and more!
Follow THIS LINK to discover for yourself. There is SO MUCH there!!
ANIMATION ACADEMY
Have you ever attended Animation Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? It’s a fun experience that features real Disney animators teaching YOU how to draw favorite characters. And now you can learn at home!
There are 42 different videos currently available online with step-by-step instructions that make it possible for ANYONE to feel like a Disney artist!
Most of the videos are less than 20 minutes long; some are as short as 10. The instructions are easy to follow — even for the younger ones — so it’s a great activity for the whole family.
Follow THIS LINK to view the whole playlist. Pick your favorite and get drawing.
IMAGINEERING IN A BOX
Khan Academy is an amazing and FREE online educational tool. It offers instructional videos and interactive activities for kids of all ages on subjects ranging from math to biology and physics, from computer programming to history. It also offers — Imagineering in a Box!
Created through a partnership with the Disney Institute, this course is designed to show how artists, designers and engineers work together to create theme parks. Go behind the scenes with Disney Imagineers and complete project-based exercises to design a theme park of your very own.
The course is divided into three main sections, each with a progression of videos and activities.
- Build your own world.
- Build your own attractions.
- Build your own character.
Participants my proceed at their own pace and be as creative as they wish to be.
BONUS: You can create separate profiles for Khan Academy! Each child can have their own login, track their own progress, and you (as the adult) can follow along on the portal as a teacher or parent.
Want to learn more? Find all the details through this link: Imagineering in a Box.
DISNEY EATS
What better way to bring the parks home than at the dinner table? I personally have a rather large collection of Disney cookbooks. It’s one of my favorite souvenirs to bring home, especially during Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival! If you don’t have a Disney cookbook at home, we got you covered.
Buzzfeed recently posted THIS LIST of 16 Disney Park Recipes available online. Not only can you copycat the churros, you can also make “The Grey Stuff”, indulge in some “Mickey Beignets”, or go all-out with the full Ratatouille recipe featured in the film! And no list of Disney Eats is complete without the Dole Whip. Yes, folks, you’ll find that there, too.
Buzzfeed leaned heavily on the sweets. If you’re looking for something more substantial — perhaps an entire menu? For an entire month? Well, then you need to head over to D23, the Official Disney Fan Club.
Follow THIS LINK for D23’s Recipe Collection. You’ll find an extensive list of Disney recipes sorted by course. Each link then takes you to a dedicated page with photos and the full recipe for each. My mouth is watering just thinking about some of these amazing dishes!
Post by Tanya Dennis.