One of the things that I have always loved about Walt Disney World is how easily you can “learn” there: while the parks, resorts, and even restaurants offer tons of ways to be entertained, what may be one of Disney’s best kept secrets is that there are a seemingly limitless number of ways to learn as well. What’s that you say? Learning can be fun???
This is actually the premise for one of my favorite websites – Magical Mouse Schoolhouse – which is devoted to the idea that you can “learn while you play at Walt Disney World”. The brainchild of Jodi Whisenhunt, Magical Mouse Schoolhouse was developed to be a resource for homeschooling families. As Jodi writes, “children and their parents can think outside the textbook and stretch the walls of the home classroom with Walt Disney entertainment”.
Based the success of her website, Jodi has now authored an entire book filled with ideas on how to use the Walt Disney World resort to make learning fun for kids of all ages: Magical Mouse Schoolhouse: Learn While You Play at Walt Disney World Resort.
Whether you homeschool, or looking for ways to enhance your child’s learning (school projects anyone?), or just want ways to “get more” out of your vacation by learning more about Walt Disney World, there is something in Magical Mouse Schoolhouse for you!
Organized into seven sections, each covers a theme park, water park, or other theme associated with Disney World or Walt’s vision. There are then multiple chapters in each section that function as lesson plans. Each chapter provides some background information on the show, attraction, restaurant or concept, followed by a “takeaway”, which is a project that integrates the chapter’s subject with a traditional school subject (science, history, home economics, etc.). With a list of supplies needed and simple, easy-to-follow instructions, the projects are easy to do….and needless to say, fun!
The chapters that Magical Mouse Schoolhouse offers had me eagerly checking them out to learn more! A few favorites:
- Magic Kingdom: “If I Were a Cast Member” discusses some of the humor that is used in many of the attractions as a way to encourage creative writing
- Magic Kingdom: “The Magic Kingdom Utilidors” describes the fabled underground system as a way to set up an art and set design project
- Epcot: Each country in World Showcase is explored individually, with fascinating tips for learning more about each country’s culture, history, food etc. If you have ever wanted to learn more about the countries of World Showcase, this section is for you! And needless to say, there are tons of interesting and valuable lessons in this section. 🙂
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: “The Great Movie Ride” takes you on a tour of the history of movies as experienced on this ride….and then in honor of the movie “Alien”, gives directions on how to make your very own alien slime. It doesn’t get more fun than that!
Magical Mouse Schoolhouse is just fun! Yet at the same time, it is filled with such a treasury of ways to learn, that it is the perfect resource for those who love Disney and love to learn. As Walt Disney said: “When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.”
I’m pretty sure Walt would heartily approve of Magical Mouse Schoolhouse: Learn While You Play at Walt Disney World Resort and I am positive you will too! 🙂
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I am honored to have a signed copy of Magical Mouse Schoolhouse: Learn While You Play at Walt Disney World Resort to give away this week! For your chance to win, simply comment below, before midnight ET on Friday, October 26, and tell us about the favorite thing you have learned at a Disney park. 🙂 Please, one entry per person. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced Saturday, October 27. And be sure to visit our friend Jodi at her website Magical Mouse Schoolhouse and “Like” her on Facebook!
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Nancy, thank you so much for this excellent review! I really appreciate all your support and I’m glad you enjoy both the website and the book so much. Good luck in the giveaway, everyone!
My favorite thing I’ve learned at WDW is all the great Holiday tales of how Christmas and the other winter holidays are celebrated around the world. So many neat traditions I didn’t know about before.
I learned that you can get all kinds of food from around the world made by people from that country!
I love learning about using your imagination in whatever you do as Walt did so many years ago 😉
LOVE this idea of learning from a vacation especially a Disney vacation! But we have already learned a few things from going to Animal Kingdom….The kids and I enjoy the learning spots there and getting your passport stamped…we’ve learned interesting facts about Dinos, the differences between monkey and apes to hippo, and what hippo tracks look like too! 😉
Amy, congratulations you are our lucky winner! Please contact me at nancy@theaffordablemouse.com with your information, so that I can send you the book. Thanks so much for entering! 🙂
I learned there’s a whole world underneath Walt Disney World. 🙂
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I learned on the YES program that the Peoplemover is powered by magnets pushing and pulling the “cars!”
Fabulous tip, Beth! I was just showing the kids how magnets can push & pull yesterday using a Brio train. I think this will be in a future Today’s Takeaway 🙂
yea!! I’ll be on the lookout!
I love learning about the sea turtle program at the Conservation Station in Animal Kingdom. I love learning about everything on Rafiki’s Island. As a Science Teacher, I try to teach my son something new everytime we visit.
During the 30th Anniversary for EPCOT I learned all about how Walt had originally planned EPCOT to be a real city. The way he designed the mass transit & had the cars go under the city. The way the city was laid out, the shops, schools & factories with green areas & the neighborhoods was very interesting. I had never heard about this before & it blew my mind!
At Magic Kingdom Liberty Square: The sidewalks are brown but the streets are not. People in that time dumped garbage out the windows, so Disney made it appear dirty. There is a brown channel that runs through the middle of the street. This is the Liberty Square “sewer system.” when people use to throw their “dirty water” out their windows and if flowed onto the street.
*O* I love the details at Disney *O*
What we learn varies with the age. I remember a May visit when daddy was at a meeting and the kids (3 and 5) and I spent most of our time at EPCOT…they LOVED experiencing the different foods from each country as that was our goal! Love EPCOT at Christmastime to read about how the winter holidays are spent in the different countries, but, honestly, what we learn MOST at ANY Disney park is how to reconnect as a family…we have taken grandparents in wheelchairs, a grandparent predementia, and with a hectic family life – one schooling at home, one in high school and a parent who works almost 24/7, we rely on our Disney trips to learn about each other once again!
I’ve learned so much through Disney. I learned that it’s okay to be a kid even if you are 40. I’ve learned that there is nothing as magical as seeing Disney through your child’s eyes. I’ve learned so much about different cultures through Epcot’s World Showcase.
We love going to Disney to form those memories that the kids will have forever…. I love that Disney teaches you that it is ok to have a imagination!!!!!
I have learned a lot at Disney, but as a kid, I found the hydroponics at Living with the Land fascinating, and as a grown-up was impressed to learn that they use the food grown there in the restaurants. As a college student, I enjoyed trying out my beginning German with the friendly cast members throughout the Germany pavilion.