Using Disney as a learning experience?

[OrganizeTN]

We have a chance to go to Disney in January when my husband attends Lotusphere. The one problem is that we need to take the kids out of school for a full week. I want to plan educational activities to present to the school so that we can have this be a learning experiece. My children attend a Montessouri school so hands on and experiences such as what we might have at Disney might help when we go and request the week out of school. My children are in Kindergarten and 2nd grade.

Any help?

Krisann

 

[worm761]

well for starters there is EPCOT. the whole thing is educational. on top of that there is the animation tour at the studios. and animal kingdom is also very educational. especially if you go the conservation station. in the magic kingdom there is the hall of presidents. there are many opportunities to teach a child throughout the day. you can have them make graphs (simple ones) of their favorite rides. or how much money you spent each day in each park. have them read the maps and plot out a path you will/did take.
can you tell i homeschool?? really though if you just think about it, many of the things you do with them on a day to day basis you are probably teaching them something without really trying to.

*edited to say~ when you go to the school ask for suggestions from the teachers.

 

[jwfla422]

EPCOT, EPCOT, EPCOT...

I'm so thrilled my 4 yr old dd loves EPCOT, she's not a "thrill" ride kinda kid She loves seeing the fish aquariums at Living Seas, she was a bit bored at The Land ride but liked seeing the fish. Spaceship Earth is a great history, now and future experience. There are so many hands on activities in the Innoventions plaza area. And, then the World Showcase, each country has some type of movie or adventure ride to "bring you into their country"...

Shortly after starts, FL school children arrive by the bus loads for day trips to EPCOT. You really can't get anymore educational than that

AK is probably the second most educational park at Disney.

 

[ellyn2000]

My children were fascinated by the Epcot Passport. They insisted that we visit every country so they could have their passport validate and still like to read what the CM's from each country wrote to them in the passport. Then on the trip home they put all the stickers in their passport book. It's a great experience. You can purchase them at any shop in the World Showcase.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

With kids that young, everything is educational. Even though you will want a little more formal ideas in writting for your school outline, you can use so many situations to bring learing into your day. While in line, have your younger child count people or look for people with a certain color outfit on. Have your 2nd grader work with time. It's 2:00 and the line says it take 30min. what time will we get on the ride?

In a resturant, have the kids read words they know off the menu, or figure out which desert cost more.

Let the 2nd grade use the show guide and see when the show she wants to see comes on.

Epcot and AK are so full our learning experences that you could not help learning. Try spending some time at the living sea and maybe get a guild book to extend the learing.

Try concentrating on one county and have dinner there after spending some time learing a little about it.

Enjoy the trip. Your memories will be so much more inportant than a week in a classroom.

Jordan's mom