Disney Imagicademy Party

Friends, what could be more fun than a new Disney app that teaches kids math skills? How about a party to celebrate and play it with friends? This past weekend, we had an all out “blast” {pun most definitely intended} with our space themed Disney Imagicademy Party.
Erin created these adorable invitations and we asked some of Little Crafter’s buddies to come and try out Mickey’s Magical Math World with us!

In Mickey’s Magical Math World, children are invited to join Mickey and his pals on a fun-filled Space adventure that explores math concepts within a fully immersive playground of magical experiences. Kids can explore, recognize and identify shapes with Mickey, play with numbers and patterns within Minnie’s Robot Playground, ponder early number concepts with Donald, explore Counting to 10 and early problem solving with Daisy, and experiment with shapes, patterns and sorting skills with Goofy.

Our guests were a variety of ages, grade levels, and math abilities, but they all had one thing in common…they loved the app! They were immediately engaged by it and needed no help from adults to figure out what they needed to do in order to play the various games. Some enjoyed playing it on their own; others had fun playing together with a friend.

The best part, though, was when we hooked up an iPad to our Apple TV and made the games appear on the “big screen.” You would have thought the kids would have been fighting over whose turn it was, but instead, they were content to take turns and watch what happened on the television screen.

We had other activities and snacks planned for the time too, but the app was the real star of the show. The kids loved playing it and watching their friends take a turn too. But don’t worry, the kids weren’t the only ones to benefit from a great new app…Disney also has something for moms and dads too! Disney Imagicademy Parents is an all-new free app that serves as a parent’s ‘go-to’ resource to connect with the Imagicademy community and gather information that can be used to engage with their child in meaningful ways.The app answers the question, “What can I do today to help my child grow?’” through daily articles and Imagicademy-inspired activities designed to help spark creativity and encourage imaginative learning. Disney Imagicademy Parents also serves as a portal into children’s Mickey’s Magical Math World and Mickey’s Magical Arts World, where parents can see their child’s latest creations, provide encouragement with a virtual “high five” and share their accomplishments with family and friends. There really is something for everyone!

When our guests were waiting to take their turns on the iPads, we kept them busy with some special activities we designed based on the games in the app itself. We created an alien number line game, a shape sorting activity, and even gave the kids an opportunity to write numbers or do simple math problems in the sand. {For specifics on how you can do these same activities at home, check out our full Disney Party Games post!}

And, of course, no party is complete without snacks! Once again, we tried to incorporate the themes from Mickey’s Magical Math World as well as making things really interactive and hands-on. So, we not only had rocket ship juice boxes, we also had a Build Your Own Rocket fruit kebab station and a Build Your Own Robot station with pretzels and marshmallows. I think our guests enjoyed creating their snacks just as much as eating them!

When the party was over, we didn’t send anyone away empty handed…Erin created these adorable rocket favors that include a cute reusable game inside.

We also had a notepad, two puzzles, a pack of markers, and a pack of crayons for each guest, courtesy of Disney Imagicademy. Our little friends were so excited to have so many things to take home with them. And of course, the fun didn’t end there, our guests could go home and download Mickey’s Magical Math World for themselves and play it whenever they want!

If your kids enjoy this app, the best news is that Disney is releasing another one, Mickey’s Magical Arts World on February 12! In this world of creative arts, kids can explore storytelling, improvisation, rhythm and tempo, balance and proportion, and even do virtual arts and crafts! Little Crafter is literally counting down the days until it’s available on the iPad. In the meantime, though, be sure to check out Mickey’s Magical Math World and the Disney Imagicademy Parents App for lots of family fun.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.