In the short period of time since I finally decided to allow my girls to get some hand-held screentime, we’ve gone from having no tablet to having at least three (there might be more). The iPad Mini is largely THE ROCK FATHER’s tablet, and that means that it’s pretty much set-up for me, but over the past couple of months, I’ve really started to kid-ifiy it a bit, loading up the best Apps that can both teach and entertain. One of the best new releases comes from Disney, a name that families like ours are immersed in on a daily basis, and with Disney Imagicademy there’s a whole new world of learning opening up for kids ages 3-8, and a parental component that can enrich the entire program through an interconnected experience.
Just-launched exclusively for iPad, the first Disney Imagicademy Apps (MICKEY’S MAGICAL MATH WORLD and DISNEY IMAGICADEMY PARENTS) are available right now on the App Store for free download (Mickey’s Magical Math World is freemium, which means in-app purchases are available) and are well-worth checking out.
Mickey’s Magical Math World is intriguing as it builds on a child’s natural sense of curiosity through some self-guided adventures. Kids can explore different worlds of shapes, counting, sorting and number challenges, even dabbling with early addition and subtraction concepts. Now, if your kids are familiar with MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE on Disney Junior, they’re really gonna like the interstitial animations that are present here, as they’re presented in a similar style that immediately clicks with little ones as they explore and visit Mickey’s Super Rocket Shapes, Minnie’s Robot Count-Along, Donald’s Number Launcher, Daisy’s Bedtime Countdown and Goofy’s Silly Sorting. What I like is that the kids really have to pay attention and listen, and that’s something my kindergarten-aged oldest needs to work on. Above that, no session will ever be the same, as it’s free roaming so there’s no repetitive boredom-inducing nonsense here – it’s engaging, and allows for constant exploration.
On the parental angle, Disney Imagicademy is linked by your normal, cross-platform Disney account (I’ve always loved that feature of the Disney sites and portals), so if you have an account, you’re already in. While tracking learning is easily done through the Disney Imagicademy: Parents App, there’s also cool inspiration from DIY and craft ideas to other branded experiences that families can enjoy together.
And this is just the beginning…
Learn more about Disney Imagicademy on the official site!
THE ROCK FATHER was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. The content and opinions expressed here are that of James Zahn, with input from his kids.
