Homeschooling at Walt Disney World

Lego Store at Downtown Disney, FL

Join in the LEGO^® Store Monthly Mini Model Build!
Visit your local LEGO Store on the first Tuesday of every month and you can learn how to build a cool mini model, and take it home – for free! Quantities are limited and offer is good while supplies last only. A new model will be available every month and will be specially themed to that month – ask a Store Associate for details! Models are not for sale and cannot be purchased. One free per child. Event is open to children ages 6 to 14 only. See store for more details.

Upcoming Mini Model Build:
LEGO Groundhog: Tuesday, February 2, begins at 5:00pm until supplies last

LEGO Store Mini Heart Speed Building Event!
Saturday, February 13
Visit your local LEGO Store on Saturday, February 13 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm to participate in a LEGO heart speed building event!  Builds start promptly every 10 minutes and the fastest builder will win a special prize to take home!  Everyone who participates will receive a mini heart of their own.  See additional contest rules, terms & conditions at the LEGO Store.  No purchase necessary.

Upcoming Mini Model Build at the Lego Store at Downtown Disney –
LEGO Snowman: Tuesday, January 5, begins at 5:00pm until supplies last

Sea Turtle chalk art 2008

OK, so I’ve realized that we have many “favorite” events that take place at WDW every year…but this one really is very special, and we never miss it!

The Festival of the Masters is held every year in mid-November at Downtown Disney.  This art festival includes displays by some of the best artists in the country, as well as music and activities for the entire family. 

One of the truly unique activities of this festival is the chalk art.  Members of the The Central Florida Chalk Artists Association decorate more than six thousand square feet of sidewalk.  Hopefully your kids will be inspired by the art they see around them.  If they are, kids can create their own chalk art masterpieces in a specially designated area. If you have the time it’s worth it to try to visit the festival on Friday as things are getting underway, and then stop back again later on Saturday or on Sunday to see how the chalk art masterpieces take shape.  It is easy to spend hours watching these artists work!

The very best part of the festival – it’s FREE! 

Here are a few additional details –

November 13-15, 2009 

9:30am – 5:30pm (event ends Sunday at 5:00) 

 The art Festival is centered at Downtown Disney Westside, and features the works of some of today’s top artists. Artwork mediums such as photography, glass work, paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, jewelry, leather & wood, mixed media and collage, and  Digital art are displayed. At the Marketplace, amazing chalk artists create masterpieces on the sidewalks.

This year’s Festival of the Masters features charity art which will benefit the Red Chair Project.  Both the participating artists and their works will be at the Yellow Shoes Creative Group Tent which is located outside Once Upon A Toy.

The Event artwork features one of a kind paintings for purchase ranging in price from $195 to $6000.  Festival of the Masters merchandise includes T-shirts, mugs, hats, bags, a watch, poster and limited edition pen set.

In our house we can never get enough of LEGOs or Toy Story, so yesterday my kids just about came unglued when they went to the mailbox and found, addressed to them, a postcard that read:

“You’re Invited to a LEGO Building Event! — Ever wonder how those giant LEGO models are made?  Here’s your chance to find out!  A LEGO Master Builder is coming to the LEGO Store and you’re invited to help him build an 8-foot tall LEGO model of Buzz Lightyear!  You’ll get an Official LEGO Building Certificate for participating!”

Every year during the Festival of the Masters at Downtown Disney the LEGO store creates a larger than life model.  We helped to build R2D2 a couple of years ago, and I know we’ll be there lending a hand this year to build Buzz.  During the Festival the LEGO store usually also has local LEGO builders on hand sharing some incredible pieces they have created.  Last year the theme was transportation and some of the creations included models of the space shuttle and the train station at the Magic Kingdom.  They were amazing!

Here are the details about this year’s Master Builder event from the LEGO website.  Mark it on your calendar, you don’t want to miss it!

The LEGO Store at Downtown Disney
November 13-15
Join in an incredible LEGO event and help a LEGO Master Model Builder construct an 8 foot tall LEGO model of Buzz Lightyear for the first time ever during the 34th annual Festival of the Masters! You’ll get a free LEGO Certificate of Achievement for helping, while supplies last! Plus, visit the LEGO Store during the event to enter for a chance to win a $50 LEGO Store Gift Card! No purchase necessary to enter. This event is fun and free for the whole family!

Friday, November 13: 9:30am - 5pm
Saturday, November 14: 9:30am - 5pm
Sunday, November 15: 9:30am - 5pm

Earlier this week we saw Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3-D at Downtown Disney. The kids thought it was great. I’m not sure if it was the 3-D effects (those were a nice addition) or if it was just the fact that they had a chance to see two of their favorite movies on the big screen with their friends, but either way it was a fun day for everyone.

I doubt I can even count how many times we have watched the Toy Story movies. They are definitely favorites in our house. Although I still think of Buzz and Woody as fairly new characters, it recently struck me that my kids have always known these two crazy friends. My son had a bright green Buzz Lightyear bedroom for a few years, and we still have the Buzz and Woody dolls on his shelf.

Although I’m not a fan of traditional (aka boring, written) book reports we have been spending time talking about some of the elements of stories. So, after the movie I asked my kids questions about the characters, the plot, setting, etc. and what they thought some of themes of the movie might be. They talked a lot about friendships – how important it is to have friends and to be a good friend, and things you can do to help your friends. They even said that they were happy they had a chance to go see a movie about friends with their homeschool friends!

I also had them do some creative thinking type activities. We talked about what it might be like if toys really did come to life – what might some of their toys do or say? They had fun imagining adventures that some of their toys could go on and what the toys might say every time our dog goes into their bedrooms searching for a stuffed toy to chew on! My youngest is totally into animals, and he has a great imagination, so went on and on about conversations our dog Huck might have with the toys (we’re not sure he would be as helpful to the toys as “Buster” was in the movie!).

It was a nice day and the kids didn’t even realize that we worked some language arts activities in their day at the movies!

For more information visit the webiste for the Downtown Disney Lego store

Per the Lego website, here are the scheduled activities for the month of April at the Downtown Disney Lego store:

Get Exclusive LEGO City Farm Stickers!
April 20-23:
Purchase 7636 Combine Harvester or 7637 Farm at the LEGO Store from April 20-23 and get exclusive stickers to decorate the 2×3 LEGO bricks found in these sets! One sticker sheet per purchase, while supplies last. See store for details.

Join in the LEGO Store Tractor Build!
April 29-30:
Visit the LEGO Store April 29 and April 30 from 5:00 – 7:00pm to build a LEGO tractor and take it home for free! Quantities are limited and offer is good while supplies last only. Models are not for sale and cannot be purchased. One free per child. Event is open to children ages 6 to 14 only. See store for details.  

http://stores.lego.com/en-us/Orlando/events.aspx