by Character Diva
For many people, there are certain special occasions you will always remember. It might be the birth of your child, the death of a loved one, the day you graduated, your first date with your future spouse. And while the movie debut of Finding Nemo may not be on the same level as those previously mentioned events, I can tell you that I still remember exactly what I was doing the day I saw Finding Nemo in theaters.
One of my best friends, Michelle and I were all set to watch Finding Nemo to celebrate her birthday and decided to go to McDonald’s to get Happy Meals. Even though we were in college, being the Disney lovers that we were, we were all excited to get our Finding Nemo Happy Meal toys (which I still have by the way). As I opened the Dory toy and hit the play button, I distinctly remember telling Michelle that Dory sounded like a dying whale. Little did I know as we were watching the movie that night that we would be falling in love with the loveable blue tang known as Dory, and her fluency in speaking whale.
So if you are like me, and were super elated when Ellen DeGeneres revealed the sequel to Finding Nemo would be Finding Dory, the countdown began!
In addition to hosting a Finding Nemo Family Movie Night, watching the Finding Nemo dvd, reading Finding Nemo books (and even one on Finding Dory called Fish Talk… I highly recommend getting it… it’s adorable), and stalking perusing all of the Finding Dory merchandise I can find (if anyone is looking for a gift idea for me, I’m in LOVE with this snowglobe), and listening to several rounds of my almost five year old daughter singing, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…”, it seemed like our family couldn’t get enough of Dory and her upcoming adventure.
While some details were released at D23, more information is constantly coming out. Revealing some of our favorite old characters, including: Nemo, Marlin, Squirt and Crush, as well as some new characters making their debut such as Bailey, Destiny, Hank, and Becky.
Not to mention these adorable little otters! Don’t you just want one? I know I do!
In addition to checking out Finding Dory on their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, & Tumblr, and the official trailer. But now, adding to all of the Finding Dory fun, Disney has released some fun, family activities for you to do at home!
Coloring Pages
If you have really young kids (or even those who are just young at heart), you may want to download some of the Finding Dory coloring sheets. We all know how therapeutic coloring can be, and I can’t think of a better way to relax and unwind then coloring Dory and her friends.
If your kids are a little older and practicing their numbers, you may wish to take it one step further with the connect the dots Finding Dory activity. You can still color it, but it takes it one step farther. Finding Dory and practicing math skills? Yes, please!
Want to have your child practice their writing and problem-solving skills? What better way to help Dory find her parents than by solving a maze?
Looking for a way to help your child (or yourself) keep track of all of your weekly activities? Why not check out this Finding Dory Weekly Calendar. I know I’m always looking for ways to keep our family organized, and I think my kids will really enjoy this one. Disney Diva Tip: I recommend laminating the calendar so you can write on it over and over again with a Vis-à-vis pen (or something similar). If you’re looking for a great laminator, click here to see the one I have. I love it!
And if you still want to encourage your little ones to do something fun and educational over the summer, you may want to consider downloading this memory game. Disney Diva Tip: For durability, I recommend printing the memory cards out on cardstock, and again, laminating them. That way the game will be a little more permanent and you can play it over and over!
Lastly, Disney has released a mobile which is perfect for your bigger kids (probably 7 and over). Of course, if you want to practice your child’s coloring and cutting skills, you can do this at a younger age, but I’d probably save it for your school-aged kiddos. Disney Diva Tip: Again, for durability, I recommend printing it on cardstock and laminating it.
Looking for more fun ideas to help get you ready? Why not host a Finding Nemo Family Movie Night, visit an aquarium or even a pet shop and check out the tropical marine life? Or go to your local library or bookstore and curl up with a good book? Any marine life book will do such as Fishy Tales, or you can try these great Finding Dory and Finding Nemo books!
Finding Dory: The Essential Guide
Finding Nemo Little Golden Book
Finding Dory Little Golden Book
Finding Dory Junior Novelization
What are some of your ideas for getting ready for Finding Dory? And who is your favorite character, new or old? We’d love to hear all about them in the comments below!
