Educational Epcot: A Seamless Line Between Fun & Learning -- PassPorter.com

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As many families with demanding careers know, planning your vacation around school break isn't always possible. And if household finances are limited in any way, the higher cost of hotel accommodations during traditional school breaks can be a bit of a wet blanket as well.

Translation? Forgo a family vacation entirely, throw caution (and your budget) to the wind or take the kids out of school for a few days. While the first option is not a popular choice for some, others have come to realize that many learning experiences can come from a much-needed family vacation, experiences that tend to stay with a child for years.

Believe it or not, a trip to Walt Disney World is no exception.

How many kids can say they experienced the music of Japan, the grace of Chinese acrobats, and Mexico's bartering system all in one day? How many kids can sample and compare cuisine from Asia, Australia, France and Morocco in the school cafeteria? How many kids can walk through eleven different "countries" in the span of a few hours, collecting symbols and stamps from each one as they go? Not many, unless they happen to be visiting the World Showcase at Walt Disney World's Epcot!

In fact, this section of Epcot is one of the most incredible Social Studies "classrooms" I've ever seen. The Japanese gardens you see in pictures are suddenly right in front of your eyes, beckoning you to walk over their small bridges and down their winding paths. The notion of bartering and fiestas come to life as your boat moves from room to room in Mexico taking you on a journey that is more real and memorable than any printed words in a textbook.

For school-age kids, Family Fun Magazine has a "Kidcot" fun stop in each country. Kids start out by decorating a mask in the first country they visit. Then, as they move from country to country, they collect symbols to add to their mask. In China, kids even get an opportunity to see how their name is written in Chinese! At the end, each child has a souvenir mask that serves as both a memory of their visit to Epcot, as well as a springboard into further learning opportunities as they seek out reasons for each symbols relevance to the country where it was received.

Looking for even more educational material? You are in luck! Every fall, kids (and adults) can experience each of the eleven countries represented at Epcot well as many more--via their taste buds! The annual International Food & Wine Festival provides a great chance to sample foods from around the world, giving you just one more way to experience a variety of cultures.

When my family ventured over to Epcot earlier this fall, I was eager to try as many different tastes as possible but held little hope that my kids would do the same. At home, our youngest eats very little that isn't smothered in ketchup! But sometime during the monorail ride to the park, they put on their adventure hats and willingly tried something from every country we chose to sample. And even more surprisingly they liked everything they tried -- without ketchup! As we sampled our way around the globe that evening, it was fun to talk about which country we enjoyed tasting the most. It was fun to walk along looking at the buildings of each different country, listening to the music in Japan and gazing at art exhibits in Morocco. Eating chocolate crème brulee near the Eiffel Tower was almost surreal, and the Guinness Stew from Ireland was a fun way for the kids to feel connected to a part of the world so many of our relatives immigrated from. In fact, the entire global experience was so authentic that I almost forgot we were in the middle of a theme park in Florida!

The festival itself offers more than just great international food to Epcot. It also brings learning opportunities for kids and families alike. Are your kids studying plants in school this year? The National Honey Board had a great "hands-on" way for kids to follow a honeybee as it gathers nectar and pollen from plants. This fun maze experience made the pages of their science book come to life right before their eyes and provided something tangible to recall when test time comes! Or step inside The Land at Epcot and see pumpkins and cucumbers grown in the park's greenhouses that are actually in the shape of everyone's favorite mouse! And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Epcot's many educational gems.

There is no doubt that a trip to Walt Disney World is primarily a fun family vacation. Epcot just proves that fun and learning can go hand in hand.

About the Author: Laura's mystery novels "Jury of One" and "Forecast of Evil" (Harlequin Mysteries) are available in hardcover and trade paperback in stores everywhere. Check out her web site at http://www.laurabradford.com for more information.

This article originally appeared in our December 3, 2004 newsletter -- subscribe to our popular newsletter today for free!

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Updated 04/06/07

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