Category: Children’s Corner

Soviet Film Wednesday: The Scarlet Flower

The Scarlet Flower (Аленький цветочек, Alenkiy tsvetochek) is a popular Russian folktale based on Sergey Aksakov’s rendition of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. Similar to the traditional tale, it begins when a merchant father, Stepan Yemelyanovich, asks his three daughters what gifts they would like from his travels. The oldest daughter, Gordeya, wishes for …

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“It’s a Small World” Opened On This Day In Disneyland In 1966

Happy birthday, Small World! 🎈 The colorful “It’s a Small World” attraction first opened in Disneyland on this day, May 28, 1966, following its successful showing at the New York’s ’64-’65 World’s Fair UNICEF salute at the Pepsi-Cola pavilion. In the opening ceremony, children from around the world in traditional costumes joined Walt Disney. Water that …

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Pollyanna Was Released on This Day One Fine May

On May 19, 1960 this cheery Disney film was released to the public. It is the story of an orphaned girl raised by missionaries who arrives in a town fraught with feuds, and transforms the community with her positive attitude. Pollyanna’s shining quality is that she can always find the good in something. Yes, it …

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Disney Legend Rolly Crump

Disney imagineer and animator Rolly Crump was born on February 27, 1930 in Alhambra, California. Inspired at the young age of three by the Disney Silly Symphony short, Three Little Pigs, Crump began drawing in 1933. He started working with Disney in 1952, doing “inbetweening” or “tweening” to provide the illusion of smooth movements between film frames. …

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Schoolhouse Rock! and “My Hero, Zero”

On January 6, 1973, the educational children’s animated Schoolhouse Rock! series premiered on ABC with the episode “My Hero, Zero,” dedicated to the enigmatic number and the powers of ten, and featuring the song “My Hero, Zero.” However, “My Hero, Zero” was actually the second show to air, since the pilot first aired in 1971 …

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Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire

Today is the birthday of Disney artist and designer Mary Blair, born on this day October 21, 1911 in McAlester, Oklahoma. Blair was an integral part of Disney, designing incredibly beautiful, unique concept art for a variety of Disney attractions and animated films, including her most well known work on the “It’s a Small World” …

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Soviet Film Wednesday: Ballerina on the Boat

Ballerina on the Boat is a wonderful summer-y animation about a ballerina who takes a ride on a ship and dances about, practicing her moves at the delight and distraction of the crew. It is a lovely, humorous, and leisurely voyage until a storm comes, which leads to a surprise ending. There is no need …

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Creating A Tiki Mask and Other Tiki Fun with Children

Crayola Crayons has offered a great idea of how to get kids involved in the Tiki crazy by making their own Tiki mask. There are a number of different variations you can use off of their designs. Materials suggested: poster board, oatmeal containers, construction papers, and of course crayons! Some items can be precut for …

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Soviet Film Wednesday: The Tree and the Cat

February 20th is National Love Your Pets Day, so be sure to lavish some extra attention on your fur babies today and show them how much you appreciate the love they bring. For this special Soviet Film Wednesday, here’s a heartwarming tale about a cat left on the side of the road. The cat wanders …

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Moana Brings Tiki to the Young

Disney’s Moana brought the world of Tiki and Polynesia to the screen with music, laughter, and tears, to delight both the young and young at heart! The phrase “art imitates real life” holds true with this film. This piece of cinematic art holds true to the Tiki culture, and the stories of the Polynesian people, …

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