Whether you were raised on the old school Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (heyy pre-teen Justin Timberlake) or your toddler goes nuts for the Hot Dog Dance on Disney Jr, it’s hard to avoid the Mouse. Or rather, Mice. This year Mickey and Minnie are celebrating the big 92! November 18 marks the anniversary of the debut of Steamboat Willie in 1928. Steamboat Willie was one of the very first cartoons with sound.
M-I-C-K-E-Y…M-O-U-S-E
Mickey and Minnie have undergone many transformations in their ninety-plus years, going from hand-drawn detail to computer animated. Outfits, personalities, and and voice styles have changed. Fun fact: Walt Disney himself provided the voices for Mickey and Minnie from 1955-1959. Even the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show has changed drastically over the decades.
Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse!
We are big Disney fans. My husband and I went to Disney World before we had kids, and we took our oldest daughter to the Magic Kingdom a few years later (before she was fully potty trained, ugh!). Mickey and Minnie plush stuffed animals can be found throughout our house. Inflatable Minnie Mouse dressed as a witch completes our outdoor Halloween decor. There are easily a half dozen mouse ears in the playroom. My husband even watches documentaries and behind-the-scenes shows about Disney! We follow the Disney travel blogs and are hoping to plan a 2021 trip. So why not celebrate Mickey & Minnie’s 92nd birthday?
Chances are, you’re not hopping a plane to fly to Disney for Mickey & Minnie’s birthday this year. So how can you make this a fun day for your kids? Try one of these ideas:
- Whip up some Mickey & Minnie shaped waffles for breakfast! Check out this fun waffle maker.
- Bake mouse-shaped cookies or or cut your kiddos’ sandwich into a fun shape!
- Are you homeschooling? Use the Mickey Mouse March to teach them to spell it out and help them practice their handwriting.
- Pull out the play-doh and encourage your child to design his/her own Clubhouse.
- Set up a “stuffie parade” with Mickey, Minnie, and any toys your child chooses! Set them out in the hallway, or put them in a wagon to pull around the neighborhood.
- Gather the neighborhood kids and their remote control cars for a Roadster Racers adventure, with each car carrying a Disney character.
- Pop some popcorn and watch an old-school Mickey movie on Disney Plus.
- Enjoy a Disney parade on YouTube and pretend you’re there!
- Read a Mickey & Minnie story together.
