Disney Publishing Worldwide is set to launch Disney Imagicademy, a technology-driven learning initiative for kids between the ages of 3 and 8.
The integrated program includes 30-plus app-based experiences, as wells as books and other products that will be released in time for the back-to-school season in 2015. The apps and physical offerings will cover key subject areas such as math, creative arts, science, language arts and social and emotional skills. The first five apps, along with a companion app for parents called Disney Imagicademy Parents, are due out December 11, with a second suite scheduled for a January launch.
“Disney Consumer Products is transforming the future of our industry by integrating storytelling, play—and now learning—to create deeper, more engaging experiences for kids and families,” said Bob Chapek, the president of Disney Consumer Products, which houses Disney Publishing Worldwide. “For more than 80 years, Disney Publishing has created stories for children that foster a love of reading and inspire their natural curiosity, and with Disney Imagicademy, we are taking the next step and offering parents a learning product unique in the marketplace today. We tapped a panel of top-notch education experts to help us create Disney-themed, cutting-edge learning products that kids can both learn from and enjoy playing with.”
“Early math experiences are an essential part of building confident learners,” said Dr. Douglas H. Clements, an internationally renowned expert on the development of mathematics understanding in young children and a member of the Disney Imagicademy Board of Advisors. “Such experiences are surprisingly important to children’s development not only of mathematics topics, but of higher-order thinking skills and general success in school. I am pleased that Disney Imagicademy is helping to produce those experiences with research-driven curriculum and high-quality game mechanics, and I am excited to see its impact on early learning.”
Jeff Sellinger, the senior VP of Disney Learning, added, “Disney Imagicademy’s integrated program connects children’s apps, a parents app and physical toys to create a unique family experience that helps inspire a lifelong love of learning. The physical and digital worlds are coming together in nearly every industry, and with Disney Imagicademy, the learning field is no exception.”
