I am partnering with my friends at Disney to share my thoughts about the Zootopia movie and a super fun Zootopia craft with you. As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed in the blog post are 100% my own.
Disney’s Zootopia is an entertaining film that teaches kids positive life lessons about believing in yourself, following your dreams, and hard work. Although it has been months since we went to the theater to see Zootopia, my 8-year-old didn’t miss a beat when I asked him if he learned anything from the movie. He answered, “You have to work hard to be what you want to be.” I admit, I was surprised that he not only picked up on the right theme, but that it stuck with him.
Zootopia will be available on Blu-ray, Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere June 7. From the creators of FROZEN and BIG HERO 6, this is a movie the whole family can enjoy.
Zootopia earned major Mom points with me for helping my son realize that hard work is an important part of life. The cool part is that the movie didn’t have to come out and SAY it, but the main character’s story SHOWED us that following your dreams isn’t always easy. Judy Hopps worked hard and overcame a lot of opposition to become the first bunny on Zootopia’s police force.
Determined to prove herself, Officer Judy Hopps jumps at the chance to crack her first case — even if it means partnering with scam artist fox Nick Wilde to solve the mystery. They set out on a hilarious adventure full of action in the modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia.
I love to ask my kids what they want to be when they grow up. They change their minds a lot, but lately their dream jobs include becoming an NFL quarterback, a firefighter and an XBOX game developer. I’m not sure that the odds of four NFL quarterbacks coming from the same family are in our favor, but I like that my boys dream big!
Zootopia’s Judy Hopps dreams big, too. Her childhood goal is to make the world a better place by becoming the first bunny police officer in Zootopia. Everyone from her parents to local bullies doubt her and underestimate her ability to make those dreams a reality. She stays positive despite all the naysayers and is more determined than ever to prove that she is not just a stereotypical “dumb bunny.”
Judy grows up and goes to the police training academy. At first, it doesn’t look like she is going to make it. She is small compared to everyone else and the physical tasks she needs to complete seem impossible. Through sheer determination, she works her way to graduating at the top of her class! By the end of the movie, Judy finds success as a police officer in Zootopia and becomes living proof of Zootopia’s motto, “Anyone can be anything.”
Anyone can be anything is a great motto to teach our kids! Talking with my children about their dreams for the future helps me be a better parent. I get to know my child on a deeper level. Plus, I have better ideas on how to help them do things like:
- Explore their interests. Sign up to participate in activities like sports, music lessons, science camps and other extracurricular activities. Exploring interests helps kids figure out what kinds of things they enjoy and what kinds of things they are good at doing.
- Try new things. This isn’t always easy for my kids. Trying new things sometimes means overcoming feelings of shyness or fear. In Zootopia, Judy had to leave her family and home to go live in the big city of Zootopia. Although she was excited about her future, it wasn’t easy for her to transition to a new job in a new place.
- Develop their natural talents. Every kid has natural talents and abilities. One of Judy’s biggest strengths was her intelligence.
- Set goals for the future. Teach kids how to set small goals that will lead them to bigger accomplishments. As a child, Judy knew she wanted to be a police officer. She had to go through months of intensive training at the Zootopia Police Academy to accomplish her career goal.
A fun way to get kids thinking about their future is to have them keep a journal. They can write down or draw out their hopes and dreams for what they want their future to be. We recently made notebook journals featuring our favorite Zootopia characters, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
Journals are a great way for kids to practice their writing skills. They can write whatever they want in them. My kids even bring their journals with us on vacation so they can record the things they do and see. They even like to illustrate stuff that happens on our family trips with silly drawings.
Would you like to make a “Judy Journal” or a “Nick Notebook” for your child? It’s easy and only takes about 10 minutes. See my tutorial below for the complete step-by-step directions.
How to Make a Judy Journal and Nick Notebook
Supplies Needed:
- Composition Notebook
- Spray adhesive glue (photo safe)
- Download Printable Judy Hopps Journal Cover or Nick Wilde Journal Cover (Print image on Letter size card stock or photo paper)
- Download Printable Judy Hopps Coloring Page or Nick Wilde Coloring Page (Print image on Letter size card stock)
- Washi Tape
- Scissors
Directions:
1. Use scissors to trim journal cover to the same size as the front notebook cover. Note: The photos below show how to make the Judy Journal. You will follow these same directions to make a Nick Notebook.
2. Use spray adhesive (*photo safe adhesive if using photo paper) to glue the journal cover to the front of the composition notebook.
3. Use scissors to trim the coloring page to fit on the inside back cover of composition notebook. Use spray adhesive to glue the coloring page to the inside of the back cover.
4. Run several strips of washi tape from the top to bottom on the front and back covers of the notebook to reinforce the spine and add a decorative touch to the journal.
Zootopia will be available on Blu-ray, Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere June 7. You can order your copy here: di.sn/6006BmY4p
