Disney Countdown Chart

The whole big mess started at the Iowa State Fair.  Kylie, Our 6 year old daughter, usually gets to pic a little toy at the vendor booth every year. 

For some reason, (Thank you, Peter Pan and Captain Hook), she took an interest in a flashing sword.  I really wasn't keen on having a sword in the house, so I saw that next to the sword was this fabulous wand.  The wand lit up and flashed different colors of the rainbow

I did my absolute best to sell her on the wand, but she wasn't having it.  I even pressed the button and showed her how it lit up in three different cycles!!! 

NOPE! She wasn't falling for it... so, then, in mommy desperation I played the "Disney Card".

Kylie loves nothing in this world more than she loves Disney.  She has never been there (that would be her 6 year old dream come true) but she lives vicariously through all her Disney DVDs and through the Disney documentaries on Netflix. (yes, I said DOCUMENTARIES)

She. Loves. Disney.

Every year we go to Disney on Ice around Thanksgiving time.  So, again, in desperation to keep weapons out of my home, I threw out the suggestion that if she chose the wand she could take it to Disney on Ice!

She was immediately SOLD!

Mommy victory!!  (or so I thought)

Throughout the rest of the evening, while proudly playing with her flashing wand, she talked of nothing else but Disney on Ice.  It was August and with huge smiles on our faces we nodded and assured her that we ABSOLUTELY would go to Disney on Ice - in NOVEMBER- BY THANKSGIVING.

She didn't get it.

The next morning, she threw open our bedroom door and excitedly jumped on our bed squealing "Today is Disney on Ice!!!"

We groggily explained that while we ARE going to Disney on Ice that it was NOT TODAY.

Fast forward two weeks of solid references to Disney on Ice- no less than 10 times a day- (and I am not playin' yall)

We needed a *SERIOUS* Disney intervention.

So, I decided to make a chart so she could SEE how many days we have left until Disney on Ice.  I laminated and made it flexible so we could use it for other Disney adventures in the future.

On the very top, I put a photo of this year's Disney on Ice theme (this can easily be changed with other Disney events in the future)

Then, I created the actual body of the chart (in power point). Kylie is really into Minnie Mouse, so I alternated Mickey and Minnie to give it some visual interest.

On the top, I began with the #1 and counted down to the number of days we have until Disney on ice (69 days)
The top left square simply shows a pic of Mickey and Minnie and the words DISNEY ON ICE.  That is the day we will actually go to the show.

On the bottom, I wrote the Purpose of the chart: "Disney on Ice Countdown" using lots of the characters that will be in this year's show.

Then, I laminated the basic chart and began working on the cards that will mark off each day.

I searched the internet for free Disney Clip Art and made 69+ cards for Kylie to use to count down the days. (I laminated these too)

Every morning, Kylie gets to choose a card

And then place it over the largest number on the chart.  (we use sticky tac to adhere them- easily removable so we can use the chart over and over again) 

(reminder: we do this first thing in the morning, which is why our hair is a little messy and we are still in our Cinderella nightgown)

It is a BIG decision selecting which card will go on the chart each day!

I asked Kylie to look at me and smile.  THIS is what I got (no, she is not a stepford child - ha! She just looks like a robot here.) That is what I get for interrupting the Disney Process...

Here you can see where we have marked off the first couple of days:  She chose Jasmine the first day, Simba and Nala the second day, Mr Incredible the third day and John from Peter Pan the 4th day.  Today she chose Tinkerbell, but I took the pic before she put her up.

According to this picture, we have 65 days until Disney on Ice

 Let me tell you, this chart has been a life saving device! We hardly EVER hear about Disney on Ice anymore, because she can clearly see that it isn't the time yet!  She is still excited to go, but we don't hear about it every waking moment or experience the disappointment she feels every time we have to let her down.

She is really content to mark the days off and she can rest knowing Disney on Ice is coming and how long it will be.

Here is the full chart in all its glory!  Wish I had thought of it sooner!!