Disney Is Offering A Free Online Course To Teach Kids How To Become "Mini-Imagineers"

As millions of parents continue to stay home with their children during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it's going to get increasingly difficult to keep little ones occupied and engaged in the weeks and perhaps months ahead. Thankfully, though, Disney is offering free interactive lessons for kids that will not only help pass the time, but will also lend itself to an opportunity for the whole family to create a different world full of magic and wonder.

Called "Imagineering in a Box," the interactive lessons offer kids a chance to become mini-imagineers by accessing the Imagineering in a box online course through the Khan Academy, a non-profit educational organization. Disney Imagineers, of course, are the people who come up with all of the amazing fun rides at Disney Parks, which are currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the federal government has urged against gatherings of more than 10 people.

The free online program is meant to help kids learn all about how Disney Imagineers manage to create all of the wonderful experiences at Disney parks through 32 different modules in subjects like engineering, creating videos, story development, and conceptual design. It also allows kids to bring "treasured Disney stories to life" by giving them the tools to create their very own theme park experience.

"With so many families at home together right now, we thought this would be an especially useful time to share this program with you. It’s available to all and completely free," Josh Gorin, creative development executive with Walt Disney Imgineering, explained in a recent blog post.

The free interactive course already has some fans, with people noting on the Walt Disney blog that it's particularly great to have this right now. "We love this!" one person commented. "It is especially helpful with school out right now! Great way to keep the kids engaged in learning!"

For anyone who wants to try out the free interactive program, just click on the link shared by Khan Academy and will include a mixture of computer-based and physical components. Each course requires about one hour of watching the video as well as extra time for doing things like building your own characters.

If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all of Romper’s parents + coronavirus coverage here, and Bustle’s constantly updated, general “what to know about coronavirus” here.