Some people may think that Epcot can get boring for younger children. One of the fun things to do in Epcot (and its free) are the kidcot fun stops. There are several in Future World (The Living Seas and The Land) and 0ne in every country of the World Showcase (11).
Future World Kidcot Fun Stops:
It doesn’t matter where you start. Your child gets a badge on a necklace with holes in the bottom. They can color and decorate pieces at each spot and add it to their necklace. Here is the one my kids made.
Future World Kidcot Fun Stops:
When they get into future world it is a little more interesting. Each country has a Kidcot Fun Spot. Again you can start at any location. You get a mask with a wooden handle. Each country has a unique piece to add to it. They also put a stamp on the wooden handle. In China and Japan they wrote my child’s name on the back of the mask in Chinese and Japanese. It is a great oppotunity for your child to interact with people from another country. Each of the cast members from the World Showcase are people native to that country. They are fluent in both English and their native language. It is fun to talk to them and maybe ask how to say a few words. You can take the time to color your pieces in each country or just get them and move on. My kids loved their masks and have played with them but this is what they look like.
A few tips:
Kidcot is presented by Sharpie. This means that at every stop they give you Sharpie markers to color with. If you have a younger child or you would rather not have them use sharpies then you can bring your own crayons or markers.
You can have them color their pieces at each stop or just get them and have them color them at lunch or dinner. It can be a great distraction later when you are trying to eat.
Make sure you write on each piece what country it was from.
This is what was at the Kidcot Stops when we were there in October 2009. The activities they offer may be different in the future but the kidcot fun stops have been around for a long time so they will still be there to offer an enriching experience for the kids.
These spots seem to be geared more for kids under 7, of course it depends on the child. The stops in the World Showcase are great for any age though because of the opportunity to talk with the foreign cast members. If your kids are older you could plan your own activity like a kids travel journal with a list of words or greetings and then they can go to each spot and ask the CM’s to write down those words in their language. It can be a great learning experience.
There are 11 countries represented in the World Showcase including Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada.
