I don't normally subscribe to commercially branded themes for classes or art camps, but will do them, upon request, for parties. My thinking is that I want kids to open up their minds to things that they don't see every day. I've done princess and mermaid themed events without using Disney characters, and I like the flexibility that it allows. I want kids to see beyond the popular Disney images, to know that all mermaids don't have to have red hair and that all princesses aren't necessarily the ones printed on millions of lunch boxes, sneakers, and any other inanimate objects. But with Frozen, it's different. You can't do a Frozen themed event without including the featured characters. Frozen has become a household name. The word is no longer the description of water that has reached 32 degrees. The word is representative of a world of artistic icicles, a silly animated snowman, and (most importantly) Anna and Elsa.
As most of you know, kids are CRAZY about these two ladies. Team Anna, Team Elsa- they are both loved by millions of girls, but I think that Elsa wins the popularity contest. It must be the dress. And the superpowers. And the blonde hair. Ever notice that the blondes are just more popular? The evidence reveals itself when you go to Wal-Mart, Target, or Disney.com... You can find Anna merchandise, but Elsa is usually sold out. I'm not sure if Disney dropped the ball on the supply and demand of the merchandise or if they did it on purpose to create a frenzy. I stalked the Disney Store website for a month to (happily) fork over $50 a piece for Anna and Elsa dresses (plus the matching boots.) I'm not sure if I would have done that if they were always available.
In addition to the characters, there's the music. I will admit that I cried the first time I heard/saw "Let it Go." Now when I hear it, I just WANT to cry. We listen to a Pandora station during class, which plays a variety of Disney tunes, including songs from their popular movies. Whenever any song from Frozen comes on, everyone seems to freeze and exclaim "it's Frozen!" Most of the time, they stop whatever they are doing and rush into the playroom to dance and sing along. When this happens, they kind of remind me of zombies- or maybe Pavlov's dog.
Anyway, I knew that the kids would LOVE a Frozen Art Camp. I knew that we would easily fill up one day of camp, so I initially scheduled two days. I underestimated the love. I posted the event on our Facebook page, and both days were full within about 2 hours. People wanted more. I scheduled another one. FULL. Another one. FULL. Another one.... It took a couple of days, but it filled up, too. People are still calling and trying to get in- but I think my limit is five. There's only so much self-inflected Frozen madness that one can stand before going completely bonkers. But, it's so worth it. There are going to be a lot of extremely happy little girls (and some boys) for several Saturdays to come. It's also been a great way to bring new children to The Barn. I will let you know if I ever get the songs out of my head. :-)
