Thursdays with Mel... The Hunt for Hidden Mickeys

A Hidden Mickey, waiting to be found

My kids like to search for Hidden Mickeys at Disney World. But I love the quest for Hidden Mickeys that takes place prior to our vacations! It has become a tradition in our house. In the weeks leading up to a Disney Vacation I simply draw a Classic Mickey on a post-it note, and I stick the note on a chore that needs to be done.

• Dishwasher ready to be unloaded.
• Glass doors covered in fingerprints.
• Laundry to be put away.
• Dusting (this time of year, everything is dusty)

All I do is stick a sticky note on 'em and quicker than you can say Bibiddy Bobbidy Boo, a child who once balked at the idea of helping out, all of a sudden becomes a more than willing assistant housekeeper. 

He's happy he found it.
I'm happy he's unloading it!

Why do they do this?

To earn the Hidden Mickey, they must complete the task. In the past, the one with the most gets the Disney Trading Pin of their choice at Disney. So with our Disneyland trip so close they can taste it, the hunt for Hidden Mickeys officially begins today. This time, however, I changed the game. Now, if they earn 20 Hidden Mickeys before our trip, they will get the pin of their choice. This gives them a collective goal, instead of making them compete against one another. It gets them involved and engaged in the trip-planning process. And, hey,  I won't unload that dishwasher for weeks!

DisneyLifestyleBlog announcement: Today begins the Spring Break Giveaway. Next week I'll be giving away a D23 watch to one lucky follower of The Disney Lifestyle Blog. Check out today's post for official details.