NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA – June 23, 2006 – Disney Online, part of the Walt Disney Internet Group, today announced it will offer public libraries free subscriptions to Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online™, a safe, ad-free interactive learning experience for preschoolers. Developed in conjunction with education experts, Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online offers entertaining, story-driven games and activities that teach skills in crucial areas such as letter and number recognition, shape and color identification and counting. Disney Online will be showcasing the service at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference in New Orleans from June 24-27th in booth #240.
“Librarians often play a significant role in helping preschool-age children prepare for kindergarten,” said Renee Cherow O’Leary, professor at Teachers College Columbia University and President of Education for the 21st Century, an educational consulting firm in New York City. “Resources that support early learning are valuable and allow parents and children to work together.”
Praised by The New York Times and USA Today for its content, Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online is hosted by “Bear” from Disney Channel’s Bear in the Big Blue House. Bear and other Disney characters lead activities that focus on eight key skill areas including reading readiness, thinking skills, daily living skills, social skills, imagination and self-expression, motor skills, and computer skills. Lessons automatically adjust to each individual child’s skill level, keeping preschoolers engaged and challenged. New content is introduced every two weeks, letting each child continue to advance at his or her natural pace.
“We’re very pleased to be able to offer Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online free to public libraries,” said Steve Parkis, vice president of premium products, Disney Online. “We believe the public library is a perfect fit for the fun learning offered in Preschool Time Online, especially for guests who may not have easy access to a broadband connection elsewhere.”
Disney Online will offer U.S.-based public librarians free access to Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online, normally a $49.95 annual subscription fee, beginning June 24, 2006 at the American Library Association conference. Librarians can email library@disney.com to request a free subscription or visit www.preschooltime.com/library for a guide on how to use Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online in the library. Valid credentials must be provided by each applicant.
About Disney Online
Disney Online (www.disney.com) produces the number one kids’ entertainment and family community destination on the World Wide Web. Launched in 1995, Disney.com is designed to reflect the vision of an “online theme park,” providing an interactive gateway to all of the company’s many Disney-branded Internet initiatives. Popular Disney Online places to visit include Disney Channel (www.DisneyChannel.com), Playhouse Disney (www.PlayhouseDisney.com), Disney Shopping (www.disneyshopping.com), Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/) Walt Disney Pictures (www.disneypictures.com), Disney DVD & Video (www.disneyvideos.com) and Radio Disney (www.radiodisney.com).
Among the many magical “neighborhoods” found at www.Disney.com is the fun-filled Games area (www.disney.com/games), which includes Disney’s Toontown Online and Disney’s Blast (www.disneyblast.com), a premium subscription service for kids ages 5-9. Disney Online also produces FamilyFun.com (www.familyfun.com), the premier online family resource for “great ideas, practical advice, and fun stuff to do” as well as Movies.com (www.movies.com), a leading site that provides a broad array of reviews and information to help movie fans “get movie night right.” Disney Online is a part of the Walt Disney Internet Group, which provides integrated strategic and operational services for Internet, broadband, and mobile initiatives of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS).