Mickey Mouse

I remember the old Mickey Mouse Club, the one that ran in black and white after school way back in 1957.  I cherished those little black ears we got for Christmas and wore them when I watched.  It had a lasting effect on me.

To this day I can teach things by putting them to the tune of the song, M, I, C (see you real soon) song they sang at the end.  I've taught children their addresses this way, to spell their names, and other important things! It's catchy and easily translated into almost anything.

I loved the days Jimmie opened the vault with his magic words.  The little programs spoke right to my childish heart.  Love stories for a seven year old.  And on "Anything can happen day" I was excited to see what it would be.  The horses that hung from their shoulders by straps ignited my own creativity. 

I thought Karen and Cubby were the two cutest little kids in the world.  I wanted to cuddle them and play with them!  It never occurred to me that they were probably as old as I was.  And through the years I always felt like I "knew" the actors personally if they first appeared on the Mickey Mouse Club!  Don Grady and Johnny Crawford were my favorites even though their names had been different on the show.

When I got my first record player for Christmas I was eleven years old and the two records that came with it were The Mickey Mouse Club and Alvin And The Chipmunks!  I played them so many times I probably still know the songs by heart.

It's important to pay attention to the things we use to entertain children.  The effect can be longer reaching than anyone ever dreams.  Here I am still dreaming of the Mickey Mouse Club fifty six years later!