As technology advances, things we can see some things that previously weren’t interactive start to work with our phones, tablets and other smart devices. Disney Imagicademy is taking something that every kid loves and pairing it with your smart devices – story books! They’re launching their interactive books exclusively at Target in the toy department.
We were sent a copy of Olaf Wants A Birthday, one of the first Disney Imagicademy incredebooks and it’s pretty awesome. Olaf Wants a Birthday is an early reader book that focuses on rhyming words and interaction. The book, of course can be read without a smart device – but it’s when connected with your phone the real magic happens.
In order to use the incredebooks with your phone or tablet, you have to download an app in your app store. Once it’s installed you can select the book you have or scan the special bar-code inside the first page of the book to connect the two together. I did find the installation of the app took a bit longer than I expected, and the first time I scanned the bar-code the app closed itself out. If you have the same issue, re-open the app and scan the bar-code again, it will open without a problem. Once the app accepts the book you have, you wont need to pair it again.
The next step to reading your book is to find the interactive pages. Not every page is interactive, but in the Frozen books you will look for the snow flake bar-code. 
Once you scan the snow flake your phone will show a pop-up world that is in the them of that page with the character involved. The character, as well as all of the elements in the scene will move and interact.
The app will instruct you the scenes work better in the portrait view, but I found that some of the scenes looked better in the landscape view on the phone. You can actually play with it so it blocks out the rest of the book and you can see everything in your space – like Olaf on his desert island with fun things to play with! Every item you touch moves around the screen and has a different rhyming sentence that goes with the story that isn’t actually in the book. Each scene is a lot of fun to play with and helps continue and add to the story in the book.
We’ve had a lot of fun with the Olaf Wants a Birthday Incredebook – it’s a fun combination between traditional books as well as the technology that kids love. Each of the Disney Imagicademy books are at Target in the Toy Department for $14.99. The full augmented reality experience is INCLUDED AT NO EXTRA CHARGE with the purchase of the hardcover storybooks, available exclusively at Target
During play, children can:
- Take a photo with Olaf or Mickey
- Change viewpoints by zooming in and out — and rotating the 3D story scenes 360 degrees
- Explore four digital experiences reinforcing early language skills
- Tap objects to trigger animations and funny rhymes
- Engage in playful rhyming games and activities
Want to win a copy of Olaf Wants a Birthday? Read how you can win below!
How Can You Win?
Enter to win with the form below. What is you favorite feature about the Disney Imagicademy Incredebooks? or Which of the Disney Imagicademy Incredebooks would you want? What If you do not do this entry – you will not win! So make sure you leave a comment and then enter using the form below!
Olaf Wants a Birthday would be good for either a boy or a girl, most of my grandkids love Olaf
I’d love the jack and the beanstalk book for when we teach the fairy tales unit in preschool.
I like the Olaf Wants a Birthday book. I love that the app adds so much to this book!
My son would like Olaf Birthday or Mickey & Donald Time one. These are really neat books.
Olaf!!!
I would love the Mickey and Donald’s Rhyme Time book! My daughter loves Mickey!
I like the Olaf Wants a Birthday boo best. I love that the app adds so much to this book!
I want the Olaf Wants a Birthday book. I love that the app adds so much to this book!
I would want the Olaf book for my granddaughter.
i would love Mickey and Donald’s Rhyme Time for my son.