Watch This, Do That: Finding Nemo

Take a trip under the sea to watch the fin-tastic Pixar movie, Finding Nemo. Marlin, a protective father and clownfish, is frantically trying to bring his son Nemo back home. He runs into Dory, a bit of a forgetful fish with a good heart. She helps out Marlin on his journey as they run into sharks, jellyfish, sea turtles and more. Meanwhile, Nemo is stuck in an aquarium at a dentist office, where he meets new friends.

While Marlin and Dory try to find Nemo, there are a lot of lessons they learn along the way:

• Just keep swimming. Marlin and Dory’s quest isn’t an easy one and they are faced with difficult obstacles. There’s a moment when Marlin wants to give up, but Dory reminds him with a simple song, “Just keep swimming!” It’s a great reminder when moments in life are tough, you shouldn’t give up.
• Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. After unfortunate circumstances, Marlin tells Nemo that he needs to be cautious with every step he takes, and his worry is one of the reasons Nemo goes missing. Throughout the movie, both Nemo and Marlin step out of their shells. We all learn that it’s OK to try new things even if you’re scared.
• Ask for help. When you’re stuck in a situation or lost, it’s important to ask for help from others. Marlin wouldn’t be able to find Nemo without Dory. Along the way, there are plenty of friendly sea creatures that point the fish to the right direction. It’s always a good idea when you’re lost or stuck in a situation to ask for help.

Movie-inspired activities

After you’re done watching Finding Nemo, try out these screen-free activities with your kids:

• Bob for Nemo. Use colorful sponges to try out this game where kids scoop out Nemo, Dory and Peach.
• Decorate jellyfish. “I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine and he shall be my Squishy.” Make your own Squishy with this cute jellyfish craft.
• Play a memory game. Put your memory to the test by pulling out a memory game at home.
• Mix glitter slime. This aqua sparkle slime includes some of your fish friends from Finding Nemo.
• Make no fish tofu tacos. Fish are friends, not food! Try out these fried tofu tacos for dinner.
• Fill light-up aquarium jars. Recreate the fish tank in Philip Sherman’s dentist office. These fun light-up mason jars will go great with some toy fish figurines.

Have a Watch This, Do That idea you want to share with our readers? Send your idea to editor@metroparent.com with your suggestion for a movie. We’d love to share your idea on MetroParent.com.