Theatre at Home: Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo

The theatre experience does not have to stop at the end of the performance! Watching a play together creates a common experience that family members can bond over. It offers a unique opportunity to enhance family connections though sharing emotions and engaging in discussions about the performance. Check out the following discussions, activities, and other outings you can do at home or in your community to connect more with the themes of this family-friendly activity of Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo!

Do you not have tickets yet? GASP! Get them here!

Questions for the Ride Home

1. What do you think the story was trying to teach us? What lessons did you learn from this play? 
2. Did any of the characters change in the story? Which ones changed? How? 
3. Was there a moment in the play that reminded you of your life? What kinds of situations in your life reminded you of this story? 
4. Have you ever felt scared to try something new like Marlin? Or have you ever been excited to try something new like Nemo? Which one of these two characters do you relate to the most? 
5. Dory says, “Just keep swimming”. What do you think that means? How do you “just keep swimming”? 

EXPLORE MORE AROUND CENTRAL FLORIDA

SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium at ICON Park in Orlando 

This family-friendly underwater adventure is perfect for young explorers. Kids can walk through Florida’s only 360° ocean tunnel, spotting sharks, sea turtles, and colorful fish swimming overhead and all around. Interactive touch pools let little hands gently meet sea stars and anemones, while kid-height exhibits and playful displays make learning about marine life fun and engaging. Learn more about this easy, stroller-friendly way for families to discover the wonders of the ocean—without getting wet! 

Mead Botanical Gardens – The Pond Habitat Exploration at Winter Park 

This free experience offers young families a peaceful, hands-on way to discover the plants and animals that thrive in freshwater environments. Along shaded boardwalks and pond edges, children can spot turtles, small fish, frogs, and wading birds while learning how these creatures depend on clean water and healthy habitats. It’s a gentle, stroller-friendly outing that blends nature play with early lessons about aquatic ecosystems—perfect for sparking curiosity about the world beneath the water’s surface! 

Brevard Zoo “Paws On” Play Area 

This exhibit and play area offers young families a fun, interactive way to explore coastal and marine life native to Florida. Kids can get up close to gentle manatees, stingrays, turtles, and fish in a naturalistic lagoon setting. With additional options to kayak or paddle boat around the lagoon, children can experience the water habitat firsthand while learning about conservation and wildlife care. It’s a hands-on adventure perfect for curious young explorers eager to connect with ocean creatures in a safe, family-friendly environment.

Disney’s Epcot The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion 

This wonderful marine adventure is perfect for families eager to explore ocean life together. The experience begins with a gentle, colorful ride where you join Nemo, Marlin, and Dory as they search the ocean, featuring playful scenes and catchy songs. After the ride, families can explore one of the largest aquariums in the U.S., home to sea turtles, sharks, rays, and hundreds of other marine creatures. Interactive exhibits and the fun, live Turtle Talk with Crush show offer hands-on learning and laughter for kids of all ages—making it a perfect blend of entertainment and education about the ocean’s wonders.

DO MORE AT HOME

Create an underwater adventure! 

Create your own magical “Underwater World” at home just like in Finding Nemo using simple household items! Gather blue sheets, scarves, or tissue paper to make shimmering water, and use paper plates, cups, and recycled containers to build colorful coral reefs, seaweed, and hidden caves. Add playful obstacles like “jellyfish” made from ribbon or string that you have to gently wiggle through, or “currents” made by waving fans or blowing bubbles to mimic ocean movement. Challenge family members to swim like Marlin and Dory, avoiding obstacles just like their adventurous journey through the Big Ol’ Sea. This hands-on activity sparks imagination, teamwork, and brings the Big Blue World  right into your living room!

Create your own underwater puppets! 

Bring the magic of the Finding Nemo  home by creating your own colorful sea creature puppets using everyday household items! Families can transform paper lunch bags, socks, or cardboard tubes into Nemo, Dory, Marlin, and any of their other favorite characters with markers, construction paper, felt scraps, and glue. Add fins from cut-out paper, eyes from buttons or bottle caps, and even yarn “seaweed” for extra flair. Once the puppets are ready, put on a living room performance—swimming through imaginary coral reefs, meeting ocean friends, and acting out brave adventures in the Big Blue World. 

Create an ocean-sensory adventure! 

Dive into a playful ocean-sensory adventure bin inspired by Finding Nemo that’s perfect for young children! Fill a large bin or shallow container with blue-tinted water or water beads, then add plastic sea creatures, shells, and smooth stones to create Nemo’s underwater Big Blue World. Little hands can scoop, pour, and explore while parents introduce familiar characters – potential questions/ideas can include: “Can you find Dory hiding in the coral?” or “Help Marlin swim past the rocks to find Nemo!” This simple, low-cost activity engages touch, sight, and imagination, while sparking curiosity about ocean life and the friendships in Nemo’s world.

Make an ocean in a bottle!

Make a mesmerizing ocean-sensory bottle that visually brings Nemo’s world to life for young children! Fill a clear plastic bottle about two-thirds full with water tinted with blue food coloring, then top it off with vegetable oil or baby oil. Add small seashells, glitter, or tiny plastic ocean animals for extra magic. When the bottle is sealed tightly and gently shaken or tilted, the water and oil move like ocean waves, creating a calming, stimulating visual for little ones to watch—just like peeking into Nemo’s underwater home.

Make a “Just Keep Swimming” affirmation jar! 

Create a “Just Keep Swimming” affirmation jar to inspire positivity and bravery! Using a clean jar or container, families can decorate it with paper, stickers, or drawings of ocean waves and Nemo characters. Then, work together to write uplifting affirmations on colorful slips of paper—messages like “Just keep swimming”, “You can do hard things”, “Be brave like Marlin,” or “Stay curious like Dory”.  Each day, children can pull out a message for a boost of encouragement, reminding them to keep going and never give up – just like the characters from Finding Nemo.

READ MORE BOOKS ABOUT Sea Creatures 

Get EPIC , an online resource to access over 40,000 books, audio books, and online resources about TOPIC RELATED TO PLAY!