Summer is that one time of the year that both parents and kids look forward to. With at least eight weeks of school-free days, everyone can take it easy since there is no need to wake up early to get to class. You and your little ones won’t have to stress over assignments and projects that have to be submitted on or before the given deadlines.
However, as a parent, your happiness can easily become short-lived when your children start getting bored and keep asking you what they can do for entertainment. You will also begin worrying, as well, when you see your little ones doing nothing productive and simply staying glued to the TV or their mobile devices.
Creating a list of well-chosen activities beforehand will allow your kids to learn and have fun at the same time for two months. It is a great way to ensure they will do plenty of productive things and avoid the summer slide during their holiday.
Below are the six best summer learning activities parents in Dubai can have their children participate in:
1. Academic summer camps
In Dubai, there are several learning centers that offer academic summer camps where kids learn a variety of things. These include essay writing, English speaking skills, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
These summer camps are designed to allow children to continue learning while on their break. However, the activities they will participate in are fun and interactive. Because of this, your kids will have fun times as they study robotics, coding, and other concepts covered by the program they choose.
Aside from picking up key hard skills, your kids will obtain soft ones, which will help them now and in the future. These abilities and skills include curiosity or an unrelenting thirst for knowledge, critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.
Academic summer camps also enable your children to hone their social skills since they will meet and make new friends throughout the program. They’ll get to learn how to collaborate with others as well.
2. Music lessons
Helping your kids discover and hone their musical talent is something that your children will love doing during summer.
Music lessons enable your little ones to develop plenty of soft skills, which include discipline, patience, and creativity. They also help boost your kids’ self-confidence and ability to socialize with others.
Music also has several positive effects on academic and physical capabilities. As such, you will be able to see improvements in your children’s performance in sports and other physical activities when they get immersed in this art.
You and your kids will notice the same thing once school starts again.
For your kids to get the most benefits, they have to choose an instrument that they are excited to play and be interested to learn for years to come. You also have to agree with their selection since you will listen to them practice for hours at home.
3. Home theater shows
If your kids are looking for something to do at home, get their creative juices flowing while keeping them occupied for hours by organizing a puppet theater.
Let your children choose a fairytale or any story they want to recreate and present. If your kids want to write a script, allow them to do so.
Next, help your kids create puppet characters. Get several old gloves and cut off the top of the fingers. Let them draw faces on these cut-outs with felt tip markers or cut them out from old magazines or printouts of images they find on the Internet and glue these together. Give them some yarn which they can use for the hair.
If the kids need a stage, help them create one using cartons or boxes and cut-outs from magazines or downloaded images.
Once everything is complete, let your kids present their show in the living room. Invite your closest relatives and friends to watch the presentation.
If your children want to act out a play instead of using finger puppets, help them create the costumes, stage, and props they need.
4. Cooking and baking
Letting your kids help you in the kitchen is also another fun way to help them learn at home. Aside from getting extra sets of hands, your little ones will hone several skills or be introduced to new concepts in math, such as measurements, fractions, and time.
Let your children help you as you prep ingredients for meals you have to cook. Allow them to peel vegetables and fruits by hand. For older kids, give them plastic knives to use for slicing and cutting the produce.
Trying a new recipe for the first time is also something that would be fun to do with your kids. Delegate one or two tasks for each child; however, make sure these are things that they can do. Let them take turns, as well, if a particular job becomes tiring, such as mixing the batter for several minutes or grating some ingredients.
Make sure everyone reads the recipe, as well, especially if they are measuring ingredients or keeping time. This simple step helps your kid learn the importance of following instructions and boosts their comprehension at the same time.
5. Sports
Children need to get enough exercise even if they are supposed to take it easy during summer. When they get a regular workout every week, they strengthen their bodies and brains at the same time. They also develop other skills such as self-confidence, strategic thinking, and teamwork.
Encouraging your kids to take up a sport or engage in different ones weekly can give them the exercise they need. Whether they choose basketball, football, tennis, or baseball, they can get a full-body workout and other health benefits.
Like music lessons, it is best to have your kids select which sport to take up. It has to be something they enjoy doing and fits their capabilities.
If your children want to focus on a particular sport, they can also join sports camps or clinics so that they can benefit from professional coaching and training. There are several centers and venues in Dubai that offer these programs.
6. Educational day trips
Lastly, summer won’t be complete for kids if they don’t get out and spend time in one or more fun places.
But instead of bringing them simply to any place that they like or convenient for you, put some thought into your destinations.
Museums and libraries should be on top of your list. Your children will be able to learn new things such as world history, and hone their reading skills when they visit such places.
In Dubai, the best museums to bring your kids to include the Dubai Museum, Etihad Museum, and Naif Museum. There are several libraries which you and your children can head to for an hour or two of reading.
Dubai also has plenty of kid-friendly attractions that offer fun learning opportunities, as well. These include:
- The Green Planet
- Dubai Safari Park
- Kidzania
- LEGOLAND Dubai
- Mattel Playtown
- Dubai Glow Garden
- Al Mamzar Beach Park
- Safa Park
- Mushrif Park
Whichever place you and your kids go to, you can spend the whole day in these venues, making them the perfect spot for a family outing.
Although there are still a few months left before your kids’ summer holiday, you can start planning for their activities to ensure they have a productive and enjoyable vacation this year.
AUTHOR BIO
Maloy Burman is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Premier Genie FZ LLC. He is responsible for driving Premier Genie into a leadership position in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education space in Asia, Middle East and Africa and building a solid brand value. Premier Genie is currently running 5 centers in Dubai and 5 centers in India with a goal to multiply that over the next 5 years.