Dubai: Summer camps are the first choice for working parents looking to keep their children entertained and occupied during the summer school break.
However, their expectations about the skill sets they want their children to gain are fairly high. So, investing in the right camp is important.
Although it’s not difficult to get children creatively engaged at home, the activities can become boring and repetitive, especially if the children have a long summer break, Tasneem Ajaj, a mother of three kids and an administrative assistant at the American School of Dubai, says.
Supporting the idea of sending her children to summer camps to learn a skill in a deeper manner, Tasneem said she picked up the idea from other working mums and has lots of expectations.
“I expect that my children are going to be in a safe and comfortable place, and that they are provided with engaging and stimulating activities over the course of the day. I would like my children to be engaged in team sports where they learn the importance of teamwork and cooperation. I don’t expect or even want any academic activities, because I believe in the importance of play.”
Tasneem noticed an increase in confidence and self-esteem in her seven-year-old boy. “He became more interested in sports, something he disliked initially. He now looks forward to PE classes in his school because of the sports he practised during camp.”
Archana Krishna, a mother of two and a human resource professional, said there are a variety of options in the market but she looks at camps that help her children acquire unique skill sets.
“For the largest and most productive part of the day, the children will be alone at home and we don’t believe that helps them to realise their extra potential. In a structured camp, they will be more productive. I mean, they can read books and play at home, but not for long.”
Krishna said she’s able to tell her children have learnt something when she quizzes them at home and also based on their improvement at school. “New concepts of multiplying using artistic means was something great they learnt,” she said.
Kathrine Cameron, an Australian mother of two boys and an office manager, said the benefits of summer camps is that her children get to learn a variety of things at the same time. She prefers camps that give children an option and do not go by a fixed schedule.
“We care about social skills more than anything else. We don’t want our children to be in an environment like a school where they are taught a new language or maths. We want our boys to stay active,” she said.
She feels her boys have a better understanding of other cultures now after mingling with other children.
