Image of Qatar Foundation.
DOHA: Digging up fossils, travelling back in time to a pre-historic age, and cooking up ‘edible science’ dishes were just some of the exciting activities enjoyed by the young participants in Qatar Foundation’s (QF) ‘Summer of Learning’ programme.
The fun-filled sessions were held at the Education City Club House from August 12 to 15, as part of QF’s efforts to offer young members of the community an engaging, educational, and entertaining way of spending their summer holidays.
The theme for this year’s programme – open to children between ages of 4 and 12 – revolved around science, with a variety of experiential activities based around Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) being organised for different abilities and aptitude.
The sessions introduced participants to science through tasks such as cooking, circuit-building, and architecture-based designing.
Khalid M. Zaghmout, Event Logistics and Support Supervisor, Community Services, QF, said, “Community development is at the core of all our efforts at QF, and this year’s exciting array of ‘Summer of Learning’ events reflect our commitment to fostering a socially-engaged and responsive society.
“Each year, this programme offers innovative ways for members of the wider community in Qatar to enhance their mental and physical well-being. Children who attended the sessions were able to pick up science-based skills in an environment that encouraged curiosity and interactive learning.”
Over 30 students signed up for QF’s ‘Summer of Learning’ camp this year, with sessions such as ‘Dino Daze’ and ‘Edible Science’ proving popular, and each afternoon during the programme seeing children trying their hand at making their own fossils, modeling putty into designs, and conducting basic chemistry experiments.
One of the parents of ‘Summer of Learning’ participants, Maha Yafie, said she had heard of QF’s educational programs for the community, and wanted her children to learn about science in a more interactive manner.
“The programmes are perfectly suited for my children’s age group and help them make the most of their summer holidays by offering activities where they can learn something exciting each afternoon,” she said.
Another parent, Antony D’Souza, who made a round trip of almost 40km to bring his two children to the camp, said ‘Summer of Learning’ made the journey well worthwhile.
“Qatar Foundation’s ‘Summer of Learning’ programme is an example of out-of-the-box thinking, such as through a session called Sparky Monday,” he said.
While on August 23, QF will host its Eid Al Adha celebrations at the Education City Club House, showcasing Qatari traditions such as henna tattoo and arts and crafts, and inviting the community to enjoy traditional food, before welcoming students back to Education City for the start of the new academic year in September.
