By Isabel Ovalle
The summer vacation is around the corner for the kids in the house and Doha’s parents are getting ready for the extra days off. Among expatriate families, it’s very common to go back home once the schools close, especially when extreme summer temperatures hit the city. If the mother doesn’t work, she and the children might leave the country for up to three months. However, if that is not the case, mums and dads must wheel out their web searching skills or make use of the phone tree to organise the children’s free time.
Patricia Rocha, a licensed marriage and family therapist who works in Qatar mostly with expatriate families, admitted that it was not easy to find answers to the question: What to do with kids in the summer?
“Parents usually find relief -- for them as caregivers and their kids as students -- in taking a break from class projects and other activities that go with the school year; however, as most parents have experienced, summer presents its own list of demands,” said the expert.
The first suggestion for parents is to be creative in order to reduce the stress felt when the kids are off school.
“The key is to keep the children busy even though there are not lots of options or activities to choose from in Doha. The activity should depend on the age of the child, but some of the options are aqua parks, camel races, desert trips, the zoo, summer camps, libraries, play areas in shopping malls or bowling outings,” said Rocha.
In the summer months, parents need to become resourceful when searching for things for their kids to engage in. “Instead of bike rides, parents may need to search for indoor activities that can still provide a way to channel their energy in a physical way and provide recreation. Despite the fact that bike rides are not difficult over the summer in Qatar, swimming lessons may be an option to consider, or workshops, or play dates at home, and movie watching with friends,” continued the therapist.
In addition, Rocha highlighted the importance of maintaining some kind of routine and consistency in the children’s lives. “Having activities and some kind of routine helps kids make sense of their day: morning, noon, and night. They also respond better if there is a plan and they know what to expect. Children feel safe that way,” she explained.
The expert identified providing a structured and nurturing environment in which children can prepare for life as adults as one of parents’ biggest responsibilities. “Even during summer or less structured time during the year, parents can still set daily chores to teach children responsibility, like completing certain chores or tasks in order to have access to the summer activity privileges.”
On the other hand, part of the flexibility that summer offers should be used to provide children with time to play, an activity which should not be underestimated because it stimulates creativity and imagination, builds social skills and self-esteem and helps children to learn about the world, while also providing an opportunity for kids to work out their feelings, said Rocha.
To offer a helping hand, Doha Mums, a group that brings together more than 1,400 women, has listed some of the nurseries that offer special camps during the summer. Doha Mums founder and administrator, Roxanne Davis, recommends that local mums contact the group and take part in their regular play groups and other activities.
To entertain the kids, she suggests being creative and keeping the children cool by organising activities like making popsicles. In addition, she said the Doha Mums library, comprising up to 4,500 books and a scanner to keep track of borrowed books, would soon be relocated to a bigger place.
The Doha Mums list of nurseries that will have activities during the summer months includes more than 20 establishments. Most of the summer activities commence in mid-June and conclude at the end of August, while some continue until mid-September. The price range begins at approximately QR500 per week and goes up to QR900. Nurseries and kindergartens offer services from 6.45am to 4.30pm in some cases, featuring courses for children aged two months to five years.
Doha Mums has also given a thought to older kids, who can attend some of these camps: Evolution Soccer; Legacy Sports Summer Camp; Oxford Learning; Regatta Sailing Academy; Sherborne Qatar School; Tornadoes Summer Sports Camp and VCUQatar.
The price and age range of these camps varies depending on the services offered. In some, the activities are for children up to 15 years old and can be paid for daily, while specialised courses have to be paid for fully. VCUQatar also offers activities for children over 16. More information can be found at dohamums.com and on the websites of the different establishments.
