As the UAE’s long summer break gets underway, many parents face the same annual question on how to keep children engaged, active and away from screens without breaking the bank.
For a growing number of families, the answer is sometimes hard to find. Free summer camps are filling up fast, while paid programmes can run to hundreds of dirhams a week per child, putting them out of reach for some households with two or more children.
Khaleej Times spoke to UAE parents to understand how they are managing their plans for the summer.
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‘The cheapest option is still short on time’
Dubai resident Um Hasher, a mother of two, says she makes it a point every summer to channel her children’s energy into something productive.
“This summer we have no travel plans, so we are trying to diversify activities between staying at home, simple visits to malls or indoor venues, and enrolling them in educational and recreational activities so they don’t feel bored because of the heat,” she told Khaleej Times.
A single outing to a mall or entertainment venue already sets the family back between Dh300 and Dh600, she says, depending on the venue, activities and number of meals. She did manage to enrol her children in a paid camp but the compromise was clear.
“The cost is around Dh1,000, and it is relatively the cheapest option, though the duration is also short,” she said.
She added, “I find many summer camp prices high, especially for families with more than one child. Honestly, finding a good camp at a price that suits the family budget is not easy. Prices vary greatly between camps and can reach hundreds or more than Dh1,000 a week, which makes the cost high for many families. I wish there were more options at reasonable prices or greater support for summer camps.”
‘Unfortunately, not free’
Aisha Al Darmaki, a mother of three, had planned to keep the holiday simple, spending it inside the country and enrolling her children in summer programmes.
Her children are registered in camps, she says. “Unfortunately not free,” describing the prices as exaggerated. A single family outing, she adds, costs between Dh1,000 and Dh1,500.
UAE tourism fills the gap
With both travel and structured camps stretching the budget, some families are turning to the UAE itself as their summer destination.
Um Hamad, a mother of four, says she has swapped her usual summer travel plans for farms, hotels and domestic tourism this year. Each outing with her four children costs around Dh1,000, covering food, entertainment and activities.
She chose not to enrol her children in camps at all. “I did not register the kids in camps because I don’t want a fixed commitment I prefer to vary the outings so they don’t get bored. If I find camps that suit their ages and match their way of thinking, I might register them, but the duration should be short,” she said.
For Um Hamad, the decision also carries a sense of purpose. “There is nothing lacking in the UAE that would make us travel abroad. Let’s benefit our country and let our children see their homeland and get to know its regions better.”
Availability of free camps
For some families, the problem is not just affordability it is availability. Maryam Al Yasi, known as Um Anas, is a mother of four from Dubai’s Al Aweer area, including a daughter with ADHD and attention difficulties. She wanted to register her children in summer camps, but found herself priced out of paid options and shut out of free ones.
“Our family budget does not allow us to pay. We wanted to register for camps but could not find seats in the free camps,” she said.
Her family will instead spend the summer settling into their new home and touring the country. A typical outing costs around Dh500 for food and play, rising to Dh1,000 when basic shopping is included.
“We plan to spend the holiday in the country and at home. Since we have moved to a new house, we want to spend the holiday there and tour around the UAE,” she added.
Her experience reflects a situation many parents are familiar with, as free programmes are often in high demand while paid activities may not suit every family’s budget.
Source: Khaleej Times