As the UAE continues to prioritise wellbeing, inclusion, and strong family foundations, the Year of the Family has encouraged schools and communities to reflect on how children are supported not only academically, but as individuals growing up in a complex, interconnected world.
While schools provide a vital academic framework, many of the skills children need for life are developed beyond the classroom. Confidence, resilience, empathy, independence, and responsibility are shaped through everyday experiences at home and through engagement with the wider world. Recognising this, Edsidera offers a value added awards programme that sits entirely outside the curriculum and is completed at home, in partnership with families.
A Value Added Programme Beyond the Curriculum
Edsidera’s awards are not lessons, homework, or school led initiatives. Schools do not deliver or structure the framework. Instead, families choose to take part, and children complete challenges independently at home, supported by parents or caregivers and at a pace that suits their family life.
Through three age appropriate awards, the Little Star Award (ages 3–5), Rising Star Award (ages 5–13) and Karam Award (ages 5–11), children are guided to explore life skills that are often developed outside formal learning.
Schools act simply as facilitators, offering families access to a meaningful enrichment opportunity without adding to teaching time or workload.
Children complete challenges independently at home, supported by parents or caregivers and at a pace that suits their family life.
Real Life Skills for a Changing World
While everyday life skills are important, Edsidera’s awards are designed to go further supporting children in developing real life skills that prepare them for the world beyond their immediate environment.
Across the Rising Star and Karam Awards in particular, children engage with themes such as financial literacy, sustainability, wellbeing, community responsibility, and global awareness. Challenges encourage learners to think beyond their own experiences, explore real world issues, and reflect on how their actions impact others, both locally and globally.
Edsidera’s awards are designed to support children in developing real life skills that prepare them for the world beyond their immediate environment.
Younger children taking part in the Little Star Award build early independence, confidence, kindness, and curiosity through playful, hands on challenges that fit naturally into family routines, laying strong foundations for future learning.
Family Involvement and Independent Growth
Whilst Edsidera’s awards create meaningful opportunities for family involvement particularly through the upcoming Year of the Family challenges for 2026, they are equally designed to support children in thriving independently.
Parents are not asked to teach content or follow structured programmes. Instead, families support children by encouraging reflection, conversation, and shared experiences, while children take ownership of completing challenges and sharing evidence of their learning.
This balance helps children develop resilience, confidence, and self belief, while strengthening family connections through positive, purposeful engagement.
Wellbeing, Inclusion, and Accessibility at Home
Wellbeing underpins every Edsidera award. Challenges encourage children to reflect on emotions, develop healthy routines, practise self care, and build confidence, skills that are best nurtured within the home environment.
The platform is designed to be inclusive and accessible. Children can share evidence of their challenges through photos, short videos, voice notes, or written reflections, allowing them to communicate in ways that suit their strengths.
Wellbeing underpins every Edsidera award
Selected resources, particularly within the Little Star Award, are Symbol Friendly through a partnership with Widgit, supporting families with younger children, additional needs, or those learning English or Arabic as an additional language.
Digital Learning with Purpose
Children access their awards through a simple digital platform, but learning itself happens offline through real world action, discussion, and reflection at home. This supports families in promoting healthy digital habits, ensuring technology enhances learning rather than replacing meaningful interaction.
Supporting the Spirit of the Year of the Family
By recognising learning that happens at home and encouraging children to engage with the wider world, Edsidera’s awards support families in raising confident, compassionate, and resilient young people.As children complete challenges independently supported, but not led, by adults, they develop the foundations needed to thrive both in school and in life, long after the award is complete.
Get in Touch
To explore how Edsidera’s awards could support learners, families, and the wider school community, the team would be delighted to hear from you. For more information please contact,
Further Reading:
- The Little Star Award by Edsidera
- Wellbeing that Works: How Edsidera Awards Help Schools Deliver on KHDA & ADEK Priorities