Rachael Wilding, Education Lead, Quantum Media
The summer holidays bring excitement for children and, sometimes, a little pressure for parents. Whether you’re travelling near or far, visiting family, welcoming relatives, or simply enjoying time at home, the weeks ahead offer a chance to slow down and make memories together.
The best summers aren’t always the busiest or most expensive. Often, the moments children remember most are the simplest: a day out with family, an unexpected adventure, or time spent together doing something new. Some of the best summers with my own boys were spent in the garden or at an unexpected event with family and friends.
In this feature, members of our education community share their favourite ideas for keeping children engaged, learning, exploring and, most importantly, enjoying their summer break.
Alan Smith, Founder and Director, Nature Wave
Spending time outdoors with children does not need to be complicated. A walk, a game outside, listening to birdsong, or exploring colours, textures and smells can all help build a meaningful connection with nature. Time in green and blue spaces is proven to support wellbeing, curiosity and happiness. Activities such as creating nature colour palettes, collecting leaves and flowers, or using the free Seek by iNaturalist app to identify wildlife can make discovery exciting. By making nature fun and accessible, we help children develop a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.
“Making nature fun and accessible helps children develop a lifelong appreciation for the world around them.”
Ben Bolger, Founder, Squirrel
Summer gives us something the school term rarely does: time. It’s the perfect opportunity to give children a little more responsibility. Let them earn some money through hard work, plan a family day out within a budget, exchange the holiday currency, or take charge of buying the snacks for a trip. They’ll make mistakes, ask questions, and learn far more than they would from a lecture. As parents, we don’t need to have all the answers. We just need to make money a conversation that’s welcomed at home, rather than one that’s avoided.
“We don’t need to have all the answers. We just need to make money a conversation that’s welcomed at home.”
Brynn Cooper, International Director, High Performance Learning
This summer, I would encourage parents to focus less on keeping children busy and more on helping them stay curious. Some of the most powerful learning happens through everyday experiences: reading together, visiting new places, solving problems, having meaningful conversations and allowing children time to explore their interests. The goal is not to replicate school at home, but to nurture the habits that underpin lifelong success: self-regulation, resilience, creativity and open-mindedness. A summer rich in experiences and family connection can have a lasting impact on a child’s development.
“The goal is not to replicate school at home, but to nurture the habits that underpin lifelong success.”
George Peterkin, Founder, Mind Your Health
This summer, let’s focus on mindfulness. For the team at Mind Your Health, we have been focusing on technology. At least once a week we use no screens for entertainment and we are loving our board games!
Why not experiment with putting your phones on the ‘black and white’ feature for the last few hours before bed?
“At least once a week, try putting the screens down entirely. You might be surprised what happens next.”
Magic Phil, Magic
This summer, don’t worry about making every day perfect. Make memories instead. Build blanket forts, tell silly jokes, stay up a little late and enjoy the people around you. The moments children will remember most are often the simplest ones, shared with family, laughter and a little bit of silliness sprinkled in every day.
“Don’t worry about making every day perfect. Make memories instead.”
Sarah MacAskill, Head of Engagement, Edsidera
During the summer it is important to rest, recharge and try different things. Support your children with our Sunshine Squad: a range of on-the-go activities that can be used anywhere, all for 60 AED. Try something new, get outdoors, keep up with reading and spend time with family. Use this time to build life skills too: encourage children to help at home with packing bags, cooking and household chores they might not take on during the busy school year. Enjoy the family time and have fun!
“Life skills are built in the everyday. Use the summer to hand some of that responsibility back to your children.”
Simon Blower, Co-Founder, Pobble
One of the best ways to keep children writing over the summer is to focus on enjoyment rather than outcomes. When children are given an exciting idea to explore, writing becomes a creative activity rather than a task. Writing little and often over the holidays can help children maintain confidence, develop their ideas and return to school ready to write.
Discover more at pobble.com
“When children are given an exciting idea to explore, writing becomes a creative activity rather than a task.”
Síog Moore, Founder, LittleLand Nursery and Montessori Centre
I believe summer is an important time to re-create. When children have time to slow down, the experiences of the year can settle and become part of who they are.
Summer often comes with pressure to keep children busy, but they do not need a packed schedule to have a meaningful break. Think about your favourite childhood memory. Was it the destination, or the people you shared it with? Even in the UAE summer heat, learning can happen at home. Children can help prepare meals, bake, sort laundry, build dens, or enjoy water play with simple household items. For older children, technology can be a creative tool through photography, storytelling, video editing and graphic design, rather than something used passively.
“The most valuable summer experiences are often the simplest: talking, laughing, creating, helping and spending time together.”
Tom Meakin, Principal, North Gate British School
The summer period presents a valuable opportunity for children to engage in rest, rejuvenation and holistic development that goes beyond the traditional academic setting. While maintaining some academic engagement through reading, creative writing, puzzles or educational games can be advantageous, the priority should be overall wellbeing.
Families should dedicate time together, have meaningful conversations and strengthen the bonds that hold them. Travel, whether internationally or within the UAE, offers enriching experiences that build cultural awareness, intellectual curiosity and a broader understanding of the world. Visiting museums, historical landmarks or simply exploring somewhere new can be profoundly educational.
Most importantly, summer should be a time for children to create positive memories, build confidence and return to school feeling happy, refreshed and ready for the year ahead.
“A balanced summer of wellbeing, connection, exploration and discovery is often the best preparation for future success.”
Summer is not about creating the perfect holiday; it’s about creating opportunities for connection, exploration and enjoyment. Whether you’re travelling the world, exploring your local community or simply spending more time together at home, every experience helps create memories that last far beyond the school break.
Most importantly, take time to slow down, laugh often and enjoy the moments that matter. The school year will be here before we know it, but the memories made this summer can stay with our children for a lifetime.