Complete guide to UAE summer camps in 2019

The Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced it is organising a summer programme for children at Al Qattara Arts Centre. The month of July will see a series of artistic, educational and archaeological workshops and events taking place, along with weekly excursions to cultural locations in Al Ain.

The summer programme targets children ages 6-13 and will feature a number of creative training courses and workshops on crafts such as decoupage, which uses paper and pictures to make artistic collages on dishes, cups, boxes and the like, as well as pottery.

The programme also includes a crafts workshop where participants create imaginative objects using just paper, fabric and colours. The recycling workshop will show attendees how to design a work of art and bring it to life by reusing magazine pages, cups and old tools.

Budding archaeologists in the excavation workshop will learn the methods and skills needed to dig for artefacts, while the brick workshop will teach participants how our ancestors in the region used clay blocks and traditional building materials to build walls and structures.

In the paper quilling workshop, participants will learn the art of rolling thin strips of paper to transform them into various shapes and objects, used in paintings and cards.

Details: The Al Qattara Arts Centre summer programme activities will take place daily in July from 9am to 12pm. The Al Ain, Qasr Al Muwaiji ‘Royal Bisht’ workshop on July 16. On July 13 the ‘Characters from the 20th Century’ exhibition will allow visitors the opportunity to interact with silent art presentations that emulate Emirati lifestyles from the early twentieth century.

Louvre Abu Dhabi

The Summer Camp: Art Explorers Camp for children and teenagers, exploring the world through art. It is a specially designed educational programme for children and teenagers, allowing participants to explore the museum’s collection and learn about the world’s cultures and history.

Details: From July 7 until July 25, at Dh1,000 for four days or Dh280 for a day, including lunch and a snack. From 9am to 5pm, except Mondays.

Ikea Summer Academy

Parents and kids can join hands for the annual summer academy to explore the wonders of science with hands on edutaining workshops, sport games and arts and crafts. The academy will also shed light on the importance of sustainability through different workshops.

Details: The Summer Academy in the Abu Dhabi store is every Friday with sessions between 3pm to 6pm and kitchen chef workshops, every Sunday and Tuesday between 1pm and 3.30pm, open to parents and children. The Summer Academy in Ikea Dubai Festival City store will include both workshops and edutainment activities every Monday from 12-6pm for kids aged between 6-12 years old. Until August 30.

St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi

Sandcastle, the children’s club at The St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, is accessible to children aged four to 12. Entertaining sessions range from art, craft and dancing to indoor and outdoor exercises and competitive games.

activities are split into two age-appropriate levels — ‘juniors’ aged four to seven years and ‘seniors’ aged eight to 12 years — and includes a horde of fun games, swimming, Zumba classes, water-based activities and obstacle courses.

Details the Sandcastle Summer Camp will run from July 7 until August 29. Parents can choose from daily or weekly packages priced at Dh263 and Dh1,030 respectively. Held on weekdays from 9am until 3.30pm. The fee includes snacks upon arrival, lunch from the children’s menu and a healthy afternoon snack just before departure. Weekly participants will receive a sling bag, baseball cap and branded T-shirts.

Yas Kids Summer Camp

Develop teamwork, social skills, coordination, agility, speed, and strength at this summer camp. Children will be involved in age-specific activities such as specially designed Kids CrossFit sessions, art design activities, outdoor play and more.

Details: Each day, the camp will run from 10am until 2pm with healthy lunch and snacks provided throughout. The cost to participate is Dh935 per week of Dh200 per day. Starting on July 7 and running until September 19.

DUBAI

Le Meridien Mina Seyahi

Taking place every Sunday through Thursday from 9am to 2pm at Club Mina, children aged between 6 and 12 years can indulge in the multi-activity summer camp that includes a line-up of special programmes such as obstacle courses, float fit sessions, along with teambuilding challenges that incorporate both team work and survival challenges. There is also a series of arts and craft and design sessions for the creative minds and tree planting and ocean awareness activities to assist in raising environmental awareness.

Physical activities such as football, basketball, boxing, swimming, kayaking, basic core fitness and first aid skills also on offer.

Details: Prices start from Dh850 per child per week or Dh190 for a day pass for non-members. Club Mina members and hotel guests will also receive discounts.

Dubai College of Tourism

The Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) will host a summer camp July with the aim of introducing young students to the range of courses available at the college across its five core disciplines — tourism, retail, culinary arts, events and hospitality.

A key element of the camp will be two visits per week to Dubai Sports World, a key fixture in the city’s year-round events calendar. All students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities at the emirate’s largest indoor summer sports venue at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Details: The DCT Summer Camp will run from July 7 to 18 for students aged 10-13 years where they can enrol for either the first week, the second week or for the full duration of the camp, Sunday to Thursday. DCT Summer Camp fees are Dh800 for one week and Dh1,400 for two weeks.

Jameel Arts Centre

The daily sessions and activities will feature regional art history. The workshops include exercises in mindfulness, drawing, collage, pattern-making, storytelling, and short films, reading sessions on arts and creativity and an arts-specific treasure hunt in the centre.

The programme will also include a carefully selected five- minute screening of short films from the Looking Glass Film Club, a home-grown socially responsible film platform that screens cinematically-influential films for the youth through strategic partnership with international children’s film festivals and independent studios.

Details: Dh1,400 per person, open to 15 participants. Children are required to bring their own lunch. Fresh fruit snacks and water provided. From July 7 until 11. For ages 8-13 years. From 9am until 4pm.

Atlantis Summer Camp

Atlantis, The Palm is running a range of activity camps, starting July 7. The six themed summer camps are split into three groups, from ages three to seven, eight to 12 and 13 to 17 years. And while the kids enrol, parents get free access to the resort’s pools and beaches from 9am to 5pm each day.

The themed camps include summer adventurers where kids can become a pirate, a superhero or even a mad scientist; junior athletes sees them choose from a variety of athletic programmes including football, badminton, basketball and taekwondo; junior MasterChef will see kids learn the art of sushi making, pizza creations, Lebanese recipes and more; aquamania teaches kids to scuba dive with the Padi seal team.

For the teens there is Teen Xtreme where kids experience a kayaking adventure or take part in the latest junior lifeguard training, while Teen Athletes offers outdoor games, fitness challenges, water adventures and activities and more.

Details: From July 7 until August 29, with prices starting from Dh1,200. They will run from 9am to 5pm, Sunday to Thursday. One parent per participating child will be able to enjoy Atlantis’ pools and beaches for free. And a 10 per cent discount is available for repeat guests or when two or more camps are booked per family, excluding Aquamania.

Malhaar Creative Camp

Learn music, dance, art and theatre from teachers and performers of Malhaar and The Hive.

Details: Runs Sunday to Thursday, 9am until 2pm, until August 29, priced at Dh600 per week. At Tiffany Tower, Cluster W, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai.

Meraas Summer Camp

Aimed at children three to 10 years of age, camps are across Hub Zero, The Green Planet, Mattel Play! Town, Roxy Cinemas, and Laguna Waterpark at La Mer.

The activities include bio-dome explorations, nature arts and crafts, and rainforest scavenger hunts at The Green Planet. At Mattel Play! Town there are ballet classes, live shows and character games. Additionally, children can burn off some energy with a karate class, laser mazes and games at Hub Zero or immerse in a movie at Roxy Cinemas, and splash around the splash zone, aqua play and lazy river at Laguna Waterpark.

Details: Summer Camp in the City will run from July 7 until August 29, with the daily drop-off point being Hub Zero in City Walk. Daily from 8am, with camp running until 4pm. For an extra fee, extended pickup times can also be arranged up until 6pm. Activity programme priced at Dh375 per day or Dh855 per week.

Kids DXB Summer Camp

Duplays and Kids DXB are hosting a summer camp at the Etisalat Academy Sports and Leisure Club. Activities include sports, entrepreneurship, or classroom based lessons.

Details: From July 7 until August 29 for children from the ages of three to 13 years old. Full day priced at Dh840, from 9am until 3.30am and half day at Dh630 from 9am until 12.30pm. Five days a week. Transport an additional Dh250

KidZania Zummer Camp

At the KidZania Zummer Camp, kids have five days of activities including arts, science, fashion, sports and business workshops. With a maximum of 10 children per workshop.

Details: From July 7 until August 29, every Sunday-Thursday, from 9am-3pm. Priced at Dh950, including food and for ages four years to 16 years.

Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo Junior Biologist

This camp is the chance for your budding marine biologist to learn about all things aquatic. The camp is designed for kids who are passionate about ocean conservation and marine animals. There will be hands-on activities where kids will get to know more about the varied species in the aquarium and even get the chance to feed them.

Details: From July 7 until August 29, every Sunday to Tuesday between 9am and 3pm. Priced at Dh600, including food, for ages 7 to 12 years.

Dig It Summer Camp

Being held at The Springs Souk, kids will be immersed in interactive activities divided under three categories: team building, creative activities and dance and music. From art and craft activities including ‘slime-making’ and ‘sand bottle art’ to learning basic dance steps as well as playing constructive games.

Details: From 9am until 1pm, Sundays to Thursdays until September 5. For children between four and 10 years. At Dh700 per week or Dh170 per day; includes access to Dig It as well summer activities and workshops (does not includes lunch or snacks, which are to be brought in by each child).

Sustainable Summer Camp

The Sustainable City summer camp aims to give children a hands-on experience about sustainable living. Children will take part in weekly causes such as fresh water supplies, local food production, renewable energy, recycling, climate change and wildlife education.

The activities at the camp include baking brownies in a solar oven and designing electric cars, which helps the children learn about renewable and clean energy.

The participants will also learn about tropical rainforests, make shelters for puppies and explore wildlife art.

Details: From July 7 to August 29, the summer camp is for 4 to 10-year-olds. Priced at Dh700 per child and Dh1,260 for two children for one week of full-day camp.

Every Girl Can Camp

This camp provides girls aged 6-14years the opportunity to feel empowered through physical activity.

The camp aims to address alarming statistics showing that just 1 in 10 girls in the UAE meet the recommended levels of 150 minutes of physical activity per day.

This all girls camp aims to offer a variety of sporting activities for girls including basketball, volleyball, cycling studio, kick-boxing, Ninja warrior course and more.

Details: At Dubai Sports World, Dubai World Trade Centre from 10am until 2pm at Dh550 per week. For girls only, aged between 6 and 14 years. From July 7 until August 1, Sunday to Thursday.

Fairmont Summer Camp

The Falcons Kids’ Club summer camp being held at Fairmont The Palm kicks off on July 7.

During this nine-week programme, children can participate in a range of activities to stay active and entertained, including group games, arts and crafts, ice cream parties and more.

Summer camp weekly themes include Amazon Adventure, The Big Bang Galaxy, Beyond the Beach and more.

Details: From July 7 until September 5 for children three years and above from Sunday to Thursday, 1pm to 5pm. Pricing starts from Dh200 per day, Dh460 for three days and Dh700 for five days per child.

Dubai Sports City

Open to those aged between 3 and 11 years, activities on offer include: Spanish soccer school, Dubai Eagles (Rugby), ICC Academy (Cricket), and the CF Tennis Academy. This year’s Summer Camp will take place in the Indoor Dome at the Sports Village.

Details: Until August 8, the camp costs Dh695 per week (9am to 3pm).

Thejamjar

The DIY art studio camps are designed to allow children to explore their. They will explore new artists and techniques while experimenting with materials and allowing them to learn independently.

Details: Dh180 per day or Dh855 for 1 week of Dh1,600 for two weeks.

OliOli

The kids play museum has announced its summer creativity camps with three options to choose from: Morning Makers, Afternoon Adventures and Full Day Camps. The Morning Maker includes creative projects such as FortWeek, DIY Derby, Magical Monsters, Artistic Aliens and Remarkable Robots.

The Afternoon Adventures Camps are guided play sessions with creative themes for each day of the week: Science Sundays, Messy Mondays, Tech Tuesdays, Wacky Wednesdays and Treasure Hunt Thursdays.

For a packed day of fun, parents can opt for the Full Day Camps package — this brings OliOli’s Morning Makers and Afternoon Adventures Camps together.

Details: From ages four years and upwards. Prices starting at Dh690 per week. Next to Oasis Centre, Al Quoz; Thursday to Friday, 9am to 8pm, Saturday to Wednesday 9am to 7pm.

British Orchard Summer Stories

The British Orchard Nursery BON Summer Stories Camp takes kids into a world of adventure through award-winning author Julia Donaldson’s nine popular rhyming stories. The nine-week camp will focus on integrating a story each week, while discovering its central theme though various activities as the children meet interesting characters.

Details: Until August 29, starting at Dh650, across various branches. From Sunday to Thursday from 8am to 2pm (half-day camp) or from 8am to 6pm (full-day camp). Transport available. Age group 1 to 4 years.

SHARJAH

Sharjah Ladies Club

The venue has a programme of summer camps for children running through July and August. Taking place across three SLC locations, the summer camps will feature artistic, educational, as well as physical activities.

The Active Mushmis Camp is for boys aged 5-8 years and girls aged 5-10 years, which will run from 9am to 1pm, from Sunday to Thursday. The activities will include swimming, ice-skating, creative workshops, Zumba and hip-hop dancing and weekly trips (with additional fees).

Collage Talent Centre will host two separate summer camps. The Art Unlimited Camp for girls aged between 6-10 years will feature drawing classes, painting with pastels and acrylics, painting on canvas, art and crafts, apart from weekly trips. It will run from Sunday to Thursday, 9am-1pm.

Little girls aged 3-5 years can attend the Little Mushmis Camp, which will feature activities like: cave exploration; little feet Zumba; playdough time and more.

The Basateen Pre-School SLC venue will hold a camp for boys and girls aged 3-5 years old. There will be two sessions: 8am-1pm or 8am-4pm, Sunday to Thursday. Extended hours are available at extra fees. The activities include: splashing fun, face painting, science experiments, pretend play and more.

The Youth Camp will be for girls aged between 11-16 years, from Sunday to Thursday, from 9am to 1pm. The programmes include swimming; paddle-boarding, ice-skating, fitness workouts and more.

Details: All camps will run from July 7 to August 29. The fees range from Dh120 to Dh180 for a day; Dh550 to Dh700 for a week; Dh850 to Dh1,430 for two weeks; Dh980 to Dh2,060 for three weeks; and Dh1,150 to Dh2,450 for four weeks, depending on the camp and the session opted for.

Sharjah Woman Sports Camp

This summer sports camp for children will be held at the SWS Club for boys aged 5 to 9 years and girls aged 5 to 15 years. The camp will offer creative activities apart from sports like basketball, volleyball, football, karate, fencing, table tennis, gymnastics and Zumba. Other activities will include competitions, recreational trips and cooking sessions, in addition to art and craft classes.

Recreational trips include visits to Al Qasba Theatre, Sharjah Art Foundation’s Rain Room, Sharjah Aquarium, Dubai Dolphinarium and more.

Details: From July 7 to August 29. Call 06 506 7838.