Long hard summer of fun
Wondering what to do with the kids in the summer? Rehab Saad guides you through the best playing, and learning, grounds in and outside the city
Summer is upon us and the kids have just finished their final exams. For them, the vacation means total liberty -- no restrictions, no homework, and no having to wake up early. For parents, however, summer poses a dilemma: what to do with the kids during their three-month vacation?
In the past, children were satisfied with the simple things in life, like watching TV, going to the club to meet friends and exercise, or taking in a puppet show or the circus. Nowadays, such activities no longer pass muster. Even the youngest audience are now experts on everything. They have been exposed to vast quantities of knowledge and information through modern technology such as the Internet and satellite television. They are used to intensive electronic stimulation, and they need more diverse forms of activity to occupy them fully. So holidays, for parents, often comes to mean hours of hard labour as they struggle to invent new strategies for their "seen-it-all" offspring. Nowadays, it's not enough to entertain the kids: they also have to have be challenged and enriched.
For kids who are under five, the summer schools laid on by the various nurseries scattered around Cairo are probably the ideal place to absorb their energy and provide activities suitable for their age group. Most of these summer schools offer a full range of programmes combining education, arts and crafts, entertainment and field trips.
The problem is in the over fives. By that age, childern may well refuse to go to a nursery, even if it has a programme specifically designed for them. At six, they consider themselves to be "grown-ups". They want wider spaces for playing, and activities which can challenge them and keep them stimulated. Finding them, however, can be quite a challenge for their parents.
As a result, the last few years have seen the creation of a number of establishments, both government-run and private, which focus on catering for children between six and 16. There are companies and institutions that organise camps and trips for this age group; the emphasis here is often on teaching children to be independent and self-reliant. Then there are the many public libraries that open their doors to children in the summer and try to lure them in with special activities. There are centres that offer cultural and artistic programmes, such as painting, sculpture, pottery, wood and glass work, music and dancing; while others provide the usual range of sports, including karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, swimming and horse riding.
Some of these places offer full-day programmes, whereas others limit their activities to only two or three hours a day. Some are located on the outskirts of the city, in Mansouriyya to the south west, or in Heliopolis, where there is lots of open space, while others can be found in the city centre, where they are within easy reach of the greatest number of people. Proximity can be vital in saving the sanity of many parents, whose time in the summer months often seems to be monopolised by the endless chore of driving their kids from one temple of education and delight to another.
Unfortunately, many parents are unaware of the wide range of activities that can now be found in Cairo to help them to survive the summer, and their children to enjoy it. Often, they only hear about the latest attractions by word of mouth from friends or relatives when it is too late and the summer is already over.
Coming to the rescue of desperate parents throughout the capital, Al-Ahram Weekly has done the ground work for you. If you have kids between six and 16, this four-page supplement offers a comprehensive guide to the places that could make your childrens' summer a vacation to remember -- and save you and your spouse from a nervous breakdown.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 19 - 25 June 2003 (Issue No. 643)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/643/sc1.htm