How back to school in UAE can be fun

Dubai - Khaleej Times lists out five things you can do to make the kids look forward to a new academic session.

On Saturday afternoon, in a free-play session across corridors in Dubai buildings, children indulged in a frenzy of "extra-curricular" activities - indoor cricket, football, roller-skating, dolls' picnic et al - and the normally low-threshold-of-tolerance residents didn't turn a hair (normally, they would have rushed to complain to building managers about the ruckus disturbing their siesta).
The reason? Kids are going back to school tomorrow, and they "deserve" this special treatment on the last day of their holidays.
There was no need for that actually - because Back to School, these days, has taken on a whole new "fun" dimension: gone are the days when kids had to be miserable about going back to a new term or academic year - because it marked the end of good times (aka vacations).
But since Back to School may need some getting used to, Khaleej Times lists out five things you can do to make the kids look forward to a new academic session:
1) Organise a fun get-together of your child's new friends the next weekend. Your kid will look forward to making new buddies!
2) This is the year of reading in the UAE. Introduce your kids to classic "school" titles like Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers and St Clare's series. And Harry Potter should be viewed from a new perspective: Back to School.
3) Get your kids familiarised with a host of back to school apps that will help them handle everyday issues - from handling new time tables to healthy eating habits.
4) Pack a snack for a bunch of your kid's friends so they can all bond over cool grub, and learn a few things about sharing.
5) Start planning your next vacation - even if it's going for a weekend to Fujairah. This will re-energise your kids from the word go.
sushmita@khaleejtimes.com