From coding workshops to sports camps, families say keeping children engaged this summer is becoming both a financial and logistical challenge.
As schools across the UAE break for the long summer holidays from this Friday, working parents are once again navigating a familiar dilemma — how to keep children meaningfully engaged without stretching already-tight budgets.
While summer camps remain a popular solution for childcare and enrichment, many families say rising costs are making them harder to access, especially for those with more than one child.
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Even basic programmes now start at around Dh300 a week, while more specialised camps offering tech, sports and creative activities can exceed Dh6,000 a month—putting added pressure on households already grappling with inflation.
Rising costs push summer planning earlier—and tighter
For many parents, the challenge begins with screen time and stretches quickly into budgeting and logistics.
“When we leave the house, all they want to do is grab their iPads, start watching or gaming. That’s one of my key concerns,” said UAE expat Sai Bhagwat.
With her family travelling in July, she is now weighing August camp options carefully. “I want a skill-based camp, not a generic one where children just paint or jump on a trampoline. I’d rather they learn something useful; pottery, podcasting, camera work, or how to shoot and film something.”
Cost, however, remains a deciding factor in narrowing down choices. “It costs around Dh900–Dh1,000 a week per child”.
Parents turn to skill-based camps despite rising expenses
For some families, the focus has shifted towards more specialised programmes that blend learning with recreation.
Dubai-based American expat Natalia Miranda said her son’s interests are guiding her decisions this summer.
“I’m looking for a coding-based camp because that’s where his interests lie,” she said.
Reflecting on last year’s experience, she added that structured tech-focused camps offered strong value.
“It was ideal for tech-savvy kids. They taught coding, video game design, podcasting, and even how to create and manage a YouTube channel. One week, they worked on Minecraft, and the next week they learnt video production. Overall, it was a good learning experience,” she added.
But for others, even the most structured options come at a significant cost.
“Every summer, I tell myself I’ll find something more affordable, but the rising costs make it hard and I know businesses also think of profitability,” said a Moldovan expat who is a mother of two.
She plans to enrol her children in a month-long mixed camp combining academics and sport.
“For July, I’m enrolling my kids in a mixed STEM and sports camp for one month — coding, robotics in the mornings and football and swimming in the afternoons. It sounds great, but it’s about Dh6,000 or more per child for the month, so nearly Dh12,000-15,000 for both.”
Despite the expense, she says structured camps remain the most practical option during peak summer heat.
“It’s a big expense for us, but I also feel like if we stay in Dubai during summer, you either invest in structured camps or you end up battling screen time all day.”
Source: Khaleej Times