JEDDAH, 28 July 2005 — In any other part of the world, children waking up at three in the afternoon every day would not be considered normal, but for the children of Saudi Arabia it is a characteristic of summer life. Despite the fact that 60 percent of the Kingdom’s population is under the age of 21, the country offers few events and activities that children and teenagers can enjoy.

With little to do many children and teens have turned to the habit of late nights of TV watching and shopping, unproductive evenings, and non-existent mornings. As the “future of our country” they are not making use of key stages of their development on their way to adulthood.

A young Saudi describes her daily routine as “waking at 12:30 in the afternoon, sitting with my family, eating dinner, and then going out at nine to the mall with friends.”

For Saudi children and teens, school is usually the only time they are mentally stimulated. After school, most do not take part in any extracurricular activities and this can work against them. Socially well-rounded children are not just booksmart but have well-developed hobbies and talents.

“It is very important for children to be involved in arts education and sports,” said Dr. Manal I. Madini, a professor of Early Childhood Education at King Abdul Aziz University. “These activities help in their muscle and brain development. Arts and sports also have advantages for children and teens such as teaching them patience, building their self-confidence and pride, and teaching them how to express themselves creatively.”

Studies from the National Association of Music Education in the United States, have found that children with arts education have scored higher on exams and perform better in the classroom. In addition, skills such as reading, abstract reasoning and general brain functions are improved.

Sports are also vital; they teach children team work and build their self-esteem in a fun environment. In Saudi Arabia, finding sports facilities for girls is extremely difficult as most sports clubs are exclusively for boys. Sports is not part of the national curriculum for girls. Many girls find this unfortunate. “I would want to play sports. It’s something fun to do. But if you are a girl playing sports is unrealistic,” said one young girl.

Children who want to have productive summers are frustrated by the lack of choice of clubs and activities. With this gap in the market many Saudis have taken matters into their own hands; one of these individuals is Abeer Gelidane.

“Arts Center,” which Gelidane opened, is a year-round activities club for children between the ages of four and 12. Here children can enjoy events such as swimming, drawing, cooking, reading, ballet, and more. “We have had great demand for our activities,” said Gelidane. “With this success I am thinking of expanding the program to include, during the school year, homework time with tutoring and then playtime.”

A total of over a 100 children are enrolled in the morning and evening programs at Arts Center booking the whole place up.

Gelidane said other similar places are also facing high demand.

Darene Feteih, co-founder of “Smart Cookies Club” which is a summer club for children, concurred with Gelidane. “Parents are looking for summer clubs to keep their children busy.”

Smart Cookies Club has around 30 children who come in everyday to take part in fun activities such as arts and crafts, games and field trips. “The idea,” says Feteih, “is to give children a chance to have constructive fun and develop their motor and intellectual skills.”

Promotion for more events and activities for children and teens is needed in the Kingdom. “Our culture, here in Saudi Arabia, results in children staying at home during the summer and not doing much,” Dr. Madini said. “Slowly this is changing; we need our children to want to do something other than sleep all day.”

Parents want their children to take part in summer activities as many realize that the typical life of snoozing and mall roaming can no longer be an option for their children.