DHAHRAN: Learning couldn’t be more fun than it is in the summer program at the Saudi Aramco Exhibit, where kids can learn all sorts of things, from how to protect the environment to actually learning how to drive safely, in small electric cars.

The objectives of this year’s summer program are based on some of the company’s corporate social responsibilities, which include environmental awareness, recycling, safety and health. The program focuses on “edutainment” — educating the public in an entertaining way.

“The main focus of the program is to ensure people leave the exhibit with a message about the issues at hand,” said Raed A. Alouni of Saudi Aramco’s VIP Visits and Special Events Group. “We need to ensure that the children and parents don’t forget the messages of the program, and we can guarantee this by injecting educational information into an entertaining environment,” he said.

Every day, lectures are held in the exhibition along with dozens of informative and engaging displays that give youngsters a chance to learn about the Kingdom and the company’s activities, from drilling offshore to exploring the desert. Many of the displays are interactive and give children the chance for some hands-on experience.

If you’d rather take a laid-back approach with education, why not stop by the Exhibit Theater to watch an informative film? The films, some of which are in 3-D, focus on the origin of exploration of petroleum. They include “Energy to the World,” “But...Where Does It Come From?” and “The Land of Khozama.”

On your way out to the tents, you can take a look at the art gallery that displays the winning artwork from company-sponsored children’s art contests. There, you can get information about future contests.

Youngsters can continue their journey through the exhibition into tents set up outside. The first tent — the Garden Traffic Tent — offers sessions focused on basic traffic safety, such as seat-belt usage and traffic signals. After the session, children put their safety knowledge to the test by driving small electric cars around a track while obeying traffic laws. If they complete the course without any safety infractions, they’re given a symbolic, “model driver” license.

The Environment Tent, which is the second tent, presents sessions about reducing, reusing and recycling, along with different environmental tips. Kids will have a chance to put their artistic abilities to work as they create masterpieces focused on recycling. Before leaving the tent, children receive a certificate with their photo on it as a written contract to be friends of the environment.

“We tried to make it as exciting, attractive and interactive as we could,” Alouni said. “I think the kids will understand the messages because they received a license and a certificate, and they now feel that they’re committed — whether it is to traffic safety or to the environment — and they’ll actually implement it in their lives.”

If you need a break, you can make your way to the Grand Tent to grab a bite to eat and enjoy a healthy snack or beverage. This tent also hosts children’s contests and the daily question, which is based on information displayed in the exhibition, as well as distinguished speakers who will give special lectures.

Dr. Waleed Al-Rumi is the next speaker, and at 7:30 p.m. Friday he will present, “I Want to Succeed, But. ...”

The exhibition also hosts an open-air cultural heritage area that showcases traditional crafts from cities such as Al-Hasa and Qatif.

Khalid A. Al-Falih, executive vice president of Operations; Khalid A. Al-Buraik, executive director of Saudi Aramco Affairs; and Khalid K. Al-Mulhim, general manager of Government Affairs, were among the 2,800 people who attended the opening night.

So why not plan to spend a day with your family at the exhibit? Whether you decide to learn the ‘3 R’s’ — reduce, reuse and recycle — or to sit in a comfortable theater chair and watch “The Land of Khozama,” there are activities and programs to satisfy everyone’s tastes and moods.

The Summer Program runs from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. every day until Aug. 31 and from 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sept. 1-12. For more information, call (3) 876-7676.