5 Fun Things to do with your Children during Winter Break in Jeddah

For many children in Jeddah, depending on which school they go to, they are either in the middle, or just starting their Winter Break. If you are wondering how you’ll ever be able to keep the little monkeys busy this holiday, we have some great places to visit and fun things to do right here in Jeddah.

Fakieh Aquarium

Launched earlier this year to much fanfare and excitement, Jeddah’s first aquarium can be found on the busy Corniche Road. Enthusiastic Jeddawis have been flocking to visit the aquarium and have come away with excellent reviews. They tell us that the area is very clean (food and drink are not allowed inside), and the staff are efficient and organised. The dolphin show is a must-see. Open every day from 11am-11pm and from 1:30pm-11pm on Fridays. Make sure you keep a note of the dolphin and seal shows which are scheduled every day for 1pm, 7pm and 9pm and plan around this time. Free wifi is a great plus for those of us who hate to stay away from the internet for long.

Kathy Bacchus wrote in to tell us, “A lady’s morning at Jeddah Aquarium found me there. Vibrant, fresh and welcoming from the outside,we purchased our tickets with ease. Inside, I was struck  by the imagination and detail in my undersea exploration. The aquarium is vast with many shark, stingrays, starfish and all species identified and described carefully which I found very educational for all ages. The Dolphin show is a must!.On the day,there were School trips visiting  and school children giggling enjoying the show. All in all a very enjoyable visit and a delight to families”.

Expect to pay: SR 50 per person for entrance to the aquarium and SR 50 per person for the dolphin show.

Cafe Ceramique

Situated in Stars Avenue Mall, (by the entrance that goes up to the supermarket – thank you Soreya!) this delightful spot is a sure winner with kids of all ages. Children choose a clay object, from figurines to decorative plates, and then take their time to paint the piece, being as creative as they like. Once they’re done, you take the finished pieces to be glazed and set, and return after a week to pick up your masterpiece. The only problem is, your children might want to start all over again when they see how awesome their creation turns out. One 11 year old girl says, “I like Cafe Ceramique because it’s fun to pick out what you want to paint and then you get to keep what you’ve made”.

Parents can also have a go at practicing their artistic skills. Snacks and drinks can be ordered while painting.

Expect to pay: SR 30-100 per clay piece depending on the size.

Stationery Fantasy

Particularly popular with younger children, Stationery Fantasy on Prince Sultan Street, next to GNP Hospital offers a range of activities kids can indulge in from cooking to arts and crafts, the sandbox, dress-up and a large ball pit. You buy tickets from the counter for your choice of activity and then send the children into the activity room while you sit and watch them through large glass windows. The children are generally well-supervised by staff. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase. Stationery Fantasy also caters to birthday parties. “I like going to Stationery Fantasy because they have lots of nice games which are a lot of fun, especially the ball pit. I like the snacks too”, says a very active 9 year old boy.

Expect to pay: SR 7-45 per activity. The sandpit is SR7 each, the cooking class SR15 and the carpentry section is around SR 45.

Sail Island

Now that the weather is warming up, it is the perfect time to take your young ones to Sail Island. Located on the Corniche (you can’t miss the huge white sails atop the venue), children have a blast swimming in the pools and playing in the sandy playground. The restaurant is set up overlooking the sea and in our opinion, it’s one of the best places to view the sunset from. The best part is that the entrance tickets can be redeemed at the restaurant for meals. The grilled hammour is particularly delicious and cooked to perfection. One boy we asked said, “they have a big area to swim in with fun sprinklers and the beach-side sandy playground.”

Expect to pay: SR 60 per adult and SR 40 per child.

In10So

If your children are in the older age category, then you might want to introduce them to In10so (pronounced Intenso, aimed at kids over 10 years). This gaming area can be found on the third floor of Serafi Mega Mall, on the opposite side of Moon Toon, and also in Red Sea Mall. It’s a great place for teens to hang out decked out with a snooker table, Playstation and Xbox games, and racing/ go-carting. They also have a wide range of challenging arcade games and a bowling area. The latest pop music plays in the background and there’s even a hangout spot with sofas and lights for the teens to chill and chat. There’s also a snack bar with snacks and beverages. One young teen says, “I like it because it’s a good alternative for older siblings to hang out instead of going to Moon Toon which is more for younger kids.”

Expect to pay: SR 50-100 depending on the number of activities chosen.

For more kids’ stuff, click here.

Art Attack: Creative Art Classes for Children

Uzma Sabahat is a Pakistani expat with a background in textile and fashion designing who moved to Jeddah last year. She realised soon enough that many children including her own, lacked access to creative activities, ending up watching cartoons and playing video games. She began organizing weekly art and craft classes at her house teaching the basic and advance elements and principles of art at affordable rates, and has so far had a great response from attendees.

.

Art Attack

Date: Every Wednesday

Time: 5-7pm

Venue: near PISJ, Rehab District, Jeddah.

Age: 4 years and above

Cost: SR 30 per class per child

If you would like to register your child, then send an email to huescollections@gmail.com or visit the Art Attack Facebook Page.

Know your Riyals from Your Halalas: Riyali Comes to Town.

How many times have you walked into a mall here in Jeddah and thought to yourself “Wow, These Saudis have so much money!!” This is often followed by a feeling of inadequacy and general doom. Or maybe that’s just me. Either way, we all have these preconceived notions about people in Saudi Arabia being loaded with cash. What we fail to realize is that like all economies, there are different income levels and even though the Kingdom is generally prosperous, there are a lot of people who work very hard to make ends meet. That said, no matter what economic bracket you fall into, there is always a need for knowledge about personal financial planning. This knowledge is even more important when you are a young college students with often  limited cash and many, many temptations (the new iPhone anyone?). Riyali is a program which aims to address this very issue and provides college students with the knowledge and tools to make smarter financial decisions. The program doesn’t claim to magically transform you into the next Warren Buffet but will definitely make you more money savvy.

Riyali, a free program offered by SEDCO Holding ran its pilot in four Jeddah colleges but has now expanded beyond Jeddah to cities like Najran and Riyadh. Starting next month, there would be more sessions across Jeddah, you can join their Facebook page for updates on the sessions. Also, if you want a quick fix while you wait for Riyali to get to your college or institution, you can download the bilingual Riyali pocketbook here. Do take the personality test, it would make you face your financial reality in a not so subtle way. The pocketbook has some very solid and easy-to-follow tips on saving, budgeting and investing.

So, Jeddah peeps if you get a chance to attend the sessions, please do. It might just mean the difference between the life or death of your bank account. As Amr Banaja, the force behind Riyali said “I myself learned a lot of financial lessons the hard way, from losing my business to having to sell my house all because of global buy-outs. I am glad that my children will have a program like Riyali that could help them make smart money decisions early on and not learn it the hard way”.

I could not have said it better myself.

Walking tour of Al-Balad

Our friend Alicia Ali invites you on a stroll through the historical quarter of Al-Balad.

Thursday, 15th March, 2012

At 1.30

It’s a free event, and is great for families. Children are welcome. It’s hosted by some young volunteers, and attempts to educate people about Hejazi heritage. Great occasion for photography enthusiasts to take pictures at leisure. Parents, great hands-on local culture education for kids.

Volunteer contact numbers

0582503949
0568141017

Details on facebook group here.

The Monster List of Playgroups, preschools, nurseries and activities for little ones in Jeddah

My good friend, lecturer, international speaker and most importantly supermom, Qurratulain Sikander has compiled a list of playgroups, preschools and activities for children in Jeddah and has very generously agreed to share the information with readers of Jeddah Blog. Click on the links for further information:

Ambassadors Schools Ambassadors Schools is a world-class KG school in Jeddah that helps your child master English, become independent and confident and Live Islamic Values in daily life.

Bellz Montessori Committed to excellence in education!!

Bizzy B Bizzy B is a family “edutainment” center for children aged between 3 and 12 years old. Bizzy B offers unique family entertainment activities with components designed to allow children to learn through play. Bright talk montessori Contact: 6655000 ext. 6208 Building Blocks Education with the goal of building minds for the future. A kindergarten and primary school in Jeddah aiming to give the best international educational while conserving Islamic tradition and culture.

Colors Kids Labs They are still open for the summer program, lots of exciting things to do such as swimming, arts, taekwondo, French lessons, English story writing, vocabulary, and much more. 12- 4 pm Sat – Wed . contact : 6061639/ 0546369465

Enchanted Garden Enchanted Garden Child Enrichment Center is an extra-curricular activity center for children presenting opportunities for creative stimulation, intellectual inspiration and physical challenge within a happy and progressive atmosphere.

Green Leaves Playgroup Our primary focus is to provide a safe and nurturing environment to all of the children. At Green Leaves Playgroup, children come first and we do every thing is necessary to ensure that your child is secure, confident and happy. We really look forward to meeting you.

JackNJill Playgroup Playgroup for ages 1.5 and onwards native english conversation skills motor skills ,phonics, colours, shapes, social development, arts and crafts, sing and dance and much more.

Jeddah Campus School Nursery, preschool and KG. Long hours day care is available. English and Arabic learning An international, self-built curriculum designed especially for children according to age groups. Address: Prince Sultan St (towards Khaldiya district) second right after Meed gas station. First U-turn. school on the right corner. phone number: 6061101 or 0565684400

Jeddah Grammar School At Jeddah Grammar we believe that every child has the right to quality education support. It is our goal to provide the best educational techniques to help all children reach their full potential. All of our application have been created using behavioural techniques that are based on the principles of “Applied Behaviour Analyze”(ABA) using a using a Verbal Behaviour (VB) technique.

Kids Time Nursery Day Care Center

Little 1s Daycare At your child’s second home Little1s daycare we provide a safe, loving and nurturing environment for your child throughout the day. Children are welcome from ages 0 months to 3 years old in our full or part time duty.

Little Book (A kids Library) Little Book is a specialty bookstore for children (ages 0-12). We nurture the love of reading and support those who are passionate about books that honor growing young minds. Our mission is to provide parents and children with a large and carefully selected inventory of quality children’s books. Little Smarties Little Smarties has a special child-centered approach which will feed children’s developing skills and interests at the right times and help them to become confident, capable and in control of their world.

Mama Et Moi Boost your child’s Confidence, Happiness and Ability to learn through play at Mama_et_moi . Lots of activities to enjoy with your child.

Mommy Debs Day Care A Home Away from Home, Mommy Debs Day Care accepts children aged 2 months – 3 years. Timings: 8am – 5pm Location: Al Naeem District
email: mommydebsdaycareis@gmail.com

My Library My Library is the first private non profitmaking Children’s Lending Library in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. We have over 10,000 books in English & Arabic for children & young adults. My Library is a haven for Mothers & their children to share books and the love of reading. As well as a twice daily Story Time, My Library offers many courses and activities throughout the year. Rose garden Our Kids Club provides exclusive enrichment programs for children between ages 3 years – 10 years. We help each child develop into the successful human being they were meant to be. Our carefully developed programs allow children to create and build social skills and friendships with others while we enhance our physical with our educational activities.

Young Entrepreneurs The Young Entrepreneur School aims to promote the entrepreneurship characteristics among its students by developing the required skills necessary to stimulate them to become future leaders and entrepreneurs. Thus, stimulating local and international economic growth. If you would like to have your organization added to this list then please email the details to team.jeddah.blog@gmail.com

– Sabaa Ali

NobleBirth HypnoBirthing: An Interview with Andy Mayer

HypnoBirthing is a unique method of relaxed, natural childbirth education, enhanced by self-hypnosis techniques. HypnoBirthing provides the missing link that allows women to use their natural instincts to bring about a safer, easier, more comfortable birthing.

Jeddah Blog spoke to Andy Mayer, Director of NobleBirth, currently living and working in Jeddah about the relatively new HypnoBirthing services available to expecting parents in Jeddah.

JB: Hi Andy! Firstly, how long has HypnoBirthing been practised in Jeddah, and how are classes conducted?

Andy: Hi! HypnoBirthing classes in Saudi Arabia are a new service. The classes are taught either privately in your own home or in groups with other expectant parents in Jeddah when applicable. Occasionally parents fly an educator to their city in the Middle East for private sessions. Recently we worked with a wonderful couple in The Emirates and another in the South of France.

JB: Why do parents opt for HypnoBirthing?

Andy: Parents choose to prepare for the birth of their baby using NobleBirth HypnoBirthing mainly because they have a desire to be in control and not fearful during labour or because their obstetrician has referred them to the course. Many parents would like to minimise drug use in labour so learn techniques to achieve this very wonderful goal. Some women just want to sleep better during pregnancy so the techniques give them that ability. Occasionally women having an elective c- section will attend classes because it prepares them for the surgery.