As schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) close for the October break, families are looking for various ways to keep children occupied while also dedicating time to rest, leisure, and family responsibilities.
Some parents use the week-long vacation as an opportunity to go home and reconnect with extended family. Others organize short holidays within the UAE, while working parents rely on joint play, local parks, and home activities to entertain children without exceeding the budget.
Schools following the unified UAE academic calendar will observe the break from Monday, October 12, to Friday, October 16, resuming classes on Monday, October 19. Including weekends before and after this period, students can enjoy a nine-day holiday from Saturday, October 10, to Sunday, October 18.
For many, the priority is finding a balance between keeping children active, allowing them to relax, and ensuring they return to class refreshed after the start of lessons.
Dubai resident Dina Hakim plans to spend the week relatively calmly before heading to Ras Al Khaimah for a short family getaway at the end of the break. Since parents continue to work most of the week, she feels that enrolling children in a camp for a few days might not be worthwhile. 'We plan the trip to Ras Al Khaimah closer to the end of next week. Since it's only a week-long break, and parents still have to work, there's no real point in enrolling the children in a camp for such a short period. Instead, they can spend time at home, doing schoolwork, and enjoying a more relaxed routine.'
Hakim is also considering taking a day off work to give the children something to look forward to before the vacation. She emphasized that the goal is for the children to stay engaged during weekdays but not turn the holiday into another rigidly scheduled routine.
For Anjana Sengupta, the mid-semester break provides an opportunity to travel to India for the Durga Puja festival, which begins later this week. Since the celebration coincides with school holidays, at least partially, she decided to take her daughter home to participate in the festivities.
Children are expected to return to school the following Wednesday, meaning they will miss several school days after classes resume. Sengupta noted that the trip is important not just as a break from studies. For families living far from their home country, such visits help children maintain relationships with relatives.
She added that the holiday gives children a chance to spend time with extended family and personally experience traditions. Durga Puja is a special time for Bengalis, and she wants her children to participate in the celebration rather than just hearing about it from afar. Furthermore, the holiday is an opportunity to give children unforgettable memories of home and strengthen their bond with cousins and cultural roots.
For working mother Mariam Haddad, who has two sons in the 6th and 10th grades, the priority is ensuring a manageable and affordable October. Instead of enrolling the children in structured holiday camps, Mariam, who works at a PR agency in Dubai, organized group play for her younger son and set aside time for the older one to focus on reading and writing.
She stated: 'I organized group play with other mothers for my younger one, and I made a schedule for my son. I want him to catch up on reading and writing, but I am not choosing structured camps because they are too expensive.' The family plans to use local parks and opportunities for the boys to spend time outdoors with friends. Because many schools are on break around the same time, coordinating activities with other families has become easier.
However, for high schoolers, this break also comes with academic demands. Haddad's older son, Zayn, is in the 10th grade and follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, making it important to allocate time for studying even during the holidays. She tries to organize the children's day before going to work, allowing them to complete assignments while still reserving time for relaxation.