From creatively inspiring young minds to think out-of-the-box to introducing them to entrepreneurial skills at a very young age, Maktaba Children’s Library has lined up a series of events for children between the ages of 7 and 14 this summer.
Hosting them at its address Maktaba Qatar Al Mabahej & Saha 33, the children’s library is organising the ‘Young Entrepreneur’ programme separately for boys and girls.
Designed for children between the ages of 8 and 12, the programme for girls will be held from July 31 to August 4 and the programme for boys will be from August 7 to 11.
“Each day of the Young Entrepreneur programme, participants aged 8 to 12 years old will discover a different industry, hear from industry leaders and develop important entrepreneurial skills through creative and leadership challenges and team building activities,” says Maktaba.
Over the course of the week participants will work in teams to develop a product and market it at a mini-bazaar on the final day of camp. The primary language of instruction is Arabic, but English speakers are also encouraged to participate as all staff will be bi-lingual. The daily session will be held from 10am to 2pm.
Maktaba is also hosting a programme called ‘Introduction to Everyday Engineering’ this summer for children. It is designed for children of ages 7 to 14 and will allow them a glimpse into the world of technology through fischertechnik models.
Instructor Alaa Abdalla, a mechanical engineer student, currently a judge in the National Robotics Olympiad and a former team leader in First Lego League, will assist the children in building several models, including vehicles with steering, bulldozer with tracks, crane with cable winch, and a windmill with reduction gear, etcetera.
“The large number of parts from gears, structural parts, building blocks, building boards and others ensures that there is maximum space for creativity for the children,” says Maktaba. The programme will be held between August 14 and 18 from 10am to 2pm.
In its summer programme titled “The World Around Us”, Maktaba aims to engage children between the ages of 3 and 6 to play, learn and have fun. It is an opportunity for the little ones to discover what makes up the world around them through stories, crafts and puppet making.
Inspired by Antoinette Portis’s award-winning book Not a Box, Maktaba has also designed an exciting summer programme for children 6 to 10 years old to celebrate their creativity and encourage them to develop their ideas individually and as a team.
“Every day of the week-long programme from August 28 to September 1, we will examine the infinite potential of the box. Can they transport us? Can they house us? Could we build our own city out of boxes? Topical story times will inspire us and a variety of games will keep us moving,” says Maktaba.
The one-of-its-kind library in Qatar aims to inspire children and their parents to fall in love with books and reading. By focusing on the value of reading for pleasure as a tool to improve literacy, encourage curiosity and foster intercultural dialogue, it aims to contribute to the continuing development of community in Qatar and the larger community throughout the region.
By prioritising reading in Arabic, at Maktaba they hope to help sustain the renaissance in Arabic Language Children’s Literature. The purpose of the establishment of the library, which they call ABC (Achieve, Believe and Create and Contribute), is to encourage children of all ages towards a love of reading in order to achieve their academic, intellectual and creative goals.
“We believe that every child has the capacity to reach his/her full potential. We design programmes to help children develop the skills and the confidence to achieve their potential,” says Maktaba.
They encourage children to explore the world and use creativity to reflect on their experiences. Children are also encouraged to contribute to their community by providing outlets for their natural curiosity and fostering dialogue.
In their regular activities, Maktaba in conjunction with the Katara Art Center (KAC) at the Cultural Village, offers monthly story time sessions where volunteers share stories and lead crafts for 4-7 year olds with parents.
There is also Maktaba’s selection of children’s books available in the KAC bookshop.
In co-operation with Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art, Maktaba provides children the opportunity to visit the latest exhibit, hear stories, and create their own writing projects for ages 5-10 year olds with parents.
Maktaba engages children with the aim to inculcate the love for books and reading in them.
