When my late husband lost his job back in 2024, and we couldn't afford to send the twins back to school, we had to make a decision to homeschool our eight-year-old twins.
This wasn't completely new to us. We had previously homeschooled our older daughter when she was in middle school, but that had been her choice. She asked us to homeschool her, and we never looked back. She went on to graduate from university and is now working successfully. About how we chose her online school and about our experience with that, you can read in the Homeschool 101 e-book that I wrote.
With the twins, it was different. This time, homeschooling wasn't a choice we had planned for—it was a financial decision we had to make.
And for the same reason, we couldn't afford all the activities that come with childhood either.
My late husband remained out of work for a long time, then became seriously ill, had an operation, became ill again the following year, and sadly passed away. Suddenly, I was raising the twins and continuing everything on my own.
Life became harder.
But slowly, I'm rebuilding my life. And along the way, I keep asking myself: how can I make things a little easier for other mums who might be in the same boat?
One thing I've noticed is that there are actually some wonderful organisations in the UAE trying to make activities more accessible for families, and honestly, that warms my heart.
So I wanted to share a couple we've discovered recently. 🤍
🏀 McDonald's UAE Junior Sports Academy
This one genuinely surprised me.
The programme is for children aged 8–12, with basketball and padel currently available. The registration fee is just AED 100 per child, while McDonald's UAE covers the coaching, facilities and sports kits. mid-east.info
I have signed the twins up for basketball, and we're really looking forward to it.
The Academy also runs other sports at different times, including football and cricket, so it's definitely one worth keeping an eye on. Al Bawaba
🎶 Children's Choir
Another lovely discovery was a children's choir with Bonnie Willey from Pitch Perfect UAE. It is held at the Cascade Academy in Al Wasl Road session every Monday at 5 PM to 6:30 PM - a lovely opportunity for kids to sing, learn, and build confidence in a relaxed environment.
Yesterday was our first trial lesson, and the twins absolutely loved it. ❤️
And there’s something for adults too. 🎶
Desert Rose Vocal Band meets every Monday from 7:30–9:00 pm at Cascade Education Center, Al Safa 2. It’s a relaxed vocal ensemble for adults, with music ranging from pop and folk to classical and songs from around the world.
The regular term fee is AED 900, and I’m very happy to share that Bonnie is offering the HerSphere community 15% off. 🤍
Sometimes it's not about finding the fanciest activity. It's about finding something the children enjoy, that fits your budget, and that gives them a chance to learn, meet people and build confidence.
So if you’re looking for something affordable and a little different for your children — or even for yourself — this could be worth trying.
And if you're homeschooling — or simply trying to keep your children's activities affordable — I hope these little discoveries help.
I'll keep sharing the affordable activities we find in Dubai and the UAE, because I know how much it matters.
If you know another affordable activity for children, please share it in the comments. Let's help each other build a list. 🤍
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