What children learn at a young age is very important since it forms the foundation on which they will build upon in the future.

“All I really need to know… I learned in kindergarten.” –Robert Fulgham

Theoretical learning has been going on for so long that people forgot the many benefits practical learning has. Children are eager and quick learners, and when the process is fun, they will definitely find it enjoyable. In order to provide a strong teaching system, you have to have the right and suitable equipment needed to execute these methods, which is just what we discovered at Kids Campus Store.

What’s Up: How long has Kid’s Campus been in business?

Mrs. Sanaa Nahlawi Madhoun: As a school, we’ve been open for eight years now. After we came back from the United States fourteen years ago, we were looking for schools to enroll our children. We wanted to live in an Islamic country, and enroll our children in schools that have exceptional academic curriculum to ensure that they get the finest education. We came across good schools with the requirements we felt were suitable, but they were not all included in one school. For example, a school could have a very good and strong curriculum, but lack Islamic education. The idea of Kid’s Campus School came to us because of the problems we faced while we were looking for schools. At this stage the school offers Kindergarten, and by next year we’re starting Elementary School.

WU: So for eight years you were offering only kindergarten?

SM: From age two to five years old, when they graduate from Kindergarten. I always advise mothers to leave their children with them if they don’t work, till they are past the age of three. It is better sending them to school if the mother works than leaving them at home with the nanny.

WU: How important is this foundation stage for a child?

SM: Eighty percent of a child’s brain development happens at the ages between two to six years old, so yes, it is very important to ensure that children would get the best methods of education to give them such a solid foundation from the very beginning. Children need to be able to use their imagination, which is why we use creative ways and methods of teaching. Rather than using notebooks and pencils, experience and fun are the best methods to get them to love learning and exploring their world.

WU: Have you faced difficulties in developing a certain system or curriculum to follow?

SM: Getting the teachers to adapt to the new system was hard at the beginning, because they were used to being given a curriculum and following it the way it is. With us, however, we give our teachers an outline but there’s room for creativity from their side. This concept was new to them. When someone gets used to something, it is hard to change that.

WU: How would you teach a two year old child something new, and make it fun?

SM: We always have special days at school, and each special day has a theme. One of the special days they enjoyed, for example, was Hygiene Day. But of course we changed the name to “Bubbly Bubbly Day” to make it sound more appealing and fun for the kids. On this day, the children came in their bathrobes, and they washed baby dolls, toys, and benches. They even put the teacher in the middle of the swimming pool and bathed her too! It was fun for them because they did things they haven’t done in school or at home before. We even got them a cake with two babies playing in a bathtub.

WU: What if a child was four or five years old, and about to graduate from Kid’s Campus. How do you go about teaching them in a fun way?

SM: We use more elaborate themes. Every month they have a theme, and they read stories, sing songs, go on field trips that circulates around the theme. For example, one of the themes was construction sight, so we took the children on a field trip, and one of the children said “It’s like a dream come true!”, because parents don’t think of taking their children to places like that.

WU: Alright let’s shift gears. Tell me about the connection between Kid’s Campus school and your new store?

SM: After the system of the Kids Campus school proved itself to be successful, through the excellent results of our graduates. We thought of spreading these methods by providing all the materials and resources needed plus the how-to use them. The team of the Kids Campus store is ready to provide professional studies to help the owners and management of schools, colleges, and universities to furnish their organization from A to Z.

WU: What’s the range of products you offer?

SM: The supplies we offer at the store are only part of what we have. The companies we get our products from cover all stages from Nurseries to Universities. So it is not just focused on children, but also teenagers and teachers’ supplies.

WU: Have you ever dealt with schools or universities before?

SM: We have supplied schools in Jeddah with material, one school has even requested supplies for a special needs classes.

WU: Is this your first Kid’s Campus Store? And do you have a plan for expansion in the future?

SM: This is our first store, which has been open for around two months now. We hope to expand and open branches in other cities around the Kingdom, then hopefully in the Middle East and the Gulf area too, like UAE or Qatar, for example. There are many stores already available in all these countries, but most of them sell toys. We have toys and materials that enable children to focus on creativity and learning. In addition, we have curriculums that can be used by teachers and parents alike. For example, we have special kits on how to study fractions, tell time, or even how to sound out words through cards or pictures, making learning fun and exciting for children.

WU: Give us an example of such books? So that our readers can ask for them once they visit the store, since they really sound exciting and informative.

SM: We have books for teachers, which parents can also use. It is a very interesting series which are fun, colorful, and for all ages. Everything a teacher or a parent will need is available, even classroom decorations, and bulletin boards.

WU: Did you specifically pick this convenient location for the store or was it just a coincidence?

SM: We picked this location because Prince Sultan Street is blooming quickly and it has become like the centre of the city.

WU: Tell us about the Learning Centre, which is located on the top level of the store?

SM: We realized that you can’t find many places in Jeddah where your children can spend enjoyable, quality time. The Learning Centre in our store consists of many sections; art, cooking, science experiments, dramatic plays, and reading area. In addition to the summer camp the center will be open for school field trips and for after school educational programs.

Link: www.KidsCampusGroup.com