Summer holidays give children the chance to try all kinds of new activities, but not every programme is designed with the same goal in mind. Wrth Summer 2026 is less about keeping children busy and more about helping them discover Saudi traditional arts in a way that feels creative, practical, and genuinely enjoyable.
The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (WRTH) has launched the fourth edition of its annual summer programme, which this year will welcome more than 7,000 boys and girls across Riyadh, Hail, and Abha. Over nine days, children aged eight to twelve will take part in hands-on workshops where they explore traditional crafts, learn the techniques behind them, and create their own work along the way.
The idea is surprisingly simple. Children are far more likely to connect with culture when they can experience it for themselves. Instead of only hearing about Saudi traditional arts, they spend time making them, which is often the kind of learning that stays with them long after the summer has ended.
Inside the Workshops
No two days are designed to feel exactly the same. Throughout the programme, children move between a series of creative workshops, each introducing a different traditional art, the tools behind it, and the techniques used to create it.
Some activities focus on learning new skills, while others encourage children to experiment, solve problems, and develop their own ideas with support from instructors. Instead of worrying about producing a perfect finished piece, the emphasis is on trying something new, building confidence and enjoying the creative process.
That variety is part of what keeps the programme engaging. As children move from one workshop to the next, they discover that Saudi traditional arts are not just one skill or one craft but a collection of artistic traditions that have developed across different regions of the Kingdom over generations.
Keeping Traditional Arts Alive
Traditional arts only survive when people continue practising them. Many of the crafts, techniques, and artistic traditions that have shaped Saudi Arabia have been passed from one generation to the next for decades. Programmes like Wrth Summer help ensure that process continues by introducing children to those skills while they are still young.
For many participants, this may be their first opportunity to try traditional arts for themselves. It may also be the moment they discover an interest that continues long after the programme has ended. Not every child will grow up to become an artist or craftsperson, but every child leaves with a better understanding of the traditions that continue to shape Saudi culture today.
More Than a Summer Camp
There is no shortage of ways to keep children busy during the summer holidays. What makes Wrth Summer different is that it gives them the chance to slow down and create something with purpose.
Every workshop encourages children to be patient, pay attention to detail and take pride in the process rather than rushing to the finished result. Along the way, they discover that traditional arts are built on time, practice and craftsmanship, lessons that are just as valuable as the finished piece they take home.
For parents, that is part of the programme’s appeal. Children leave with something they have created themselves, but they also leave with a greater appreciation for the traditions, creativity, and care that continue to shape Saudi culture today.
Registration Is Now Open
Wrth Summer 2026 is open to boys and girls aged eight to twelve and will take place in Riyadh, Hail and Abha. Parents who would like to register their children or learn more about the programme can do so through Webook, where dates, locations and availability are available.
Looking Beyond the Summer Holidays
Every summer programme gives children something to take home. Sometimes it is a new hobby, sometimes it is a new friendship and sometimes it is simply the memory of a fun day out.
Wrth Summer aims to leave children with something a little different. By introducing them to traditional Saudi arts at an early age, the programme encourages them to see these skills as part of everyday life rather than something that only belongs in museums or history books.
Not every child who takes part will grow up to become an artist or craftsperson, and that is not really the point. The value lies in giving young people the opportunity to discover a part of Saudi culture they might never have experienced otherwise. If even a handful of those children leave with a lasting appreciation for the kingdom’s artistic traditions, the programme has already achieved something worthwhile.
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