At the 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair, workshops tailored for young attendees focus on edutainment —a blend of education and entertainment. School children aged 7 to 12 eagerly flocked to an arts and crafts session that turned a creative task into an inspiring lesson on one of the world’s smallest yet most important creatures: bees.
The workshop began with a short video presentation highlighting the crucial role bees play in sustaining ecosystems. Children learned about the importance of bees to the natural world and their essential contribution to pollination. Some of the more informed students contributed to the conversation, sharing concerns over the declining bee population and discussing ways these insects are being protected. The conversation followed a creative activity — transforming an ordinary cardboard box into a bee-inspired storage container for their stationery and trinkets.
Each child was given a plain cardboard box, a roll of jute rope, glue, foam sheets for crafting bee shapes, and black markers. The task was to decorate the box with jute rope and adorn it with hand-crafted bees, turning it into a charming and functional keepsake.
With small hands busy wrapping and gluing the rope around their boxes, creativity filled the room. While some children took meticulous care to place the rope precisely, leaving no gaps, others worked with joyful haste, giving their creations a unique touch.
When asked about their plans for these boxes, 12-year-old Vaanya Karan, who attended the fair with her school, said, “I just rescued a turtle from the road near my school in Sharjah. I plan to use this box as a recreational room for him. We’ve named our little turtle Naif,” she beamed. Gayatri Tharmal, a 10-year-old at the same table, said she planned to use hers as a bird feeder. “We have lots of plants on our balcony, and we also leave water out for the birds. I’ll put this there too—so many birds visit us!” she said excitedly.
Among the instructors leading the workshop was Locorieva Viliriia from Ukraine, who has designed similar programmes and has found the SIBF platform invaluable for providing free workshops to children of all ages. “It’s my second time here in Sharjah, and I love it. The children are full of excitement—they’re keen to participate, learn, and share their experiences. It’s a joy to work with them.”
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, the Sharjah International Book Fair continues at the Expo Centre until November 17. Entry is free, as are many of the workshops designed to engage and educate children on a variety of topics. For more information, visit: www.sibf.com.