I have a 14 year old girl and an 11 year old boy. Western girls do have sleepovers here and parties/get-togethers at home. Rumeilah family park (across from the Corniche) is very nice for rollerskating, if your kids are into that. My son went there about 3 times a week (with me and his friend)from Oct to April. Your son would probably also like Extreme World at City Centre. It has carnival-type games/rides but it is rather expensive in my book.
I do not recommend dropping off your kids at the malls, it is a notorious pick up joint for teens. Many girls go there to meet boys, then go in their car to the desert for, well...you know. Unless you don't mind your daughter driving off into the desert with a boy you don't know.
There is also the Shaqab Riding School that is reasonably priced for horse riding. If your kids are the bookish type, they can visit the bookstore at Virgin Megastore in the Villagio Mall. There is another post about the various clubs in town that have swimming pools, etc. I always see young people jet skiing at the Corniche, maybe there is a place to rent them? We prefer to drive out to the beach in Wakrah and swim for free in the gulf.
Be very careful about them driving with other young people, the accident and death rate for teens in cars is high.
It is hard for them to cope especially since education here for expats is not just your neighborhood school where all the neighborhood kids go. Getting together with friends from school requires money, planning and transportation. Unless you live in a compound, you children might never meet kids to just toss a ball with outside.
I have a 14 year old girl and an 11 year old boy. Western girls do have sleepovers here and parties/get-togethers at home. Rumeilah family park (across from the Corniche) is very nice for rollerskating, if your kids are into that. My son went there about 3 times a week (with me and his friend)from Oct to April. Your son would probably also like Extreme World at City Centre. It has carnival-type games/rides but it is rather expensive in my book.
I do not recommend dropping off your kids at the malls, it is a notorious pick up joint for teens. Many girls go there to meet boys, then go in their car to the desert for, well...you know. Unless you don't mind your daughter driving off into the desert with a boy you don't know.
There is also the Shaqab Riding School that is reasonably priced for horse riding. If your kids are the bookish type, they can visit the bookstore at Virgin Megastore in the Villagio Mall. There is another post about the various clubs in town that have swimming pools, etc. I always see young people jet skiing at the Corniche, maybe there is a place to rent them? We prefer to drive out to the beach in Wakrah and swim for free in the gulf.
Be very careful about them driving with other young people, the accident and death rate for teens in cars is high.
It is hard for them to cope especially since education here for expats is not just your neighborhood school where all the neighborhood kids go. Getting together with friends from school requires money, planning and transportation. Unless you live in a compound, you children might never meet kids to just toss a ball with outside.