SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the world's largest indoor marine life theme park, has unveiled its 'Draw Me the Sea' initiative, aimed at expanding children's understanding of the ocean as they explore the park's eight immersive realms. Children aged seven to 12 from Aldar Education participated in this distinctive program, using their newfound knowledge to create drawings of the sea.
Before visiting SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, students from Aldar Education were asked to draw the sea from their perspective. Their initial drawings typically featured elements such as the ocean surface, waves, a sandy beach, and a few palm trees. After completing their first drawing, the children embarked on a visit to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, where they encountered a diverse array of marine life, including dolphins, sea turtles, walruses, and penguins. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's educators, stationed throughout the marine life theme park, enriched the children's experience by sharing fascinating facts about the various marine species they observed.
Towards the end of their visit, the children were asked to draw the sea again, and the results were striking. Their drawings evolved to include detailed marine life, such as dolphins leaping from the water, rays gliding gracefully, sharks surrounded by schools of fish, and small orange starfish at the ocean's bottom. These unique illustrations highlighted the profound impact that a visit to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi has on a child's cognitive development and their deeper understanding of the marine world, as the park exposes them to aspects of nature they may not have seen before.
To gain deeper insights into the social initiative's educational impact, Dr. Rama Kanj, a licensed educational psychologist, collaborated with SeaWorld Abu Dhabi to observe the developmental progress of young minds after experiencing the park. Dr. Kanj noted, 'The development of young minds can be significantly enhanced by educational environments that include emotional engagement and sensory experiences. This approach stimulates multiple pathways in the brain, making learning more impactful and memorable for children. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi exemplifies this through its multisensory experiences, offering a dynamic platform for meaningful learning beyond mere entertainment. Such initiatives set a strong example of how education should be conducted in both formal and informal settings.'
Rob Yordi, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's general curator, stated, 'At SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, our mission is to inspire and educate guests about the wonders of the ocean and its inhabitants, with a particular focus on nurturing the curiosity of young minds, fostering a deeper connection and care for the ocean. From the outset of the design process, our goal was to create exciting and immersive experiences that can inspire our guests to care about animals, their habitats, and their future.'
Stephen Sharples, chief education officer from Aldar Education, commented, 'The first edition of 'Draw Me the Sea' has been extremely successful, and we are thrilled to be part of such an inspiring initiative that promotes conservation and marine life education. We highly value exploring new and engaging learning methods. We look forward to continuing our thriving partnership with SeaWorld Abu Dhabi and consistently providing innovative educational experiences for our students.'
On September 28, a select group of children will visit the Louvre Abu Dhabi, where they will explore marine life-themed artworks accompanied by SeaWorld Abu Dhabi educators, who will offer deeper insights into marine ecosystems, and Louvre Abu Dhabi educators, who will provide insights about the artwork. The children will first draw their perception of the ocean before visiting SeaWorld Abu Dhabi and will create another drawing afterward, reflecting the impact of their experience.
From September 19 until the end of October, visitors to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi can view the unique collection of drawings in a spectacular art exhibition within the Marine Life Theme Park's One Ocean realm. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi features a team of over 45 educators spread across the park's eight immersive realms, ready to engage with guests and share their knowledge of marine life. For young marine life enthusiasts, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi also offers two state-of-the-art classrooms, which have hosted over 20 school visits since last year.
For more information on SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, please visit the website at www.seaworldabudhabi.com.
