Children running across the courtyard, creating imaginary worlds with sticks, paint, and colorful fabric…
While one group improvises a dance in the park, a story is told in the shade of the jabuticaba tree…
Scenes like these are part of Vacation Station—the holiday program currently taking place at be.Living, designed to offer a warm and welcoming alternative for families navigating the challenge of balancing work routines with their children’s school break. .
With children from Early Childhood Education and Year 1 of Elementary School, Vacation Station is thoughtfully designed to provide enjoyable and meaningful experiences, allowing every child to enjoy this time in a lighthearted, creative way—full of discovery. “Our main goal is to ensure quality time for the children. The school welcomes them during this period when, often, they would be home with limited options for interaction and likely a lot of screen time,” explains Camila Maia, Early Childhood Education Pedagogical Coordinator.
The program is built around free play, with a slower pace and a more flexible use of school spaces. With fewer children around, there’s naturally more time and freedom to explore, create, and express themselves. “Children don’t have to leave the park just because another group is arriving, for example. That’s one of the great benefits of the vacation setting: a calmer rhythm for experiences, play, and exploration,” Camila adds.
During Vacation Station, children stay connected with nature and take part in activities like storytelling, artistic experiences, and physical practices. They also have the chance to explore extracurricular activities such as ballet, capoeira, judo, soccer, tennis, and music. Classroom assistants monitor the groups alongside the specialist teachers who lead the workshops.
According to Camila, the program’s focus isn’t on developing academic content, but rather on maintaining the children’s connection to the school while encouraging social interaction in new formats. “Children play with peers from other groups, broaden their horizons, learn new ways of playing, and develop creativity and imagination. We’re talking about social skills—about learning how to relate to what’s different.”
Vacation Station also plays an important role for families. “They can feel at ease, knowing their children are being cared for by people who plan with intention, even if at a slower pace,” Camila adds.
And so we continue through the end of July with a holiday program that honors the essence of childhood: a time to play without hurry, to imagine freely, to rest body and mind, and to live with lightness, presence, and meaning.
