ECE Resources & Guides | SOAR 2027 Jeddah

Guides for early childhood educators: the 2027 ECE conference calendar for the Middle East, play-based learning explained, ECE professional development in Saudi Arabia and travel to Jeddah.

SOAR 2027 — AISJ Early Childhood Education Conference takes place on Saturday, April 17, 2027 at the American International School of Jeddah (AISJ), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 600+ early childhood educators, 40+ practitioner-led sessions. Previously planned for April 16–17, 2026.

Guides

• Early Childhood Education Conferences 2027: Middle East & GCC Calendar

  The main early childhood education conferences in the Middle East and GCC for 2027 are SOAR 2027 in Jeddah (Saturday, April 17, 2027), the Sharjah Education Summit (March 2027), an EYFS conference in Dubai (May 2027) and GESS Saudi Arabia. Here is how they compare and how to choose.

• Play-Based Learning & Guided Inquiry in Bilingual Classrooms

  Play-based learning in a bilingual (Arabic-English) early years classroom works best when play is planned around language goals: adults model vocabulary in both languages during play, provocations invite children's questions, and guided inquiry turns those questions into short investigations.

• Early Childhood Education Conferences 2026: Middle East Guide

  If you teach, lead or train in early years and you're planning professional development for 2026, here is how to choose a conference that actually changes your practice — and where the Gulf region fits.

• What Is Play-Based Learning? A Guide for Early Years Teachers

  Play-based learning is an approach where children's play is the main vehicle for learning, guided intentionally by a teacher. It is not the absence of teaching — it is teaching that works with how young children think.

• ECE Professional Development in Saudi Arabia

  Early years education in the Kingdom has expanded fast, and expectations of teachers have risen with it. Here is how educators in Saudi Arabia are building professional development that counts.

• Attending a Conference in Jeddah: Travel & Visa Guide

  Practical guidance for educators travelling to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for a professional conference — visas, flights, getting around, and what to expect on the ground.