When summer comes, it brings stifling heat and children’s long school holidays. Children hardly notice how hot it is, to them summer means one thing — time off from school.

There will be no schoolwork, no tuition, no tension — just wandering about, visiting family, meeting cousins and having a lot of fun. Bilal felt the same way. He lived in a house with his older sister, parents and grandfather.

One afternoon he came home from school and ran to his mother. Ammi came out from the kitchen and greeted him.

“Assalamu alaikum, beta. The holidays start in two days. Aren’t you excited?” she asked.

“Yes! I can’t wait to play all day,” Bilal answered.

Ammi laughed but then shook her head. “Bilal, you can’t ignore your holiday homework.”

“Yes, the teachers won’t let us have peace if we don’t do it,” Appi added.

“Oh, Appi! You’ve spoiled the mood. I just wanted to have fun,” declared the boy.

“That’s not right,” Appi said firmly. “You must do your holiday homework. And Ammi, we must go for a picnic to the seaside. If Abbu agrees, can we go?”

Just then Dada came in at the door. “Assalamu alaikum!” called Dada.

“Walaikum assalam, Dada,” Bilal replied. “Dada, our holidays are starting. Can we please go to the beach?”

Dada stroked his beard and pretended to be worried. Then he laughed and hugged Bilal. “How can I say no to my little one? Let your father come and I will speak to him about it.”

At the dinner table that night, Dada turned to Abbu and said, “Khalid, the children’s holidays are nearly here. Why don’t we take them to the beach for a day? It will make them very happy.”

Abbu thought for a moment then said, “I think we can go this Sunday.”

“Then Sunday it is,” Dada replied, then turned towards Bilal and said, “We’ll make the arrangements.”

Bilal could hardly contain his excitement. Both he and Appi started clapping.

The next days were busy. Abbu was on the phone organising the hut booking and the bus. Ammi wrote a list of food items to pack and Appi helped her. Bilal phoned his cousins to invite them too and asked them to bring over their football, a cricket bat and ball. Everyone prepared for the picnic in their own ways.

Finally, Sunday morning arrived. Everyone was up early and ready in no time.

“Come on, put the luggage on the bus,” Abbu called.

The children scrambled into the back seats and the adults seated themselves where they could. The journey to the seaside was delightful — early morning air, a cool breeze and lots of chatter. When they reached the beach hut by the shore, the kids rushed to get off.

“Hey kids, let us unload first,” Abbu called out. “Don’t run off by yourselves.”

They took their bags into the hut, which had three bedrooms and four washrooms. After changing into their swimming clothes, the children sprinted straight for the sea.

Abbu pretended to scold them, but Ammi said, “Let them enjoy themselves. Just keep an eye on them and don’t let them go too far.”

Abbu asked the older kids to watch the smaller ones, and soon everyone was dashing along the sand and into the sea. Later they all ate and drank by the shore, then the kids continued to play and splashed in the water until it was time to leave. They left before dusk with the children exhausted and soon asleep on the bus. Everyone had a wonderful day.

Back home, Dada asked Bilal, “Did you enjoy the picnic, beta?”

“Yes, Dada,” Bilal said, throwing his arms around him. “It was the best day of my life.”

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 16th, 2025