ESF Explore – What They Do and What They Offer

ESF Explore is the holiday and enrichment arm of the English Schools Foundation (ESF) in Hong Kong, created to provide children and teenagers with a broad range of exploratory extracurricular and holiday camp programmes outside the traditional classroom setting. Operating as part of ESF Educational Services — itself a subsidiary of the English Schools Foundation established in 1994 — ESF Explore delivers year-round activities designed to spark curiosity, build skills and nurture personal confidence in a fun, interactive environment.

The organisation’s programmes are open to all children and families — both ESF students and those from the wider community — and are provided primarily in English, promoting both language use and subject-based skill development through creative, physical and academic experiences.

Purpose and Educational Focus

The core purpose of ESF Explore’s offerings is to inspire curiosity, promote discovery and help young learners uncover their strengths by engaging them in a variety of activities beyond core academic lessons. Rather than traditional classroom teaching alone, the organisation emphasises hands-on learning, interactive challenges and creative expression, enabling participants to practise communication, problem-solving and teamwork in real-world contexts.

ESF Explore achieves this through a blend of language, sports, arts, STEM, playgroup and leadership-oriented learning that supports both personal and skill development — from early childhood through the teenage years.

Target Ages and Participation

ESF Explore’s programmes cater to a very wide age range, from infants (as young as around 13 months) through teenagers (up to about 16–17 years old), with activities tailored to suit developmental stages and interests. Learning groups are age-appropriate, enabling babies and toddlers, primary age children and secondary learners to all find offerings that match their needs.

Participants include both ESF school students and non-ESF learners, making the camps and classes accessible to a broad community of families in Hong Kong looking for holiday enrichment or year-round skill development.

Summer Holiday Camps

During the summer holiday period (typically around June to August), ESF Explore offers a comprehensive series of summer camps that combine educational content with physical activity and creative play:

• Half-Day Summer Programmes — flexible morning or afternoon options for learners aged 13 months to 16 years, including language, sports, arts, STEM, business and playgroup classes.
• Full-Day Summer Camps (Ages 5–11) — each day includes language or academic enrichment activities in the morning (e.g., creative writing, science, Spanish through art) followed by multi-sports or physical activities in the afternoon, creating a balanced camp day that supports both cognitive and physical development.
• Summer Academy Programmes (Ages 12+) — more advanced, focused courses for secondary students that expand beyond traditional holiday camp content to include career paths, debate, coding, media, entrepreneurship and leadership skill building.

These camps are delivered across multiple school and learning centre locations throughout Hong Kong, offering flexibility and accessibility to families across the city.

Winter and Seasonal Camps

In addition to summer offerings, ESF Explore runs winter holiday programmes (often called Winter Wonderland), which include a similar mix of activities such as sports, drama, language, arts, STEM and playgroup sessions designed to keep learners engaged during the year-end break. Winter camps may also incorporate seasonal and festive themes to make the experience uniquely seasonal and celebratory.

Seasonal camps are typically structured as week-long programmes or single-day workshops, providing flexible participation options that suit different family schedules and interests.

Types of Activities and Focus Areas

ESF Explore’s programmes encompass a wide variety of activity types that support different aspects of learning and development:

• Language Development: English-medium sessions that include storytelling, literacy, creative communication and language confidence building.
• Sports and Physical Activity: Multi-sports, swimming, football, gymnastics and other movement-based experiences that promote fitness, coordination and teamwork.
• STEM and Creative Arts: Hands-on projects, scientific exploration, arts, games, design tasks and creative expression.
• Leadership and Life Skills: Advanced summer academy courses and specialised camps that cultivate critical thinking, leadership, entrepreneurship and reflective learning for older learners.
• Playgroup and Early Years: Play-based learning classes designed for young children that promote sensory exploration and foundational skills.

These activities are designed to be interactive, exploratory and student-centred, encouraging learners to practise language and social skills while following their interests in a supportive setting.

Learning Environment and Delivery

ESF Explore programmes are typically delivered across various ESF school campuses and learning centres in Hong Kong, providing safe, structured environments with experienced educators who specialise in working with children of different age groups. Activities are often conducted in small to medium-sized groups to ensure personalised engagement and support, and the organisation emphasises practical learning through doing rather than passive listening.

Conclusion

ESF Explore is a comprehensive holiday camp and enrichment provider in Hong Kong offering programmes for children and teens roughly 13 months to 17 years. Its summer and winter camps combine English-medium language learning, creative arts, sports, STEM, playgroups and specialised academy courses to build confidence, curiosity and practical skills. With offerings accessible to both ESF and non-ESF families, the organisation supports learners at multiple developmental stages through engaging, experiential activities.