Create a “playground” for children in a practical and appropriate way

– As the Covid-19 epidemic is increasingly complicated, many parents in Lang Son province have found ways to create a useful, interesting and suitable playground for their children at home.

In the 2020-2021 school year, the province has 676 schools at all levels with over 196,000 students. The preschool level has over 55,000 students; the primary school level has nearly 74,000 students and the middle and high school level has more than 67,000 students. Due to the resurgence and complication of the Covid-19, the education department has let students stay at home since early May 2021 to ensure safety and epidemic prevention and control. Early leave means that this year’s summer vacation for students in the province has been extended from three months to nearly four months. In order to prevent and control the epidemic, many community-based entertainment and entertainment activities for children are limited, so children mainly live and play at home.

The problem for parents, as a result, is how to keep their children from being bored at home for a long time, to ensure safety to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic as well as to prevent their children from accidents, injuries or drowning while they still have to maintain good habits without watching TV, phones, computers or Ipads too much. To do this, some parents in the province have initiated some ways to help their children to manage their time appropriately to participate in some activities right at home. One thing to be interested and done by parents is to determine what to do in the summer; discuss with their children, build a new schedule for  activities,  balance between time and work and combine studying and playing, etc.

Nong Minh Phuong’s family in Dai Dong, Trang Dinh is instructing their children to make cakes at home

Ms. Hoang Thi Ngoc, who lives in Nam Hoang Dong urban area, Lang Son city, said, “After my children had a break (from the beginning of May 2021), I encouraged and guided them to make a plan for themselves in which they have to arrange tasks such as reviewing lessons, watching TV, or playing brain games (Lego, seahorses, chess). The time for those activities must be reasonably calculated, not too short or too long so that my children can promote mental well-being and develop both physically and mentally.”

In rural areas, parents have their own ways to turn the holiday into a “golden” opportunity to change their lifestyle and connect the family. Most parents let their children participate in labor activities or family production to manage and supervise them and not to allow them to go out, especially to areas affected by the Covid-19 epidemic. Ms. Nong Thi Nga in Dai Dong commune, Trang Dinh district said, “The children have a long vacation, so I teach my daughter how to sew clothes, make crafts and cook simple foods that she likes.  In addition, my husband and I also encourage and create opportunities and activities for our children to join, learn and experience with us in doing housework or farm work.”

Hong Thi Ngoc’s family in Nam Hoang Dong, Lang Son City is letting their children play at home.

Mr. Lang Van Chi, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union said, “ Every year on summer vacation, Youth Unions at all levels are responsible for coordinating with relevant levels, agencies, units and families to manage and take care of children in the community. In the current complicated situation of the Covid-19 epidemic, the management, care and education of young children are having many changes, mainly depending on families. Although there is no exact data, via Youth Union organizations at all levels we know that many families and parents have developed proper ways to manage and educate their children at home, for example   actively chat and communicate, understand and share thoughts in their children’s learning and playing or encourage children to participate in age-appropriate home activities. Many parents have also purchased a number of toys to help develop their children’s thinking, skills and exploration which can associate learning, playing and problem solving skills in a healthy, scientific way. They even guide their children to use electronic devices and the Internet effectively.

The aforementioned stories show that in order to adapt to the current conditions, some parents in the province have explored specific and practical ways to educate their children and create a playground for their children at home in a useful and appropriate way. As there are still about three months until the end of this year’s summer vacation, and the possible complications of the Covid 19, parents should have more effective ways to manage and educate their children at home apart from the previously mentioned activities so that students and young people in the province have a safe summer vacation and continue to develop well both physically and mentally.”