Outdoor activities are postponed
In the context of COVID-19 outbreak in Vietnam, especially in big cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang… many families abandoned their plans for holiday, outdoor playing activities, restrain from gathering. Many parents consider summer as a perfect occasion for enhancing necessary skills and knowledge for children, through which establish a good mindset for a new school year; yet they have to get used to teaching their children at home.
Da Nang beach is closed due to COVID-19 outbreak
Mr. Chau (38 years old, Hanoi) shared: “We already had a plan for my older child (8 years old) to enroll in summer course for skill training, but now we have to delay that idea and don’t know when to kick-off again. In this ‘new normal’ context, we need to be gradually familiar and go with the flow.”
Young children (at pre-school and primary school age) will often be hyperactive. If they have to stay in-house much, they can easily feel unpleasant or have negative reactions. There are children who do not like playing activities at home and oppose to cooperate with parents or having access to technology devices too early. Therefore, this is also a challenge for parents when they must be gentle and patient to listen and understand their children, also be creative in activities at home so that children can learn new things while playing happily. Although the pandemic situation brings many difficulties to the whole society, it also has positive aspects for the family. Parents spend more time with their children, and closeness with the right approach will bring better bonding, when parents gradually understand the thoughts and aspirations of children.
Parents and children learn through play at home
Primary education in Vietnam is in the progress of changing curriculum. The content-based curriculum is transferred into competency-based curriculum that truly values the holistic development of learners, ”to prepare children skills for adapting the rapid and complex changes of the future society” (General Education Program 2018). To prepare children to enter the era of industrial revolution 4.0, training in essential skills of the 21st century is very important.
The young generation needs skills such as problem solving, creativity, communication, cooperation, autonomy, study skills, and critical thinking to readily adapt in the 21st century. To develop these skills, parents can work with their children to practice Learning through Play activities at home.
Playing is educational when it is fun and meaningful, encourages active participation, creates many opportunities for experience (iterative), and enhances social interaction. More than just games and fun activities, Learning through Play is the acquisition of a new learning approach to student through play-based activities. Thereby, children develop their Cognitive, Creative, Social, Emotional, and Physical skills.
Ms. Lan Huong (36 years old, Hanoi) shared: “At home, I also tried to integrate Learning through Play activities for my children. For example, I let my children develop their own Mind Map from the story in the book. Then they told the story by creating puppets, built a small theater at home, using a flashlight as the spotlight. Sometimes when I came back from the market, I arranged the food in different groups so that the children learn vividly about the necessary nutrients for their body in the food. In order to attract their excitement and happiness, I must also be dedicated to my personal capacity development so as not to be 'out of tune' with the children."
We are delightful to invite all teachers and parents to explore https://thuvien.choivuihoctot.vn/ and share experience on how parents accompany with their children to develop!
