On May 31 and June 1, the program "Creative Play on International Children's Day at Hanoi Museum" organized by Hanoi Creative Activities Coordination Center (Hanoi Museum) and partners Cool Vietnam, Viet Handicraft, InnuX brought children diverse experiences, a harmony between entertainment and profoundeducational experiences.
Hanoi Museum - a new experience for children
With a diverse program design, close to traditional Vietnamese culture but organized in a creative form, suitable for the needs of urban children, the above event attracted hundreds of children and parents to participate.
In the outdoor space of the Hanoi Museum, a series of folk games are brought back to life through the participation of the children themselves, such as dragon and snake up to the clouds, cat and mouse, blindfolded goat catching, playing volleyball, hopscotch... These games have become memories of many generations of Vietnamese people but are not always able to be organized in urban spaces.
The game coordinators were students from Hanoi National University and Hanoi Capital University, thereby creating closeness and quick connection between the children and the activities. Many experts attending the event were moved when the nursery rhymes “rong ran len may”, “meo chay chuot”,... were sung by the children themselves, in the cultural space of Hanoi Museum.
In addition to the yard, many interesting activities also take place in the indoor space of the Hanoi Creative Activities Coordination Center (Hanoi Museum). Intellectual games such as Tri Uan and Co Mat Troi - creative products of Vietnamese authors help children practice logical thinking and imagination while playing. Experiencing this board game also brings precious moments of relaxation among family members.
Papier-mâché mask artist Dang Huong Lan expressed her joy when witnessing children excitedly observing and directly participating in the process of creating traditional handmade masks with recycled paper and glue made from cassava flour.
To he artisan Le Thi Ha brings a familiar yet strange experience to children. That is in the story of the traditional to he craft in Xuan La village, Phu Xuyen district, Hanoi, besides learning about the ingredients of to he, children can also create this interesting toy with the direct guidance of the artisan.
There are many other interesting experiences such as Origami paper folding and creative storytelling with the guidance of lecturers and students of Hanoi Capital University; experiential workshops such as coloring Thach Xa bamboo dragonflies, making Do paper cards with flowers and stamps, decorating wish baskets or painting masks, straw bags...
A new activity that is also loved by many children is the photo space with Vietnamese culinary models such as spring rolls, bread, and bun thang, which are vividly and funnyly shaped.
Notably, the activities not only attract children but also appeal to parents. It is also impossible not to mention the combination of visiting the regular exhibition areas of the Hanoi Museum on this occasion such as the "Old Way" space recreating the daily life of a traditional Hanoi family, the heritage space exploring the train carriage associated with the history of Vietnam's railway...
The rich experiential activities have helped many children and their parents have relaxing and exciting moments together while learning about culture, history and creating handmade products with their own unique marks and memories.
Not just a place to visit
Attending the event, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Huyen, lecturer at Hanoi Capital University, said: “In the context of a dynamically developing urban area, the need for open, friendly and educational public spaces for children is becoming increasingly essential for Hanoi. Museums, which are often seen as “traditional” places, are gradually transforming themselves into community connection centers and vibrant cultural destinations for all ages - especially children.”
Indeed, Hanoi Museum, with its convenient location (on Pham Hung Street, in the inner city, near densely populated residential areas), modern facilities with large indoor and outdoor spaces, is gradually proving that the museum can be a lively “educational park”. Exhibition space combined with interactive experiences is a trend of museums around the world and Hanoi can completely effectively implement that trend with appropriate investment and coordination between public and private units.
One of the notable features of the Hanoi Museum is the combination of permanent collections and creative interactive activities - an effective way to attract children and families.
In the activities to celebrate the recent International Children's Day, the use of traditional cultural elements such as papier-mâché masks, bamboo dragonflies, do paper, folk games... not only accompanied children in "playing while learning" but also helped them understand more deeply the cultural values of the Vietnamese nation. This is an informal form of education but is very effective in nurturing children's emotions and forming their personal identity.
In particular, museum spaces can become places to “incubate creativity”, creating momentum for the development of Vietnamese cultural and handicraft products. Cooperating with creative organizations, artisans, cultural start-up groups in organizing workshops, exhibitions, games, etc. is an open direction, with the spirit of public-private partnership, helping this cultural institution become increasingly close, lively and always innovative in line with the development trend of the cultural industry.
It is easy to see that many museums today have the conditions to build themed experience programs associated with special holidays and anniversaries of the year such as Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, International Children's Day, Vietnamese Family Day, Cultural Heritage Day, etc. Organizing periodic themed activities contributes to creating a habit of cultural experiences for the community at the museum, turning the museum into a public space that the community regularly visits to experience creative activities and learn about local culture.
Schools can take students to museums as part of their curriculum - not only to learn history and culture, but also to learn life skills, creativity, and teamwork, especially in the context of the increasing demand for experiential education and local education in secondary schools.
From the children's event that just took place at the Hanoi Museum, we can believe that museums are not only places to preserve artifacts of the past, but also public spaces, vibrant creative spaces for the present and the future - especially in nurturing the younger generation, helping to create the foundation for citizens who are creative, knowledgeable and attached to national culture.
Hanoi Museum entrance ticket policy:
Free for children under 16 years old.
Adults: 30,000 VND/turn.
Students: 50% discount (card must be presented).
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/bao-tang-cong-vien-giao-duc-tiem-nang-705644.html
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