Parents scramble to find summer camps for their children

After three months of researching different types of summer camps, Ms. Khanh Ly in Hanoi finally decided on the firefighting camp because she wanted her son to be stronger and more independent.

Her son is in 4th grade and strong enough, so the couple wants him to experience life outside and appreciate the life he has. The boy is active and careful but often worries, so Ly wants to find a summer camp to help him become stronger and more independent.

Since early March, Ms. Ly, in Cau Giay District, has searched through groups and called many centers to learn about summer camps. The mother of two said she did not choose military camps because her children were disciplined. Recent fires have made her anxious to equip her children with basic knowledge and skills in fire prevention and fighting at home and at school, and to know how to put out fires in the kitchen or use a fire extinguisher.

She decided to choose the firefighter summer camp in mid-June, organized by the instructors at the fire prevention school in collaboration with a unit. Each camp has 80-110 children and each trainer is in charge of a group of 5-7 students at the training facility in Luong Son district, Hoa Binh province.

"I consulted a lot, and only made a decision in May," said Ms. Ly.

Unlike Ms. Ly, Ms. Mai Lan Huong in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, came to the summer camp with the purpose of having a place to send her children. Her two daughters are still young, so she does not want them to go to boarding camp, nor does she want to send them back to the countryside. Meanwhile, on the weekends, she sends them to swimming and drawing classes.

"There's no one to look after my child during the week, so I'm looking for a day English summer camp to join so I can both learn and play," said Ms. Huong.

After many days of research, Ms. Huong came to an English center in Lang Pagoda as recommended by her friends. The center has weekly packages (5 days) and courses (30 days), costing 500,000 VND per day. Students come to the center from Monday to Friday, bringing their own lunch. In the morning, they can draw, learn to play musical instruments, give presentations in English, and in the afternoon, teachers take them on field trips around Hanoi. All speak English during their time at the center.

A child practices putting out a fire at the Firefighters Summer Camp, Fire Fighting University Training Center in Luong Son, Hoa Binh, in 2015. Photo: Giang Huy

According to experts, there are many types of summer camps and extracurricular activities on the market. Depending on the needs and financial conditions, parents should research and decide which type their children should participate in.

A representative of an educational unit with 7 years of experience organizing summer camps said that there are currently many summer camp models such as military summer camps, retreats, life skills camps, foreign summer camps or international bilingual summer camps in Vietnam. Prices are also varied. In addition to some free retreats at temples, the average price of courses or summer camps is 4-8 million VND, high-end ones are from 10 million VND or more.

Some English centers organize trips abroad for students to visit, have fun and teach foreign languages, for example, a trip to Singapore costs 30-40 million VND per week.

"The cost of international bilingual camps is quite high, with programs costing over 100 million for 5-6 days. In particular, the segment targeting the upper class costs up to 4,000 USD, teaching table manners or elegant behavior," she said.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Khanh, Director of the Southern Youth Center, Central Youth Union, also said that many parents, especially in big cities, have a need for training activities for their children in the summer. With military summer camps, most want their children to stay away from electronic devices and have a special environment to practice.

Mr. Khanh's center was the first place to have a military semester model, in coordination with military units since 2008. After that, this model was replicated by the Central Youth Union to provinces and cities to create a playground for experience and training for young people.

Mr. Khanh said that every year, the center organizes about 5 military semesters and always recruits enough students. This year, the number of programs increased to 6 due to high demand. Each program lasts 8-10 days, with 120 students and tuition costs 5-6 million VND.

After many days of hesitation, Ms. Huong decided on a summer boarding camp at an English center on Lang Street. The total amount she had to pay her child was about 12 million VND for 20 sessions. "This price is quite reasonable," Ms. Huong said.

Ms. Ly is also satisfied with the price of 6.5 million VND for 7 days at the firefighter summer camp. In addition to the first day of getting acquainted, learning how to take care of himself and the company activities, in the following days, her child will be trained in survival in the forest; escape from a fire in a high-rise building and first aid in case of drowning.

"My child also gets to practice physical strength, perseverance and teamwork in some activities like trekking in the forest. If the program is like that, I think the content is good," Ly shared, saying that at first her child did not want to go, but when he found out that his close classmate also signed up, he agreed.

The retreat that Ms. Thuy's child attended in July 2022 in Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Provided by the character

However, many people believe that we should not expect our children to change quickly, because one or two weeks at a good summer camp is only enough to form, but not maintain, new good habits.

"What is learned and practiced is just like looking at flowers while riding a horse. It is impossible to go to a camp and have a child gain in-depth knowledge in one field," Ms. Ly acknowledged, so she said she only expected moderately.

Ms. Trinh Thuy, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, sent her 6th grade child to a free 5-day retreat at a pagoda in Cu Chi District last summer. Here, her child gathered with 300 other children, waking up at 5:30 a.m. to eat, clean up, and take care of himself. In addition, the children read short prayers and listened to lectures on morality and ethics, and were especially not allowed to use cell phones.

This habit persisted for a few days after returning home but then "everything went back to normal".

"I just want my child to have new experiences. Living away from parents and being independent is also a good thing at this age," she said, adding that this year her son doesn't want to participate anymore because "he knows hardship and is afraid of hardship."

To find a reputable organizer and a suitable program, Ms. Ha Thu, Deputy General Director of WeGrow Vietnam Academy of Sex Education and Comprehensive Life Skills, advises parents to carefully consider the venue, and even visit the venue to survey. Parents should keep in regular contact with the organizer to understand the psychology or problems their children are facing as well as the handling plan and coordination if any situation arises.

Chi Ly said she was also worried about her child's safety when attending a camp far from home, but seeing that teachers from the fire prevention school were participating and images of previous camps were made public, she felt more secure.

"If you let your child go, you have to have faith in the organizer. I hope your child has a memorable experience," she said.

Dawn - Nhat Le

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