This morning (February 3rd), the atmosphere was lively and bustling at the 19/5 Kindergarten schoolyard in Hoa Hung ward, Ho Chi Minh City, during the "Horse Racing Competition" to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026.
Exciting paper horse race, celebrating the Year of the Horse.
The children participated in two exciting and engaging horse racing competitions, cheered on enthusiastically by their teachers and friends. The first part involved hand-pulling a rope to tie a paper horse, competing to see who could do it faster to get their horse to the finish line. In the second part, the children "rode" horses made of paper and plastic tubes, seeing who could reach the finish line the fastest.
A 'horse racer' is ready to enter the racetrack.
PHOTO: DIEM KIEU
The horse racing competition was exciting and full of laughter.
PHOTO: DIEM KIEU
The racehorses were made from cardboard and plastic tubes, created by the children and their teachers.
PHOTO: THUY HANG
All the paper horses for today's race were made and decorated by the children and teachers at the school starting yesterday (2.2). Each class group will make paper horse models using cardboard, decorating them with colors, clay, paper, etc., depending on the children's age.
Ms. Ly Minh Ha, Principal of 19/5 Kindergarten, Hoa Hung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, said that in the atmosphere of the approaching Lunar New Year 2026, which is the Year of the Horse, the teachers at the school have created many educational activities and competitions to create a lively atmosphere for the holiday, with the theme revolving around the horse.
On February 2nd, the classrooms were decorated with paper horses; on February 3rd, with the paper horse models already made, the children will compete in a "horse race" using a rope or "riding" the paper horses. Soon, the children will have a competition to recite rhymes, folk songs, proverbs, and stories featuring horses; and sing familiar children's songs with horse imagery.
PHOTO: DIEM KIEU
In this hand-operated horse racing track, children will wind a rope, pull the horse towards themselves, and see who is the fastest.
PHOTO: DIEM KIEU
PHOTO: DIEM KIEU
This part of the competition requires close coordination among team members, pulling quickly to get the horse to the finish line as fast as possible.
PHOTO: DIEM KIEU
PHOTO: THUY HANG
The horse racing track was bustling with activity on the morning of February 3rd.
PHOTO: DIEM KIEU
Lunar New Year activities teach children many things.
Ms. Ly Minh Ha said that next week the children will also participate in a Tet rice cake wrapping festival, with the participation of parents and teachers. The rice cakes will be cooked at the school and distributed to each class so that the children can taste the fruits of their labor.
Ms. Ha said that the educational activities themed around celebrating the Year of the Horse are part of the Ministry of Education and Training's preschool education program. These activities aim to help children develop fine motor skills, gross motor skills, thinking abilities, aesthetics, language, physical fitness, and cognitive skills.
For example, activities like decorating paper horses help children develop dexterity and practice art through coloring, rolling paper, attaching flowers, and gluing paper. When competing in "horse races," children improve their hand and leg movements, becoming more agile and energetic, and see who is faster. Through these games, children learn teamwork, connect with friends, and interact with each other.
The teacher and the children made paper horses together.
PHOTO: THUY HANG
The paper horse decorating festival took place on the morning of February 2nd.
PHOTO: THUY HANG
These horses are used in a 'horse racing' competition using a rope.
PHOTO: THUY HANG
A unique horse racing competition, filled with laughter, to welcome the Year of the Horse.
PHOTO: THUY HANG
For example, with the activity of wrapping banh chung (Vietnamese rice cakes), children develop their memory and thinking skills by memorizing the ingredients to make the cake, the order in which to combine them and wrap it; recognizing the shape of the cake and the colors of the ingredients; and testing their dexterity by wrapping the banh chung skillfully... Importantly, the banh chung wrapping activity is done together with parents and teachers. Thus, the banh chung connects tradition and reality; connects family members; and connects the school and the children's parents...
"In today's fast-paced urban life, surely few parents or teachers still get to experience the atmosphere of making banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) at home during Tet. Therefore, the Tet banh chung making festival at school is to preserve the old Tet tradition, so that everyone can experience the traditional atmosphere of our nation. I think that childhood memories always play an extremely important role in everyone's life. Therefore, we hope that these Tet celebrations at the kindergarten will become beautiful memories for each child. So that the atmosphere of togetherness, reunion, and connection will stay with the children long after they grow up," Ms. Ly Minh Ha shared.
Children decorate the horses using different materials and colors.
PHOTO: THUY HANG
Lunar New Year helps young children learn many valuable lessons.
PHOTO: THUY HANG
These Tet-themed corners in the kindergarten were decorated by teachers and children.
PHOTO: THUY HANG
During this time and in the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), many preschools in Ho Chi Minh City organize educational activities to help children better understand the traditional Tet holiday.
For example, 19/5 City Kindergarten (Tan Dinh Ward) and City Kindergarten (Xuan Hoa Ward) held folk festivals. Children participated in folk games in various areas such as calligraphy; making Phuc Linh cakes; making rice paper; folding coconut leaves; embroidering and wrapping banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes); making coconut jam; carving letters on watermelons; painting statues, etc. Mang Non 1 Kindergarten in Hoa Hung Ward and Tan Phong Kindergarten in Tan Hung Ward have been decorated with festive Tet (Lunar New Year) corners for many days now. Children experienced activities such as calligraphy, the conical hat path, decorating piggy banks, and the kindergarten space was filled with vibrant flowers...
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doc-dao-hoi-thi-dua-ngua-trong-truong-hoc-tphcm-185260203080657748.htm
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