Summer travel: Parents take their children to "the countryside to be farmers"

(PLVN) - It's no longer surprising that many urban families, especially in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other major cities, choose to take their children to peaceful rural areas to experience rural life, temporarily escape technology, and learn to appreciate nature and hard work. Rural tourism – seemingly simple – is opening up wonderful opportunities for a meaningful summer, full of humanistic values ​​and overflowing with love.

A journey with your child back to their childhood.

Every summer, travel becomes a hot topic among families with young children. While in the past, famous tourist destinations, modern amusement parks, or crowded beaches were always the top choices, in recent years, the trend of "rural tourism" has gradually become a favorite choice for many parents.

In the digital age, city children are increasingly attached to phones, tablets, and televisions. Many parents complain that their children can play games for hours but are reluctant to go outside for physical activity. This situation has led parents to seek solutions to help their children integrate into real life, increase physical activity, and learn life skills.

Ms. To Thi Nga (Cau Giay District, Hanoi ) shared: “Last summer, I took my two children to Luong Son (Hoa Binh) for three days at a homestay run by the Muong ethnic minority. The children got to pick vegetables, weed, feed the chickens, and learn how to wrap cassava cakes from the locals. Even after we got home, they kept talking about it. Compared to taking them to shopping malls or amusement parks, I find trips like that much more valuable.”

Some "farmstay" models – vacation farms – have also become a popular choice during the summer. Without having to travel far, families can take their children to rural areas like Soc Son, Ba Vi (Hanoi), Luong Son (Hoa Binh), Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc), Hoa Vang (Da Nang), Don Duong (Lam Dong), etc., just 1-2 hours' drive from the city center. Here, children can participate in activities such as gardening, fishing, riding buffaloes, and learning traditional cooking – experiences that are almost impossible to have in the city.

More than just a trip for children, rural tourism is also an opportunity for the whole family to enjoy precious moments together. For many parents, taking their children back to the countryside or to rural areas is not only an educational choice, but also a "journey back to childhood" for themselves.

The whole family played sack racing together. (Photo: Happy Farm)

Mr. Nguyen Van Thinh (Ho Chi Minh City) recounts that last summer, he took his wife and two children to Can Gio – his maternal grandparents' hometown. “I wanted my children to understand the feeling of catching crabs, gathering clams, and picking coconuts – things I used to do when I was a child. That day, the whole family waded through the rice paddies together, covered in mud, but everyone was happy. It's a simple kind of happiness that nothing can replace.”

The connection between generations within the family is also clearly demonstrated through these trips. Grandparents, parents, and children participate in outdoor activities together, cook together, and chat together without needing phones or Wi-Fi. Traditional values ​​and stories from the past are retold, helping children understand their roots and learn to cherish their family.

One of the reasons many families choose rural tourism is the educational aspect, which teaches life skills. Children participating in activities such as planting trees, caring for animals, cooking, and crafting learn patience, attention to detail, teamwork skills, and a sense of responsibility.

Ms. Dang Thanh Mai, a university lecturer and mother of an 8-year-old girl, commented: “At school, children learn a lot of theory but lack practical experience. When we went back to the countryside, my daughter held a hoe for the first time and learned how ducks lay eggs. These things, though small, are very precious, helping her understand more about labor, nature, and people.”

Ms. Tran Thi Phuong, a primary school teacher in Ho Chi Minh City, said: “A summer trip to the countryside can leave a lifelong memory for a child. Memories like riding buffaloes, swimming in the river, catching fish… never go out of style. They teach children something that books can't: genuine emotions and a connection with life.”

Many current experiential tourism programs also incorporate environmental education elements such as: waste sorting, recycling plastic bottles into decorative items, planting trees, etc. This is an effective way to educate children about environmental protection - a topic of great concern in the context of climate change.

The rural tourism market is heating up.

Recognizing this growing trend, many localities have invested in developing agricultural and rural tourism as a sustainable direction. From small, individual homestays, there are now well-planned eco-tourism areas combining accommodation, agricultural experiences, local cuisine, and life skills education services for children.

Hanoi city has recognized 7 tourist destinations in the suburban areas associated with agricultural, rural, craft village, and ecological tourism, including: Duong Xa commune tourist destination, Phu Dong tourist destination (Gia Lam district); Thuy Ung horn comb craft village tourist destination, Van Diem high-end woodworking craft village tourist destination (Thuong Tin district); Dai Ang tourist destination, Yen My tourist destination (Thanh Tri district); Long Ho village tourist destination, Kim Son commune (Son Tay town).

In addition, districts and towns have also developed many other rural tourism destinations such as: Huong Son scenic area (My Duc district), Duong Lam ancient village (Son Tay town); agricultural tourism models such as: White Goat Farm; Countryside Farm (Ba Vi district) and many other famous craft villages in the suburbs, where the landscape and environment are preserved and protected, always attracting tourists.

In Ba Vi district (Hanoi), where there are dozens of farmstay models combining weekend getaways, Mr. Pham Van Loi - the owner of a farmstay in Van Hoa commune - said: “During the summer, the number of family guests skyrockets. Some weeks we welcome up to 7-8 groups, each with several dozen people. In particular, guests really like the model where children can learn to be farmers, planting vegetables, catching fish, milking cows, etc.”

Have fun playing with the sheep with your children. (Photo: Happy Farm)

During the summer, on weekends, or as part of field trips, Dong Que Farm (Ba Vi District) always welcomes families. Here, parents and children can experience the atmosphere of a traditional Vietnamese village, listen to introductions, and learn about farming, such as planting vegetables and harvesting agricultural products. To create an attractive experience for tourists, Dong Que Farm collaborates with local people to take visitors to visit the traditional medicine village of the Dao ethnic group, enjoy gong and drum dances, and sample the cuisine of the Muong ethnic group.

At tourist destinations, traditional houses and designed spaces evoke the familiar image of the old Northern Vietnamese countryside. Visitors can participate in and experience folk games such as blindfolded pot smashing, fishing with a basket trap, rowing a basket boat, etc., and experience being a farmer, doing tasks like planting vegetables, transplanting rice, and harvesting tomatoes.

In Central Vietnam, the "returning to the countryside to become a farmer" model in Quang Nam, Hue, and Da Nang is also a popular choice. In Southern Vietnam, Cu Chi, Can Gio, Ben Tre, and Can Tho are gradually becoming "capitals" of rural tourism with many unique products such as making rice paper, weaving mats, rowing boats, and harvesting fruit in orchards.

Local authorities in some areas also support people in developing community tourism, organizing tourism training courses, improving service quality, and promoting local products. Through these efforts, rural tourism not only brings value to tourists but also contributes to improving the lives of local people.

Besides benefiting individuals and families, developing rural tourism also contributes to preserving traditional culture, creating livelihoods for rural people, and reducing pressure on urban tourism.

Children who experience rural life develop a love for nature, appreciate food, understand the value of labor, and learn about community bonding. Meanwhile, rural residents gain additional income from tourism, which motivates them to preserve local crafts, landscapes, and customs.

Each summer that passes is a memorable chapter in a child's journey of growing up. In that journey, a trip to the countryside is not simply a change of environment, but also an expansion of the soul, physical development, and nurturing of family bonds.

As technology advances, choosing to "step back" a little, bringing children back to nature, back to the countryside, is the way many parents are choosing to allow their children to "live slowly," to grow up holistically - not only in knowledge but also in character.

Rural tourism – “returning to the countryside to become a farmer” – is not just a trip or a vacation, but also a journey of personal growth, offering profound educational value and strengthening the bonds of love and connection between generations within families.

Thuy Duong

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/du-lich-he-cha-me-dua-con-ve-que-lam-nong-dan-post550334.html