When children are more than just spectators.

Children today are not turning their backs on paper books or traditional art; they are simply lacking the "space" to access artistic products specifically designed for them. For children's art to truly thrive in contemporary life, it requires diversity in creative approaches and reader engagement.

Primary school students read books at the 5th Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day 2026 at Ho Chi Minh City Book Street (PHOTO: DUNG PHUONG)

Writing for children in the language of the times.

At the seminar on Children's Literature from the Perspective of Young Writers, recently held at the Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities, many opinions suggested that children have never turned their backs on art.

According to Dr. Trinh Dang Nguyen Huong from the Institute of Literature (under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences), the reason children are reading less and less is not because of a lack of good books, but mainly because they lack "space" for reading. For many children, after school they have to attend skills classes, foreign language classes, or extra tutoring, leaving them with very limited time, which is often used for technological devices such as smartphones and tablets.

This has somewhat narrowed the space available for traditional artistic activities such as reading, watching plays and musicals, or enjoying music .

More broadly, besides the challenge of ingrained habits of reception, contemporary children's art also faces obstacles from the approach of adults in the creative process. For a long time, many works labeled "written for children" were actually about the children of the authors' time, sometimes more than half a century ago, completely unfamiliar to today's children.

Furthermore, many other works still follow outdated thinking, viewing children as recipients of pre-written moral lessons with an imposed storytelling style. This has created a gap between the works and young readers, especially since children today grow up in open environments, receive information quickly, and have a need to express their personal opinions from a very young age.

Ms. Vu Thi Quynh Lien, Deputy Director and Editor-in-Chief of Kim Dong Publishing House, stated that children's literature must always be updated and renewed to suit the thoughts and worldview of today's children. What children need are stories that evoke empathy and are close to their real-life experiences.

New works such as Nguyen Ngoc Thuan's novella " 100 Legs, " Ta Huy Long's "Yersin - The Song of the Whale," or the Wolfoo animated series... show that children's art is increasingly expanding in its forms of expression. Successful works that captivate audiences must have a new storytelling approach coupled with emotional depth and closeness to the world of children.

Following this trend, music is also seeking to innovate to reach younger audiences. Recently, singer Tung Duong collaborated with child singer Xe Xe to create the music video "Having Uncle Ho in My Heart ," featuring a modern interpretation inspired by the song " As If Uncle Ho Were Present on the Day of Great Victory" (composed by Pham Tuyen).

This new approach shows that familiar values ​​can be easily accessible to children today through appropriate artistic languages.

Sharing his thoughts on current themes in children's literature, researcher Nguyen Dinh Tu, Ambassador of the Cricket Children's Award (which honors works for and by children, organized by the Sports and Culture Newspaper), emphasized that when approached appropriately, national history can become a fascinating source of material.

Understanding history will help young people feel more confident about the glorious traditions of their ancestors, while also fostering diversity in artistic creativity for children today.

Creative materials for children

Besides children's literature by adult authors, in recent times, many young authors have also become creative subjects with their own perspectives and voices.

Children's reading space at Fahasa Tan Dinh Bookstore (Ho Chi Minh City) (PHOTO: HO SON)

At the age of 16, Nguyen Dang Hai Nam attracted attention with his series of paintings depicting Vietnam through his expressive brushstrokes, offering a rich and emotional perspective on culture, homeland, and memories.

In the 2026 Cricket Children's Award season, many young authors made a strong impression on the judges, such as Nguyen Minh Quan (11 years old) with his series of paintings "The Voice of the Ocean" ; Vu Ngoc Diep (11 years old) with her manuscript of the poetry collection "The Big-Bellied Bookworm "; Le Nha Uyen (10 years old) with "Stories of the Dreamy Young Master "... Nha Uyen's mother shared: "Initially, she participated as a playground for young authors, but after winning the award, she gained more motivation to write, and we gained more determination to support her on her creative path."

Dr. Trinh Dang Nguyen Huong affirmed: "Unlike many other literary genres, children's literature is a dual destination, a place where both children and adults can find solace. Children's works not only nurture innocence but also convey cultural and spiritual values ​​between generations."

Expressing his agreement with the above statement, poet Tran Dang Khoa said: "Children's literature and art play a special role because this is the field that directly nurtures the soul and the ability to appreciate beauty of the younger generation."

For children's art to truly thrive in today's world, it requires diversity in creative approaches and reader engagement. While mature writers with their life experience and professional depth play a crucial role, the innocent and relatable voices of young authors also offer fresh perspectives on the world of childhood today.

When multiple generations participate in creative work, children's literature and art will have more opportunities to reach the reading needs, appreciation needs, and yearning for empathy of children in the new era.

VINH XUAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/khi-thieu-nhi-khong-chi-la-khan-gia-post855239.html