Children are having fun at the community-run playground in Trung Thanh neighborhood, Hau Loc commune.
Every summer afternoon, the courtyard in front of the Trung Thanh neighborhood cultural center in Hau Loc commune is filled with children playing. The children's playground here was built by the commune's Youth Union in March 2025 using socialized funding and support from the former Hau Loc District Youth Union. While not large in scale, it's a popular afternoon hangout for the children in the neighborhood. For parents, it provides peace of mind knowing their children won't be gathering on the road, by the pond, or in other unsafe areas.
After the merger, Hau Loc commune covers an area of nearly 25 square kilometers, with 34 villages and neighborhoods and over 33,000 residents. Currently, the entire commune has 10 playgrounds and recreational areas for children in residential areas, built with socialized funding. This number shows the efforts of the local authorities but also reflects a significant gap, with an average of only one playground for every three villages in the commune. In villages far from the center, children still have to use the courtyards of cultural centers, vacant lots, and roadsides to play. These "makeshift playgrounds" pose many risks of accidents and injuries. Mr. Hoang Van Hai, Secretary of the Youth Union of Hau Loc commune, said: "The biggest difficulty right now is still funding. Creating a playground is difficult enough, but maintaining and repairing the equipment after a period of use is even more challenging. In rural areas, local budgets have to prioritize many other infrastructure projects, so playgrounds mainly rely on social contributions, doing as much as we can."
According to statistics from authorities, from December 2025 to early April 2026, six drowning accidents occurred in the province, resulting in seven child deaths. These heartbreaking incidents continue to raise alarm bells about the complacency and lack of water safety skills among children. To mitigate risks, many localities have intensified public awareness campaigns through radio broadcasts, coordinated with schools to remind students before the summer break, erected warning signs at dangerous ponds and lakes, and organized swimming lessons for children. From April 3rd to 26th, 2026, the entire province organized 1,069 extracurricular classes on drowning prevention skills, attracting more than 579,800 students and teachers.
In Dong Son ward, the ward police organized free swimming lessons for children and students in the area. In April 2026, the ward police also held 8 awareness sessions for over 6,000 students, and simultaneously inspected and placed 69 warning signs in areas with deep water and strong currents where children often swim spontaneously.
The Hau Loc Commune Youth Union continues to maintain summer activities for children, including an annual summer camp for youth on August 19th. Outside of peak periods, local Youth Union members directly support and organize activities for children in villages and neighborhoods. On average, each village has 15 to 20 Youth Union members participating.
According to a report by the Thanh Hoa Provincial Youth Union, in 2025 the entire province built and renovated 340 recreational and play areas for children; organized 326 courses, training sessions, and free swimming lessons on drowning prevention and child abuse prevention. This is a commendable effort, but the actual needs at the grassroots level remain very high. Therefore, having more safe playgrounds for rural children during the summer is still a long-awaited goal for many.
Text and photos: Tang Thuy
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/mong-moi-mot-san-choi-an-toan-cho-tre-dip-he-287709.htm
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