“Children Playing in the City of Peace”: A Series of Creative and Family-Bonding Activities at the Hanoi Museum
To celebrate International Children’s Day, a vibrant program titled “Children Playing in the City of Peace” took place at the Hanoi Museum on May 31 and June 1, 2025. The event was co-organized by the Hanoi Museum and the Hanoi Creative Hub Coordination Center, in collaboration with Cool Vietnam, Việt Handicraft, and InnuX, with support from ChangeX and the LEGO Foundation under the Vietnam Community Play Fund.
The event attracted a large number of children and parents from across Hanoi, offering a space filled with creative entertainment and rich cultural experiences in the heart of the capital.
Creative Play Workshops Celebrating International Children’s Day (Credit: Organizers)
Blending traditional and modern hands-on crafts
Children participating in the program had the opportunity to meet artisans from traditional craft villages, create handmade products, and enjoy memorable childhood experiences that nurtured their love for traditional culture and folk arts.
One of the highlights of the event was an interactive session with artisan Dang Huong Lan, known for her papier-mâché masks. Children learned about the papier-mâché technique and hand-painted their masks. Throughout the two-day event, families also enjoyed a wide range of engaging activities, including: Coloring Thach Xa bamboo dragonflies, Folding Origami, Decorating Hanoi-themed cookies, Crafting wish baskets from bamboo, Decorating straw handbags with “princess” style, Painting ceramic plates, Making handmade cards from do paper and pressed flowers, and many more hands-on creative workshops.
The children are learning how to make papier-mâché masks (Credit: Organizers)
“Sweating It Out” with Traditional Folk Games and Team Activities
In addition to workshops, a variety of folk games—such as Dragon Snake Game, Cat and Mouse, Blindfolded Goat Catching, and Sun Chess—were organized both outdoors and inside the Hanoi Creative Hub.
These games not only provided fun and physical activity but also helped children practice teamwork and revisit beloved traditional games in a modern cultural setting. All activities were free of charge for children under 16 and visitors with museum tickets.
The community game at the Hanoi Museum (Credit: Organizers)
Cultural Cuisine Exploration and Traditional Village Exhibits
Beyond physical and craft activities, children had the chance to pose for photos with oversized models of traditional Vietnamese dishes (spring rolls, bun thang, banh mi, etc.), and explore bamboo-built models of old Vietnamese homes in the “Old Ways” exhibit—shedding light on the daily lives of Vietnamese farmers, families, and traditional craft villages.
Inside the Hanoi Museum, children could also take a journey back in time, discovering national treasures like bronze drums and bell collections, and many other culturally significant artifacts.
The series of activities for International Children’s Day (June 1) at the Hanoi Museum brought immense joy to both children and their families, while strengthening cultural bonds and promoting traditional values through the creative lens of the next generation.