This summer, Phan Van Phuong and his wife in Nghe An accepted to "babysit" 15 children free of charge. Every day, the couple takes the group of children to the fields to perform various tasks, surprising the kids' parents.

Over the past few days, short clips capturing a man teaching young children how to transplant rice seedlings, catch snails, and do housework have gone viral on social networks.

In these clips, aside from guiding them in skills, the man also advises the children to help their parents and limit using phones or playing video games.

Since their appearance, the clips have received attention from the online community. Many believe that this is a meaningful activity, helping students stay away from phones and computers during the summer.

The person behind these activities is Phan Van Phuong (born in 1992, Hop Minh Commune, Nghe An Province). 

Phuong said that the idea of accepting to look after children for free and then teaching them to transplant rice, do housework, etc., originated from his own two children.

"During summer break, my children's friends come over to play in large numbers. But almost every child holds a phone to play video games or watches TV together all day long.

“Seeing that, I came up with the idea of letting the kids go outside to experience some fieldwork. The purpose is to help them stay away from phones and TVs, and to understand the hardships of their grandparents and parents,” he said.

Phuong shared this idea with his wife, and they planned it together. Because they work as freelancers, every afternoon, they organize extracurricular sessions for about two hours.

Phuong guides and shares skills: transplanting rice, pulling up seedlings, threshing rice with a stone roller, catching snails. Nguyen Thi Ngan, 33, Phuong's wife, assists with filming, managing, and ensuring safety for the little ones.

Interspersed with outdoor labor sessions, Phuong guides the children in some household skills such as sweeping the house and washing dishes. The couple also organizes folk games for the kids and gives gifts to families in difficult circumstances.

"My class is completely free, currently with 15 children. Any child aged 8–13 who wants to participate in the experience can do so. However, for good management, I only accept a maximum of 20 children.

“Some children come to participate on their own, while others are brought directly by their parents. Mostly after the experience, they return to their homes. On some days, my wife goes to the market and cooks so that the kids can stay and have a meal with our family," Phuong shared.

Giving children as many experiences as possible

Most of the young children participating in the experience live near where Phuong resides. The kids are at a hyperactive age and love to explore, so when organizing outdoor activities, he and his wife have to make specific plans.

To ensure safety, before letting the children go to the fields, Phuong scouts ahead and surveys the terrain. Afterward, he gathers the kids to popularize the rules and demand safety assurances.

Only when the children agree and commit to strictly following the rules and demands does the experiential activity take place. Phuong and his wife start outdoor activities from 5pm so that the children do not get heatstroke.

Phuong confided: "At this age, the children are a bit mischievous. Fortunately, up until now, they all listen to me and express joy when participating in the experiences.

“I do not place heavy emphasis on the children having to master farming skills, but simply want them to have the experience. Through that, I try to transmit small educational lessons to them. That is why they never feel pressured. They participate with excitement and curiosity. We will continue doing our best to provide as many valuable experiences as possible.”

After only a few days, the unique summer activities attracted growing interest from parents.

One of them is Ho Thi Tuyet, 47, from Phu Dien Hamlet, Hop Minh Commune. Her son has just completed seventh grade. During the summer break, he followed friends from the neighborhood to watch the rice-planting and snail-catching activities organized by Phuong. Fascinated by what he saw, he asked his mother for permission to join.

Ha Nguyen