As another school year draws to a close, summer arrives with a welcome shift in pace—and a priceless opportunity for parents to reconnect with their children.
Yet, with empty calendar pages comes a subtle challenge: how do we make this extra time truly count? Without a bit of intention, the weeks can easily drift by.
To help you shape a summer that is both refreshing and meaningful, Anne Hill International School is pleased to share a few thoughtful ideas for your family.
Making the Most of Summer with Your Child
Stepping Outdoors: Sunshine, Movement, and Shared Joy
Summer is the perfect time to spend more hours outdoors, enjoying the fresh air and the simple joy of unstructured play. Families can head to a nearby park for a weekend picnic, go for a bike ride together, or enjoy an active outdoor game as a group.
Photo: AHI Preschoolers enjoying open air in our signature grass field.
These moments bring children a sense of ease and refreshment, a welcome contrast to the pressures of the school year. Sunshine and fresh air have also been shown to support children’s physical and social and emotional development.
As a family, you might create a simple summer “check-in” list together. There is no need to travel far — parents can put together a list of green, open spaces nearby with clean air, and simply dive into outdoor activities with their children!
Read more: Places our AHI Preschoolers have visited on their excursions during AY 2025–26.
Volunteering Together: Cultivating Kindness and Connection
During the school year, students may have already taken part in charity trips organised by the school — and there is no reason this spirit of giving should pause just because summer has arrived.
Read more: AHI Tree Planting Day 2025, Christmas CSR 2025, Yagoon Typhoon Donation 2024.
To make summer volunteering more meaningful, parents can start by talking with their children about what these activities mean to them and how they see their own role in helping others. Encourage them to suggest their own ideas — there are countless ways to make the world a little better, and children often surprise us with what they come up with.
It could be as simple as an afternoon spent picking up litter in the park, helping a neighbour fix something around the house, or organising a fun little workshop for younger children. It could also mean venturing further, with a visit to an SOS village outside the city. Since children are free from the constraints of a school timetable, summer is the perfect season for these bold, creative ideas.
Photo: AHI Secondary students donating Christmas gifts to St. Joseph’s Charity School in 2025.
Through these experiences, children learn empathy in a tangible, lasting way. And when families volunteer together, kindness becomes a shared value — showing children that spending quality time on something meaningful can be its own kind of joy.
Nurturing a Garden: Quiet Lessons in Patience and Care
Watching a tiny seed push through the soil is one of the most rewarding everyday miracles a child can experience — yet during the busy school year, there may be little time to enjoy it.
Tending to a small windowsill garden or a backyard patch teaches children about science, the life cycle of a tree, and the quiet beauty that green brings into our lives. As they measure daily growth, water fragile leaves, and wait patiently for blossoms, children develop a gentle curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the rhythms of nature. In terms of values, this simple activity teaches consistency and the importance of patience in a fast-paced world.
Photo: AHI Preschoolers nurturing their own Eco Garden on campus.
To deepen these lessons, parents can take their children to a botanical garden or forest to experience nature firsthand, or read books and watch films about trees and the importance of greenery in our cities. This helps children see trees not just as plants, but as friends — before, naturally, they start dreaming of growing their own little forest at home.
Documentary Evenings: Igniting Curiosity and Thoughtful Dialogue
Rainy afternoons or quiet evenings provide a wonderful backdrop for cozy documentary nights.
Exploring topics like deep-sea wildlife, space exploration, or ancient history opens up whole new worlds right from your living room.
You can also refer to some recommended lists on the internet, including an IMDb list of over 300 documentaries and educational series for kids — covering science, nature, history, and world cultures, from Bill Nye and Cosmos to nature films like Winged Migration. It is a great starting point for families looking to mix screen time with genuine learning.
Photo: A variety of engaging digital content that supports children’s learning.
Rather than passive screen time, these shared viewing experiences spark wonder, encourage big questions, and lead to lively family discussions that keep young minds actively engaged.
Local Excursions: Turning the City into an Open Classroom
Learning does not pause when the school doors close—it simply changes scenery.
Our Year 4 Students’ Trip to Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens: Learning Through Nature.
A family trip to a local museum, art gallery, science centre, or historic site turns a summer day into a hands-on adventure.
For families in Ho Chi Minh City, children can explore nature at farms and parks such as Thảo Cầm Viên Sài Gòn, Green Noen Farm in Củ Chi, Vườn Xoài in Đồng Nai, or Bò Cạp Vàng Tourist Area in Đồng Nai. For a mix of learning and fun, kids can also visit museums like the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, the Áo Dài Museum, the Vietnam Museum of Nature, or the Fine Arts Museum.
For a deeper dive into culture and history, families can visit historical places such as the Independence Palace, Saigon Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Vietnam History Museum, the Ho Chi Minh Museum at Nhà Rồng Wharf, Bửu Long Pagoda, Vĩnh Nghiêm Pagoda, or Lăng Ông Bà Chiểu.
These short excursions bridge the gap between textbook knowledge and real-world discovery, encouraging children to observe, ask questions, and see learning as an exciting lifelong pursuit.
Read more: Trips and Events at Anne Hill International School
