Halloween party is full of joy and fun for kids at kindergartens and preschools in Hanoi as they are able to suit up special outfits and learn about a new culture.

Kids do a fashion show during the Halloween party at Victory Kindergarten in Van Quan Ward, Hanoi's Ha Dong District. Photo: Hoang Huy

On a sunny afternoon on Monday, kids of the Hanoi Montessori Childcare filled the ground of the American Club Hanoi with colorful costumes and laughter as they partook in a Halloween party organized by the school.

Five-year-old kid Nguyen Hoang Nhat Anh chose to be a wizard with a black outfit. He had waited a month to dress up like he always wished.

Wizard, witch, and princess were the major three characters that kids wanted to transform into. Their costumes were not hard to find at Halloween as the event had become a new festivity for Vietnamese people.

“He has been excited about the event since the beginning of the month. He kept asking me for a wizard outfit, saying he wanted to do some magic at the party,” Anh’s mother, Nguyen Thi Hien, told The Hanoi Times.

“It’s really happy to see kids having fun today, especially when their outdoor activities have been restrained since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.

Elsewhere on the playground, kids loudly said “trick or treat” as they ran one by one into their English teacher, Gordon Fraser Stephen.

The 65-year-old Scottish man had worked in Hanoi for ten years as an English teacher. He dressed like a ghost at the school party.

Gordon Fraser Stephen, a 65-year-old English teacher at the Hanoi Montessori Childcare, gives sweets to the kids at the Halloween party. Photo: Hanoi Montessori Childcare

“I love it. I love the culture and the event,” Gordon said while he kept giving sweets to nearly 160 kids.

The party seems appropriate for the kids, he added. “It makes them happy. That’s one thing I love – to see their happiness.”

“It’s good for them to celebrate the event here or in the classroom,” the old teacher said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

At Victory Kindergarten in Van Quan Ward, Ha Dong District, the party was a bit bigger as the school had some 300 kids aged 2 to 5.

Every kid had the chance to enjoy a fashion show, a trick-or-treat tour, a 15-minute movie, and a buffet.

Nguyen Thi Trang, a mother of a two-year-old boy, told The Hanoi Times that her kid was so excited that he wanted to pick his costume.

“He only needs my help to put the clothes on so he dresses like his dreamt character – a superhero,” Trang said.

“The party is so meaningful for our children. " They have suffered too much from the mental and physical pandemic,” she said.

“My boy is more confident. His communication with other family members, friends, and other people is better,” the young mother said. “That’s the most interesting thing about the school event.”

Trick or treat show during the Halloween party at Victory Kindergarten. Photo: Hoang Huy

Nguyen Thi Viet Phuong, the principal of Victory Kindergarten, is confident that Halloween parties and other extra curriculum activities will enhance children's social skills.

“As educators, we want our children to have full and comprehensive development,” Phuong said. “Kids at pre-school ages require the utmost attention to improve their ability of integration alongside physical conditions and social skills.”

“Halloween may not be scary at all. For our kids, it is a fun day because they get help from parents to prepare their costumes,” Phuong said.

“Our kids can have fun with each other, work with each other, and even show off their personalities.

Since Halloween has gradually become a new cultural feature in Vietnam, we take it as one of our main activities to introduce children to foreign cultures and provide them with knowledge and skills for better integration," said Nguyen Thi Le, principal of the Hanoi Montessori Childcare.

"Parents receive our program. Everyone wants to help make the outdoor activities a success for the kids' good."