Pop-Up Playgrounds for Kids in Hanoi

Hanoi, Vietnam
Project type: COVID-19 Response
Collaborators: UN-Habitat, HealthBridge Vietnam (HBV), Think Playgrounds, Women’s Unions, Youth Unions, and community leaders
Region: Asia and Pacific
Tags: children and youth, COVID-19, micro-interventions, disaster recovery, public health, public safety and security, sports and recreation

Background

In Vietnam, the government has committed to ensuring proper sanitation in public spaces in response to COVID-19. The pandemic is having a negative impact on children, both physically and mentally. Hanoi eased the social distancing order but primary school children were still not allowed to go back to school.

Building Connections, Block by Block

The objective of the joint project with HealthBridge Vietnam was to increase safety and inclusiveness of community playgrounds by promoting physical activities and social connections, mitigating impacts of COVID-19 among children in disadvantaged neighborhoods, and building capacity for local residents to manage and develop a mobile playground model in their community.

Community members were involved throughout the project © HealthBridge Vietnam

Progress

The model of mobile pop-up playgrounds with recycled and natural materials is very new in Hanoi. At the beginning, it was challenging for residents and the community to accept the idea. Our partners had to organize several meetings with 20 community leaders and ward authorities to communicate the benefits of these models. HealthBridge also provided training to 58 playworkers on COVID-19 prevention measures when designing mobile playgrounds. This led to the development of a training curriculum that provides safety principles as well as information on how to organize and maintain playgrounds during pandemics.

So far, the community has created seven mobile playgrounds in Hanoi benefiting 400 children.

The mobile pop-up playground is most suitable in small neighborhood public spaces in highly dense cities where children can easily access the playgrounds while parents watch them nearby. Using recycled materials and simple play equipment requires minimum maintenance. The community came up with new measures for COVID-19 prevention, like asking kids to wash their hands before using the playgrounds, identifying zones for individuals and smaller groups, and sanitizing the equipment after events.

More Resources

Key Recommendations for Cities in a COVID-19 World

12 Key Principles for an Effective Urban Response during COVID-19