Young children need time outdoors every day, and in a hot, rainy city like Ho Chi Minh City that means planning around the climate rather than giving up on it: going out early and late when it is cooler, using shade and water, keeping rain gear and a covered area for the wet season, and treating outdoor time as part of the curriculum rather than a break from it. Outdoor play supports physical development, health, risk judgement, language and wellbeing in ways indoor rooms cannot fully replace.
Many teachers in tropical cities know the arguments for outdoor play but face practical obstacles every day: heat and strong sun for much of the year, sudden heavy rain from roughly May to November, small or shared outdoor areas, air-conditioned rooms that make the outside feel harsh, and families who worry about children getting sick, dirty or hurt. This article sets out why outdoor time matters, how to plan it around the climate, what children can do in limited spaces, how to approach risk, and what the teacher's role is while children play.
Why outdoor time matters
The World Health Organization's 2019 guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under five recommend that children aged three and four spend at least 180 minutes a day in a variety of physical activities, of which at least 60 minutes is moderate to vigorous, and that they are not restrained for more than an hour at a time. Children in full-day preschool spend much of their waking day at school, so the setting carries a large share of the responsibility for meeting this.
Outdoors, children move in ways that are difficult indoors: running, climbing, jumping from heights, rolling, digging, carrying heavy loads and playing chasing games. These movements build strength, coordination, balance and body awareness, which underpin later skills such as sitting comfortably, holding a pencil and paying attention.
The outdoors also offers different learning. Weather, plants, insects, water and changing light invite curiosity and questions. Play outside tends to be louder, more physical and more collaborative, and many children who are quiet indoors become talkative and confident outside. For a child learning a second language, outdoor games and shared projects create natural reasons to communicate. Time outdoors is not a pause in the curriculum; for many children it is where the curriculum comes most alive.
Planning around the climate
Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical climate with a rainy season roughly from May to November and a dry season roughly from December to April. Temperatures are high all year and the sun is strong around the middle of the day. A practical outdoor plan responds to these patterns rather than ignoring them.
| Condition | What it means for outdoor time | Practical responses |
|---|---|---|
| Strong sun around midday | Highest risk of heat stress and sunburn | Go out in the early morning and late afternoon; use shade; avoid long periods in direct sun at midday |
| High heat and humidity | Children tire and overheat quickly | Shorter sessions, frequent water breaks, light clothing and hats, shaded rest areas |
| Afternoon downpours in the wet season | Planned afternoon time is often lost | Go out earlier in the day; use covered areas; plan water and puddle play when it is safe |
| Wet surfaces after rain | Slippery paving and equipment | Check and dry equipment, choose activities on grass or mats, use suitable footwear |
| Poor air quality on some days | Outdoor activity may need to be reduced | Check local air quality information and move vigorous play indoors on bad days |
Thunder and lightning always mean coming inside, and many schools follow a rule of waiting until a period after the last thunder before going out again. Teams should agree these rules in advance, so that decisions do not depend on one teacher's judgement in the moment.
Making the most of small and shared spaces
Many urban preschools have limited outdoor space: a courtyard, a rooftop, a narrow strip along the building or a playground shared with other classes. Small spaces can still offer rich outdoor play if they are thought of as a series of possibilities rather than a single playground.
Movable equipment is especially useful. Crates, planks, tyres, tunnels, balls, hoops and loose parts can be set up in different combinations to create obstacle courses, building sites or role-play spaces, and packed away afterwards. A mud kitchen with pots and real soil, a water area with buckets, funnels and pipes, a digging pit or a few large planters give children things to do beyond running. Chalk on paving, if permitted, adds drawing and games.
Time can be shared too. Staggering classes so that each group has the space to itself for part of the morning reduces crowding and allows activities suited to the age of the group. Walks in the neighbourhood, to a park, a pagoda courtyard or a quiet street, extend the outdoor space and connect children to their community. Even the routine of walking to a nearby green space is physical activity and an occasion for observation and language.
Risky play and why it belongs in preschool
Norwegian researcher Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter described several categories of risky play that children seek out: play at great heights, play at high speed, play with dangerous tools, play near dangerous elements such as water or fire, rough-and-tumble play and play where children can disappear or get lost. Her work and that of other researchers suggests that this kind of play helps children learn to judge risk, manage fear and build confidence.
Risky play is not the same as hazardous play. A risk is something a child can see and choose to take, such as climbing to the top of a frame or jumping from a low wall. A hazard is something the child cannot see or judge, such as a broken rung, a sharp edge or deep water. The adult's task is to remove hazards while allowing children to take risks appropriate to their abilities.
Many schools now use a risk-benefit approach rather than a risk-avoidance approach: for each activity, adults consider what children gain as well as what could go wrong, and how to manage the risk. A balance beam slightly above the ground, a gentle slope to roll down, or a well-supervised woodwork bench all carry some risk and considerable benefit. Explaining this approach to families, with examples, helps them understand why the school does not simply ban anything that could lead to a scrape.
The teacher's role outdoors
Outdoor time is sometimes treated as the moment when teachers can step back, chat with colleagues and watch from the edges. Effective outdoor practice asks for more. Supervision remains essential, with adults positioned to see all areas, but teachers can also join play, extend ideas, model language and observe children in ways that are not possible indoors.
Some children who are quiet indoors show leadership, problem-solving and social skill outside, and teachers can record these observations as part of each child's development record. A child who organises a group to carry a plank across the yard is showing planning, cooperation and language that might never appear at the puzzle table.
Teachers can also plan outdoor provocations linked to projects: measuring puddles after rain, looking for insects, planting, painting with water on walls, building a shelter for toys or comparing shadows at different times of day. At the same time, outdoor time should keep a large share of child-led free play. Children need chances to run, chase and invent games of their own, and an outdoor session filled with adult-led activities misses much of what makes outdoor play valuable.
Language in motion: talking with children outdoors
Outdoor play produces a different kind of language from indoor activities. Children describe movement and position, such as up, under, behind, faster and across; they negotiate rules for chasing games; they call to each other across distance; and they comment on weather, insects and the things they find. For teachers, this is an opportunity to model rich vocabulary in context rather than through lists.
Adults can narrate and extend what children are doing without taking over. A teacher who notices a child balancing along a low wall might comment on how she is holding her arms out to stay steady, or ask how she might cross more slowly. A group filling buckets at the tap might be asked which bucket will be heaviest and how they could find out. These short exchanges carry mathematical and scientific ideas inside play.
In a bilingual setting, outdoor time is especially valuable for the second language because the context makes meaning clear. Words for actions and directions are easy to understand when the child is doing them. Teachers who use English or Vietnamese outdoors in the same consistent way they do inside can turn chasing games, water play and garden work into some of the most natural language experiences of the day.
Health, sun and hydration
In a hot climate, basic precautions are part of every outdoor session. Children should wear hats and light clothing that covers the shoulders, drink water regularly, and rest in the shade when they are hot. Sunscreen policies vary between schools and families, and teams should agree a clear practice with parents, especially for children with sensitive skin.
Staff should know the early signs of heat stress in young children: unusual tiredness, flushed skin, irritability, headache, nausea and reduced sweating in more serious cases. A child showing these signs should be moved to a cool place, given water and monitored, with medical help sought if symptoms are significant. Schools should follow their own health procedures and local health guidance.
Many families worry that being outdoors, especially in rain or after a cold drink, makes children ill. Teachers can acknowledge these concerns respectfully while explaining the benefits of outdoor play and the precautions the school takes. Having spare clothes, towels and simple changing routines makes rain and water play practical, and families who see their children coming home tired and happy usually become more comfortable over time.
Building an outdoor routine across the year
A reliable outdoor routine helps children and staff. Many schools in tropical cities plan a substantial outdoor period in the early morning, before heat builds, and a shorter one in the late afternoon. In the wet season, the morning session becomes especially important because afternoon rain often makes the later session impossible. A covered area allows active play to continue during rain.
Seasons can become part of the curriculum. The start of the rainy season, flooding streets, the drying of puddles, the flowering of trees and changes in the garden provide topics for observation, conversation and projects. Children who experience these changes directly develop a richer understanding of their environment than those who only see them through the window.
In the Global Nexus curriculum, outdoor time is planned as carefully as indoor time, with a clear purpose and space for children's own play. It is one of the main settings for movement, exploration and real experience, and in a city where many children spend much of their home life indoors, the hours children spend outside at preschool may be among the most important of their week.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
How much outdoor time do preschoolers need each day?
There is no single global rule for outdoor time, but WHO recommends that children aged three and four do at least 180 minutes of varied physical activity daily. Daily outdoor play is one of the most effective ways for preschools to support this.
When is the best time for outdoor play in a hot climate?
Generally the early morning and late afternoon, when temperatures and sun strength are lower. Midday sessions in strong sun should be short and shaded. In the rainy season, morning sessions are often more reliable than afternoon ones.
Is it safe for children to play in the rain?
Light rain play can be safe and enjoyable with suitable clothing, supervision and dry clothes afterwards. Children should come inside during thunder and lightning, heavy downpours or flooding, and slippery surfaces should be checked.
What is risky play?
Risky play is thrilling play where children experience a degree of uncertainty and possible minor injury, such as climbing, jumping, speed or rough-and-tumble. Research suggests it helps children learn to assess risk and build confidence when hazards are managed.
How can a preschool with a small courtyard offer good outdoor play?
By using movable equipment, loose parts, water, soil and planters that can be rearranged, staggering classes so each group has the space to itself for a while, and taking regular walks to nearby parks or quiet public spaces.
What are signs of heat stress in young children?
Signs include unusual tiredness, irritability, flushed skin, headache, nausea and reduced responsiveness. Children showing these signs should be moved to a cool place, given water and monitored, following the school's health procedures and medical advice.