Coaches help a group of children with river tracing in Qionghai, south China's Hainan Province, May 4, 2022. (Xinhua)
HAIKOU, June 2 (Xinhua) -- For this year's International Children's Day, Wu Xiaoyu prepared an outdoor training course for her students: walking upstream along a canyon creek for a day.
"With professional help, the children waded through the creek, walked on rocks and learned about Mother Nature," said Wu, 41, head of Wuxia Culture, an agency involved in children's outdoor activities in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province. "Throughout the process, they encouraged and helped each other."
The training program aims to release children's pressure from daily study, strengthen their will against hardships, and teach them how to get along with others, Wu added.
Such outdoor training courses are gaining popularity among children and their parents in China, and Wu said that in Hainan alone, many agencies have sprung up catering to the needs.
"More parents are willing to take their children on outdoor activities after China implemented the 'double reduction' education policy," she said, referring to the policy aiming to ease the burden of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for primary and middle school students.
A coach teaches children to fish in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, May 29, 2022. (Xinhua)
OUTDOOR TRAINING COURSES
Xie Heng, 11, was one of the primary school students that participated in an outdoor fishing course last week.
"My friend Weng Kaiqi and I learned how to find fish and how to lure them with bait," Xie said. "We managed to get two fish and cooked them with the guidance of the coach."
Xie said it was the first time that he baked a fish he caught himself, and that it tasted "quite delicious."
When Li Jiayi's mother asked her if she wanted to join in a walking excursion along a local creek in early May, she immediately agreed.
"I saw the meandering creek along the way, and I was so happy," said Li, 9. "We jumped in the water, and we crossed a river. It was so much fun!"
"The children really had a blast, and they were very brave in the process," said the excursion coach, adding that they were always very careful with the kids along the way so that the children would not put themselves in danger.
A mother whose child took part in the trekking spoke highly of such activities.
"I saw pictures of the children helping each other overcome difficulties in nature. They coordinated with each other to reach their destination, and I think that's quite admirable, and it meant a lot for the children," she said.
Besides excursions, there are a variety of other outdoor training courses.
For instance, Wu's agency often organizes students to build treehouses in forests. The treehouses have different shapes, with some looking like mushrooms or castles.
"The children usually work in pairs, and they spend several days building a treehouse in a rubber tree forest," said Wu. "With our professional carpenters, they learn to use equipment such as square rulers, gradienter and tape measures."
In the process, the children may elbow each other to get work done first just to "show off their skills." They may also quarrel or give each other advice.
"At the very end, after seeing the mushroom-shaped house, they feel very happy and proud of themselves," Wu said.
Over the years, such activities are becoming increasingly popular among parents and children, and Wu is more than happy to see that happening.
"I remember a few years ago, when we first organized an excursion, some children wore dresses, and some wore slippers," she said. "These days, people are becoming more serious about it, and the children often wear professional clothes and shoes."
A group of children go hiking under the guidance of a coach in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2022. (Xinhua)
ENHANCING CHILDREN'S LIFE SKILLS
For many parents, such training courses are extremely useful to strengthen the will of their children.
"I started early to create opportunities for my child to participate in all kinds of outdoor courses, such as sailing boats and ice hockey," said Weng Kaiqi's mother. "Compared to studying in classrooms, such training is equally important, because it helps them release pressure, and learn to support each other."
She said her son has cultivated a sense of perseverance in the training process.
"Take hiking for example. After taking part in such courses, he has become more strong-willed, and he knows not to give up when facing challenges in daily life," she said.
For Xie Heng's mother, the outdoor programs allow children to get to know their hometown better.
"They take the kids to rural areas, to the mountains and fields, which gives them a better view of what their hometown is like," she said.
Wu Xiaoyu, the agency head, said she plans to create more similar programs. Currently, she is doing outdoor programs about intangible cultural heritage, such as ethnic brocade-making and traditional musical equipment.
Safety is important, and Wu said it is a must for them to design the courses carefully and visit the training sites in advance to avoid risks.
"I hope to help the younger generation get in touch with nature and understand nature better, and get to know traditional Chinese culture better," she said. "I also hope the courses will enhance their life skills as well as their character." ■
