Libraries, museums act as care centers for kids

Libraries, village reading rooms and museums are being transformed into childcare centers for children whose parents are at work during the summer holiday.

In Jiangxi, Hubei and Henan provinces, university students and volunteers are leading activities including paper-cutting, music, reading and simulated archaeological digs, helping keep children safe and engaged while reducing their screen time and easing the childcare burden on delivery riders, couriers and other working families.

In Gao'an, Jiangxi province, the municipal committee of the Communist Youth League of China has turned a library and other venues into holiday childcare centers.

"We set up one site in the municipal library, one in an urban community and four in township areas," said Xiao Xuming, secretary of the committee.

The program, which began in January during the winter holiday, targets rural left-behind children and children of workers in new forms of employment, including food delivery workers, couriers and ride-hailing drivers, Xiao said.

At the library, Liu Xunya learns paper-cutting from volunteer teachers. Summers used to mean watching TV and playing alone at her grandparents' home while her parents worked. This year, however, she looks forward to going to the library every morning.

"The courses are interesting and I've made friends," the 9-year-old said, according to People's Daily.

The program runs from 8:30 am to 4 pm to match the working hours of parents and provides free lunch. University students and other volunteers lead activities including paper-cutting, film screenings, dance and sports.

"The activities were intended to develop children's interests and give them a kind of inspiration," Xiao said.

More than 30 university students and young volunteers have been recruited to work across the six service points, which serve more than 200 urban and rural children, Xiao said.

The committee selects volunteers through online interviews. "We mainly select students from normal universities, and they should be flexible and have enthusiasm and a caring attitude," Xiao said, adding that safety is the top priority. "All university students and volunteers receive safety training before they start."

The urban sites are specifically reserved for children of delivery riders, couriers and ride-hailing drivers. "Because resources are limited, these groups need it more," Xiao said, adding that parents must upload proof of employment when registering.

The service has been warmly received, he said.

"At the grassroots level, parents have an urgent need for this kind of holiday childcare service. It proved to be really needed and popular," Xiao said.

In Xianning, Hubei province, rural reading rooms are utilized as summer classrooms, People's Daily reported.

At Baishui village in the city's Xian'an district, a volunteer from Hubei University of Science and Technology teaches more than 20 children about oil-paper umbrellas before they paint their own designs. Other activities include science, music, experiments, drama and field trips to make "seed pictures".

So far, 141 village reading rooms have been built in the district, with digital reading rooms ensuring that all administrative villages are covered. The district cooperates with universities to combine childcare with cultural activities.

In Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, the Henan Museum is running a "national treasure guardians" summer program. Primary school students spend five days receiving explanatory training and taking part in simulated archaeological digs and restoration activities.

The program has been running for eight years and has attracted thousands of children. The museum said it would continue to develop youth study programs and offer more engaging and substantive museum courses.