5 Hands-On Experiences in Vietnam for Families and Kids

Do your kids love making, tasting, and trying new things? These hands-on experiences across Vietnam invite families to step beyond sightseeing and enjoy local life in a more personal way. From cooking classes to traditional crafts, these are some of the most family-friendly activities in Vietnam, offering simple ways to learn, connect, and spend quality time together.

1. Market Tour and Cooking Class in Hanoi for Families

• Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
• Duration: Around 4.5 hours

If your family loves food, this is a wonderful family-friendly activity to begin your time in Hanoi. Walk through a local market filled with fresh herbs, vegetables, and street food, while local vendors go about their daily routine.

With fresh ingredients in hand, you then head to the kitchen for a hands-on cooking session with a local chef. Together, your family will learn how to make well-known dishes like bún chả and fresh spring rolls.

The experience ends with everyone sitting down to enjoy the meal you have prepared together – simple, personal, and full of local flavour.

You may also like:

• Hoi An Cooking Class Adventure: From Market to Table
• Bamboo Experience and Cooking Class Join-in-Tour

2. Vun Art and Silk Village Experience

• Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
• Duration: Half-day Tour

Just outside the busy city centre is a traditional silk village and a wonderful social enterprise called Vun Art. This is one of the more meaningful hands-on experiences in Hanoi, where your family can meet local artisans and see how leftover materials are turned into beautiful handmade pieces.

Instead of only watching, everyone gets to join in. You can use colourful fabric scraps to make your own small item to take home, making this one of those Vietnam family travel experiences that feels creative and personal.

3. Zó Paper and Calligraphy Workshop

• Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
• Duration: Half-day Tour

This experience offers a slower and more peaceful way to discover Vietnamese culture. Your family will learn about Zó Paper, a traditional material used for generations in paintings, prints, and calligraphy.

You will meet a local artist who will explain the process and share more about this long-standing craft. Then, with brush and ink, everyone can try calligraphy or create their own artwork on handmade paper.

It is one of those kid-friendly experiences Vietnam offers so well – easy, creative, and enjoyable for both children and parents.

Find more traditional activities at: 

• Hoi An Lantern Festival – The Ancient Town’s Magical Night
• Bean to Bar Chocolate Experience

4. Kite Making in Hue

• Location: Hue, Vietnam
• Duration: Half-day Tour

In Hue, kite making is a tradition that has been enjoyed for generations. If your family is looking for fun things to do in Vietnam with kids, this is a lovely choice. During these hands-on experiences, your family will meet a local artisan who will guide you through each step of making your own kite.

From shaping the frame to painting it in bright colours, children can enjoy watching their kite come to life little by little. If the weather is good, you can then head outside and fly it in an open space nearby.

It is a simple pleasure, but one that often becomes a favourite family memory.

5. Mask Painting in Hoi An

• Location: Hoi An, Vietnam
• Duration: Half-day Tour

In a small studio in Hoi An’s old town, your family will be introduced to the colourful hands-on experiences of traditional Vietnamese masks. A local artist will share the stories behind the different characters and explain how these masks are used in local performance and culture.

Each person can then paint their own mask, choosing colours and patterns in their own style. There is no need to be artistic – the joy comes from creating something personal together.

This is an easy and enjoyable activity for families visiting Hoi An, and a chance to take home something personal from your trip.

These experiences are some of the most rewarding family-friendly activities in Vietnam, offering a more personal way to explore the country. Simple and engaging, they often become the moments children remember most. 

Looking for the perfect family-friendly journey in Vietnam? Let us design meaningful, hands-on experiences for your family and partner with us to create lasting impact beyond the trip.