The safest drop-off and pick-up routines share three features: a clear handover in which a named teacher takes responsibility for your child, a written list of adults allowed to collect, with identification checked every time, and safe transport at both ends, which in Ho Chi Minh City means a properly fitted helmet on a motorbike and a suitable child seat in a car. Most incidents happen in the busy minutes at the gate rather than inside the classroom.
International families arrive with very different habits. Some are used to walking to a school gate; others have never put a child on a motorbike. Saigon’s traffic, the mix of motorbikes, cars, ride-hailing and school buses, and the crowd of families arriving at the same time make the gate a place to plan for. This guide explains how a good handover works, how to set up authorised pick-up, what Vietnamese road rules say about children in vehicles, how to check a school bus service and what to ask your campus.
The handover: the moment responsibility changes hands
At drop-off and pick-up there is a short moment when it can be unclear who is responsible for a child. The parent thinks the teacher has seen them; the teacher thinks the parent is still holding their hand. In that gap a toddler can wander towards the road, follow an older child out of the gate or slip into a corridor. Good preschools design their routine to close that gap.
In practice this means a specific point where the child is handed over, such as the classroom door or a reception area, rather than a wave from the pavement. A named adult greets the child and is seen to take over. Many schools also record arrival and departure, either on paper or in a parent app, so there is a clear record of when the child was in the school’s care.
At pick-up, the same logic runs in reverse. The teacher should see who is collecting and hand the child over directly, not release children into a crowded yard to find their parents. Once you have your child, you are responsible again, including in the school yard while you chat with other parents. Toddlers who are excited to see a parent often run, so holding hands until you reach your transport is a sensible family rule.
If your school’s handover feels loose, for example children waiting outside the gate or being sent to find parents in the car park, raise it calmly with the office. It is one of the easiest things for a school to tighten and one of the most important.
Setting up authorised pick-up
Families in Saigon often rely on several adults for collection: parents, a nanny, a driver, grandparents visiting from abroad, a neighbour. A clear system protects your child and makes life easier for teachers.
- Give the school a written list of every adult allowed to collect your child, with full names, relationship to the child and a contact number.
- Attach a photo of each adult, or ask the school how it verifies identity, and keep the list updated when helpers change.
- Tell your helpers to bring identification, such as a passport, national ID card or residence card, especially in the first weeks.
- If someone not on the list needs to collect in an emergency, contact the school directly yourself beforehand, using the channel the school expects, and confirm the person’s name.
- Agree a password or phrase for exceptional situations, if your school uses that system.
- Inform the school in writing of any custody arrangements or court orders that limit who may collect, and update them if circumstances change.
Do not be offended when a teacher asks for identification from a parent they have not met. A school that checks every time is protecting your child in the same way, on the day when the person at the gate is not who they claim to be.
Getting there: the main transport options and what to check
Each way of getting to school has its own risks. The point is not to judge any of them but to make each one as safe as it can be.
| Transport | Main risks | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Motorbike | Exposure in traffic; falls; heat and rain; child not held securely | A child helmet that fits snugly; the child seated where they can be held or secured; no child standing; calm speed at the gate |
| Private car | Child without restraint; child seated in front; doors opened into traffic | A child seat suited to age and size; children in the back; get out on the pavement side |
| Ride-hailing car | Usually no child seat provided | Bring a portable seat suitable for your child, or choose another option for very young children |
| School bus | Child forgotten on the bus; poor supervision; no seat belts | Head count procedures, an adult carer on board, seat belts or suitable seats, checks at the end of each route |
| Walking | Crossing busy roads; motorbikes on pavements; heat | Hold hands; choose a quieter route; teach the child to stop at every kerb |
Families often combine options: a motorbike for the morning, a car for rainy afternoons, walking on cooler days. The safety basics need to follow the child, not the vehicle, so keep the helmet or travel seat with you rather than leaving it at home.
Helmets, car seats and what Vietnamese law says
Motorbike helmets. Vietnamese road rules require riders and passengers on motorbikes to wear helmets, and child helmets are widely sold in Saigon. Choose one that is the right size, sits level on the forehead and has a strap that is fastened every time. A helmet that wobbles or is carried loose on the handlebar provides little protection.
Where a child sits on a motorbike. Many Saigon families carry a child in front of the rider or between two adults. Whatever arrangement you choose, the child should be held securely, should not be asleep without support, and should never stand. Seats and harnesses designed for carrying children on motorbikes are available; check that any you buy is sturdy and fits your bike.
Child seats in cars. Vietnam’s Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, passed in 2024 and in force from the start of 2025, includes rules that young children shorter than a set height must not sit in the front row of a car and must use a suitable child safety device. Rules on enforcement have been phased in, so check the current requirements, but the safety case is the same everywhere: a correctly fitted child seat in the back.
Ride-hailing and taxis. Most ride-hailing cars do not carry child seats. If your child is young enough to need one, a lightweight travel seat or booster suited to their age can be carried with you. If that is not possible, the back seat with the safest restraint available is better than a lap in the front.
School buses: questions that matter
Some preschools in Ho Chi Minh City run their own buses or contract a transport company. A school bus can save hours of traffic each week, but it shifts responsibility to a driver and a carer you may never meet. It deserves the same scrutiny as the classroom.
The most serious risk is a child being left on the bus. Vietnam has seen tragic cases of children forgotten in school vehicles, and the lesson schools draw from them is about procedure: a head count when children board, another when they leave, and a physical walk-through check of every seat at the end of each route. Ask the school exactly how this is done and who signs off on it. A good answer is concrete and names a person, not a vague promise.
Ask also whether there is an adult carer on board apart from the driver, whether children wear seat belts or sit in seats suited to their size, how long the longest route takes, whether the bus is air-conditioned, and what happens if a child is unwell or upset during the trip. Find out how you will be told if the bus is delayed by traffic or rain, and what happens if no one is at home when the bus arrives. Children should only be handed to an authorised adult, never left at a building gate.
If your child is very young, consider whether a long bus ride suits them. A short drive with a parent may be easier for a two-year-old than an hour on a bus with many stops, even if the bus is well run.
Teaching your child habits for the gate and the road
Rules and procedures protect children, but young children also learn habits that add a layer of safety, especially in a city where motorbikes sometimes ride on pavements and park across school entrances. The habits that matter most are simple enough for a two- or three-year-old to practise every day, provided adults model them consistently.
The first is holding hands from the vehicle to the door and from the door to the vehicle, with no exceptions for being in a hurry. Some families use a phrase such as “car hands” or “bike hands” so the child knows the rule starts as soon as they step down. The second is stopping at every kerb, gate and driveway and waiting for an adult’s word before crossing. Toddlers cannot judge the speed of a motorbike, and the habit of stopping matters more than any explanation of traffic.
The third is waiting in one place at pick-up. Children who know they wait with their teacher until the parent comes to the door are far less likely to run out into a crowded yard. Practise this calmly in the first weeks and praise it, rather than only correcting a child who runs.
Older preschoolers can learn to put on and fasten their own helmet with help, and to tell an adult when the strap feels loose. Talk about the helmet as a normal part of riding, like shoes before going out, so that it never becomes a negotiation at the gate.
Questions to ask your campus about arrival and departure
These questions take a few minutes on a tour or at an orientation meeting. The answers tell you a lot about how the school thinks about safety in general.
- Where exactly does the handover happen, and who takes responsibility for my child at that point?
- How do you record arrival and departure times?
- How do you check the identity of an adult collecting a child, and what happens if someone not on the list arrives?
- Who supervises the gate and the area outside it during the busiest times?
- What happens if I am late, and how long will a staff member wait with my child?
- Is there a safe area for parents to stop motorbikes and cars away from where children walk?
- If you run a bus, how do you make sure no child is left on board?
Watch the gate yourself for a few minutes at a busy time. You will learn more from seeing how children move between vehicles and the door than from any brochure, and you will find the parking spot and the timing that suit your family.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
Can my nanny collect my child from preschool?
Usually yes, if she is on the school’s authorised list and carries identification. Give the school her full name, a photo and contact details, and tell the teacher in advance on days when she will collect. Make sure she knows the school’s handover routine and the safe way home.
What age can a child ride on a motorbike?
Many young children in Vietnam ride as passengers, and the law focuses on helmets and how many people may ride. For safety, a child should be old enough to sit with support and wear a properly fitted helmet. Ask your doctor if you are unsure about a very young child.
Do I really need a car seat in Vietnam?
Vietnam’s newer road safety law includes rules on child seating in cars, and the safety reasons for car seats apply here as they do anywhere. In a collision, an unrestrained child or one held on a lap is at much higher risk. A correctly fitted seat in the back is the safest choice.
Is it rude to ask the school about bus safety procedures?
Not at all. Asking how children are counted on and off, who checks the bus at the end of a route and whether there is an adult carer on board shows that you take your child’s safety seriously. A school that runs a careful service will be glad to explain it.
What if I am stuck in traffic at pick-up time?
Contact the school as soon as you know you will be late, give a realistic arrival time and say whether another authorised adult can collect instead. Children are usually looked after indoors. Ask in advance what the school’s rules and any published late fees are.
Should my older child walk the younger one into class?
It depends on age and the school’s rules. Many preschools ask an adult to hand over each child in person. If an older sibling attends the same campus, ask the school how they handle siblings, and keep an adult responsible for both until the handover is complete.