A preschool year in Vietnam runs through two calendars at once: the solar calendar, which fixes the school year, public holidays such as National Day on 2 September and Reunification Day on 30 April, and observances such as Teachers' Day on 20 November; and the lunar calendar, which moves Tet, the Hung Kings Commemoration and the Mid-Autumn Festival to different dates every year. Knowing which is which helps you plan closures, travel and childcare well in advance.
This guide walks through the year from September to August, separating public holidays when the school may close from celebrations that happen during normal school days. It ends with a planning checklist and the questions worth asking the school at the start of the year. Dates and closures differ between schools, and some holiday arrangements change from year to year, so your school's own calendar is the final word.
Two calendars, one school year
Vietnam uses the solar calendar for official life, from the school year to tax returns, but many festivals and family occasions follow the lunar calendar. The lunar year is shorter than the solar year, with an extra month added every few years, so lunar dates fall on different solar dates each year. Tet, for example, can be anywhere from late January to mid-February.
For parents, the practical result is that some events are easy to predict and others are not. You can write 20 November and 1 June in your diary for every year your child is at preschool. You cannot do the same for Tet or the Mid-Autumn Festival without looking up the date. Vietnamese calendars, including the ones on many phone apps, show both dates side by side, and many Vietnamese parents check the lunar date out of habit.
A few lunar words come up often in conversation. Ram means the fifteenth day of a lunar month, the full moon, so "ram thang Tam", the full moon of the eighth month, is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Thang Gieng is the first lunar month, which follows Tet, and thang Chap is the twelfth, the busy month of preparation before it. When another parent says something will happen "after ram thang Gieng", they mean roughly two weeks after Tet, when life returns fully to normal.
The national framework for the school year is set by the Ministry of Education and Training, which publishes a plan for each year covering the start and end dates for preschools and schools. Private preschools, especially bilingual and international ones, often add their own terms, holidays and summer programmes on top. That is why two schools in the same neighbourhood can have quite different calendars.
The preschool year at a glance
This table follows a typical year. Lunar events are marked as approximate, and public holidays are those set for employees under the Labour Code 2019.
| When | Occasion | Public holiday? | What usually happens at preschool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early September | Start of the school year, after National Day on 2 September | National Day: yes | A welcome or opening day for children and families |
| September or early October (lunar) | Mid-Autumn Festival | No | Lanterns, lion dance, mooncakes, a children's party |
| 20 October | Vietnamese Women's Day | No | Children make cards or bring flowers for mothers and female staff |
| 20 November | Vietnamese Teachers' Day | No | Songs, flowers and cards for teachers |
| Late December | Christmas and year-end | No | Many bilingual schools hold a festive party or performance |
| 1 January | New Year's Day | Yes | School usually closed for the day |
| Late January to mid-February (lunar) | Tet, the Lunar New Year | Yes, the longest break | Tet party before the break; longest closure of the year |
| 8 March | International Women's Day | No | Cards and flowers again, often for mothers and teachers |
| Usually April (lunar) | Hung Kings Commemoration, tenth day of the third lunar month | Yes | School usually closed |
| 30 April and 1 May | Reunification Day and Labour Day | Yes | Often a long weekend; heavy travel |
| 1 June | International Children's Day | No | A fun day or party for the children |
| Late May to August | End of school year and summer | No | Year-end show, graduation for the oldest class, summer programmes |
The government often moves working days so that public holidays join up with weekends into longer breaks, especially around Tet, 30 April and 2 September. These arrangements are announced each year, so check them before booking travel.
Public holidays and school days: what actually closes
Not every date on the calendar means a day off. Public holidays, set for employees under the Labour Code 2019, are the days when offices close and most preschools close too: New Year's Day, Tet, the Hung Kings Commemoration, 30 April, 1 May and National Day on 2 September with an adjacent day. Everything else on the table, from Teachers' Day to Children's Day, is an observance celebrated during a normal school day.
Around the bigger holidays, the government often announces swaps of working days so that the break joins up with a weekend. A Saturday may become a working day in exchange for a Monday off, for example. Private preschools do not always follow these swaps, so a school may be open on a day your office is closed or the other way round. This is the most common cause of childcare surprises for working parents, and it is worth checking each time a long weekend approaches.
Long weekends also change the city. Before 30 April and 2 September, roads out of Ho Chi Minh City, the airport and the bus stations are very busy, and resorts within driving distance fill up. If you plan to travel with young children, leaving a day earlier or later than the peak, where the school calendar allows, makes the journey much easier. Staying in the city is another option: streets are quieter, and many families enjoy parks and pools without the usual crowds.
The events where parents usually take part
The opening day. Many preschools hold a welcome or back-to-school event in September. It is a chance to meet the teachers and other families, and for new children to see the classroom with a parent before routines begin. Families who join mid-year often miss it, so ask whether there is a similar introduction for newcomers.
The Mid-Autumn party. Some schools invite families for a lantern parade or an evening event. It is often the first big shared celebration, and attending helps new families feel part of the class.
The year-end or Christmas show. Bilingual schools frequently hold a performance where each class sings or dances. Even very young children take part, usually for a short, sweet moment on stage.
The Tet celebration. Families are sometimes invited to a Tet fair, with traditional clothes, games and food. Photographs from this day are among the most treasured of the year for many parents.
Children's Day. On 1 June, schools often run a fun day with games, bouncy castles or a party. Some invite parents to help or to watch.
The end-of-year ceremony. For the oldest class, a graduation ceremony marks the move to primary school. Younger classes may have a show or an open day where families see what children have done during the year.
Planning your family year around the calendar
A little planning in August or September saves stress later. These steps help you see the whole year at once:
- Ask the school for its full calendar as early as possible, including closures, half-days and event dates.
- Add the lunar dates for the current year to your own calendar: Tet, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Hung Kings Commemoration.
- Mark the long weekends around 30 April and 2 September; these are peak travel periods, so book early if you plan to leave the city.
- Plan childcare for the Tet closure well in advance, especially if your helper will go home to their province.
- Note the dress-up days such as Tet and any costume days, so you can prepare outfits without a last-minute rush.
- Check the summer plan. Many private preschools offer summer programmes; some have a short closure. Decide early whether your child will attend.
If you travel home for long periods, tell the school early. Many preschools have rules about holding a place during a long absence, and knowing them in advance avoids misunderstandings over fees or places.
Questions to ask the school at the start of the year
Each school runs its calendar differently. These questions help you understand yours:
- Which public holidays does the school close for, and does it follow the government's rearranged working days?
- How long is the Tet closure this year, and is any care offered during it?
- Which celebrations involve parents, and how much notice is given?
- Are there costume or dress-up days, and what is expected?
- Does the school celebrate festivals from the families' own cultures, and can parents contribute?
- Is there a summer programme, and how is it different from the regular year?
- How are calendar changes announced: in the parent app, by message or by notice at the gate?
It is also worth asking how the school handles days when only part of the class attends, such as the first day after a long weekend, and whether activities planned for those days still go ahead. Keep the answers somewhere you will find them again, such as a note on your phone. Schools sometimes adjust plans during the year, but knowing the general pattern makes small changes easy to absorb.
New families who arrive in the middle of the year can ask the same questions at their first meeting with the class teacher. Teachers are used to explaining the calendar and are usually glad to point out which events children enjoy most.
Your family's own festivals in a Vietnamese school year
International families bring their own calendars to a Saigon preschool, from national days to family traditions and festivals of the countries they come from. Many bilingual schools welcome this, and some invite parents to share a festival with the class through a story, a song, a craft or a simple food tasting. For a child who is far from grandparents and home, seeing their own festival in the classroom can be a powerful moment.
If you would like to share something, ask the teacher a few weeks in advance and keep it short and hands-on: young children enjoy a craft or a song far more than an explanation. Check food rules and allergies before bringing anything to eat, and bring enough for the whole class so nobody is left out.
At home, it often helps to talk about how festivals in different places share common threads: lights in the dark, special food, new clothes, visits to family and wishes for the year ahead. Children growing up between cultures tend to find these links naturally, and they often end up with a richer calendar than either parent grew up with.
Some families worry that a child immersed in Vietnamese celebrations will lose touch with their own. In practice, the two usually reinforce each other. A child who has learned at school that festivals mean family, food and wishes is ready to enjoy the same meaning in their home tradition, and parents can make the most of this by marking their own festivals with the same care and a few familiar rituals each year.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
Which public holidays close preschools in Vietnam?
Under the Labour Code 2019, the main public holidays are New Year's Day, Tet, the Hung Kings Commemoration, 30 April, 1 May and National Day on 2 September. Private preschools set their own closures around these dates, so the school calendar is the reliable source.
When does the preschool year start in Vietnam?
The national school year usually begins in early September, following a framework published each year by the Ministry of Education and Training. Many private preschools accept children throughout the year and run summer programmes, so starting dates are more flexible than in primary school.
Why does Tet fall on a different date each year?
Tet follows the lunar calendar, which is shorter than the solar year and adds an extra month every few years. As a result, the first day of the lunar year moves between late January and mid-February. The Mid-Autumn Festival and Hung Kings Commemoration move in the same way.
Is Children's Day on 1 June a holiday in Vietnam?
No, it is not an official day off. International Children's Day is widely celebrated in Vietnam, and preschools often hold a fun day or party for children. Shops, parks and shopping centres frequently run children's activities around the date.
Do Vietnamese preschools celebrate Christmas?
Many bilingual and international preschools hold a festive party or performance in late December, treated as a cultural celebration. Christmas is not a public holiday in Vietnam, so schools usually stay open, and the main school break comes later at Tet.
How can I find this year's lunar dates quickly?
Most Vietnamese calendar apps show lunar dates next to solar dates, and the school calendar usually lists the main festivals. Asking a Vietnamese colleague or teacher is also easy; many people know the dates of Tet and the Mid-Autumn Festival by heart.