Spoiled Chinese Kids Sent to Feed Pigs to "Learn the Value of Family" (2 Photos + 1 Video)

At Chinese "labor camps," children chop wood and feed pigs. Organizers say the main goal is to teach kids the value of hard work and earning a living.





Chinese parents are sending their children to "hardship summer camps," where kids do farm work, sleep on the floor, and eat basic food. The experience comes at a steep price, aiming to give youngsters a taste of "real life" and a subtle warning of what awaits if they slack off at school, reports the SCMP.

These "labor camps" surged in popularity in the summer of 2026. Officially dubbed "Hardship Camps," many parents are dropping thousands of yuan to send their children to the countryside for a firsthand taste of rural life.

The programs are mostly hosted in southwestern provinces like Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, where summer weather remains relatively mild.

The daily routines mirror authentic farm chores: children dig potatoes, feed pigs, chop wood, haul water from wells, and tend to crops in the fields and gardens.

But unlike hired farmhands who get paid for their labor, these children—and their parents—are paying for the privilege.



One camp charges over 4,000 yuan ($600 USD) for a 10-day stay, while a full month can cost upwards of 10,000 yuan.

Rules are strict. If a child fails to complete a task, they face non-physical punishment—such as being served plain potatoes for lunch.

Phones and gadgets are confiscated, forcing spoiled city kids to adapt to spartan living conditions. Organizers stress that their main objective is to instill an appreciation for hard work and earning money. At the same time, they tailor activities so tasks don't prove "overly grueling," given the wide age range of participants.

Viral videos from the camps capture tearful children begging their parents to bring them home, with some promising to do all their homework and get straight A's just to escape farm life.

Some camps also require the children to write letters home to their parents.

A staff member at one camp noted that parents were thrilled with the results, enthusiastically recommending to friends that they send their own kids off to chop wood.

Commenters on the viral videos frequently asked how to sign up their own children and praised the organizers for the brilliant concept.

"What our children go through in these summer camps reflects the real hardships our generation faced. We strove to give them a better life, but perhaps we inadvertently spoiled them. Experiencing hardship might be just what kids need to appreciate a comfortable life," said one Shanghai parent who sent their child to a pig farm.