The City of Helsinki will organise a wide range of activities for children, young people and families during the Children’s Rights Week. Helsinki promotes a happy and safe city for children and comprehensively strengthens the wellbeing of children and young people and the rights of children.
Children’s Rights Week is celebrated from 16 to 22 November. This year’s theme highlights every child’s right to be valued – every child and young person is valuable just as they are, and everyone deserves to be treated with respect.
During the theme week, Helsinki will offer varied activities especially for children, young people and families. Events and activities will be available at the City’s cultural centres, museums, libraries, playgrounds, youth centres and sports facilities. Most of the events are free of charge. The theme week will also be present in daycare centres and comprehensive schools.
The Children’s Culture for All! week offers a wide range of art and activities for children and young people.
Learn more about all the events taking place during the
Children’s Culture for All! week(Link leads to external service).
On Children's Rights Day, Friday 20 November, Helsinki will offer free swimming starting from 14.00 for all children and young people under the age of 18, as well as for one guardian accompanying each child.
This offer is valid at the Itäkeskus, Pirkkola and Jakomäki swimming halls, as well as on the ground floor of Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall. Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall does not have a children’s pool, so swimmers must be able to swim at least 25 metres. Please note that Friday 20 November is ladies’ turn at Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall.
Read more about the free swimming sessions(Link leads to external service).
Helsinki libraries will celebrate Children's Rights Week with a wide range of programmes across the city. Reading to a child helps develop their reading skills, and the library offers plenty of opportunities to spend time together and enjoying stories. The programme includes, amongst other things, story sessions in the mornings and evenings, nursery rhyme sessions for the little ones, and visits by a reading dog.
At the Family Day at Vuosaari Library on Saturday 21 November, we will be diving into the world of emotions in the company of the well-known children’s book characters Molli, Fanni and Miu from 10.00 to 13.00. In illustrator Satu Kettunen’s workshop, visitors can make Tunneduunari badges; at the Molli story sessions, they can enjoy stories; and at the independent work stations, they can, amongst other things, mould ‘emotion blobs’ and search for Molli characters. The event is free of charge.
You can have a go at making window decorations under the guidance of the SAV Taidekollektiivi art collective at Tilketori Square in Malmi. In this workshop, you will get to make some lovely window decorations to take with you and brighten up your home this winter. The workshop is open to everyone and free of charge. You can come at any time; there’s no need to sign up in advance.
Place: Traktoritie 2, Heka community centre (entrance from Tilketori 2).
Time: Monday 16 November, 15.00–19.00, and Tuesday 17 November, 15.00–19.00.
The workshops form part of the City of Helsinki’s placemaking project, which aims to liven up Tilketori Square during the dark winter months in collaboration with local residents. During the workshop, you will also have the chance to share your views on the forthcoming renovation of Tilketori Square. What would you like to see at Tilketori?
Helsinki provides plenty of activities, facilities and events for children, young people and families also before and after the theme week. For example, the free Perhehulinat family sports sessions offer a space for unguided exercise for children under school age and their parents. Families can freely use all the equipment and no advance registration is required.
Check out the Perhehulinat family sports sessions programme(Link leads to external service).
Playgrounds and family centres offer weekly a wide range of activities for families with infants or children and for schoolchildren.
The more than 50 youth centres and facilities in Helsinki offer a wide variety of activities for young people every week of the year. Young people also have the chance to propose their own ideas and contribute to the activities offered.
You can find the contact details and events of your nearest youth centre on the website Our Places(Link leads to external service).
Information on events for children and young people in Helsinki is available on the Events page(Link leads to external service).
For a wide range of free-of-charge hobbies, check out the website
Hobbies(Link leads to external service).