The City organises a wide range of hobby activities, from sport to the arts, for people of all ages. There are both free, open activities and paid courses on offer. In this news post, we tell you about the different kinds of hobby activities available and where you can find one that is right for you or your child.
The City’s Hobbies website provides a comprehensive listing of the hobby activities on offer in Helsinki. You can use the advanced search options to narrow down your search by various criteria, such as age or whether the event is free of charge.
Hobbies(Link leads to external service)
Hobby activities for schoolchildren
The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities provides free-of-charge hobby activities for 3rd–9th-grade students, i.e. children and young people aged roughly 9–15. The activities are provided at all comprehensive schools in Helsinki. The activities are held after the school day in school facilities or their surroundings.
The new activity season will begin on 31 August. The City will publish the list of leisure activities for the 2026–2027 school year on 21 August. Registration for the activities opens on 24 August at 12.00. Please register for the activities directly with the organiser.
Find out about the wide range of leisure activities on your child’s school’s website or on the Hobbies website.
Hobbies(Link leads to external service)
The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities
Hobby activities at youth centres
Helsinki has more than 60 youth centres and other youth facilities that offer hobby activities for young people aged 9–29. Most of the hobby activities are free of charge. You can find out about the activities at your local youth centre or look for a suitable activity based on your interests.
Young people must obtain a Youth Services membership card before they can take part in activities at youth centres. The membership card is free of charge.
Some of the activities require advance registration. You can find the registration instructions in the description of the activity. Please feel free to get in touch with the youth instructors: they will help you find a suitable activity, register for it and sort out other practical matters.
Youth Helsinki: Hobbies (Link leads to external service)
Get a Youth Services membership card (Link leads to external service)
Free-of-charge activities for young people aged 12–18
Operaatio Pulssi! (Operation Pulse) organises free-of-charge activities for young people aged 12–18. The activities are organised in three areas of Helsinki: East, West and North. You are welcome to take part in activities in any area, regardless of where you live.
Operaatio Pulssi! activities are based on young people’s wishes. The autumn programme includes circus and cooking clubs, girls’ nights, dancing and gaming, among other things. You can join in without any prior knowledge or experience.
Some of the activities require advance registration. You can find the registration instructions in the description of each activity. Advance registration for most activities opens on 24 August 2026 at 15.00. If there are no registration instructions, you can simply turn up for the activity.
Each of the three areas has its own coordinator, whom you can contact by phone or email for further information.
Operaatio Pulssi!(Link leads to external service)
Instructed sports for ages 12–22
Vimma sports are free-of-charge instructed sports sessions for 12–16-year-olds. Puhti sports are similar activities for 16–22-year-olds.
There are over 20 different sports on offer, and sessions are held at various sports facilities all over Helsinki. There are also sessions just for girls. Check out the autumn programme online from Monday 17 August onwards.
You do not need to register in advance for the sessions. You can borrow the equipment needed for the sport at the session. You do not need to commit to any particular sport. If you like, you can even try out a different sport every week!
For some of the sessions, you will need a Helsinki Liikkuu customer card, which gives you easy access to the City’s sports facilities. The card costs four euros.
Vimma sports (Link leads to external service)
Puhti sports (Link leads to external service)
Swimming schools and sports courses for all ages
The City of Helsinki organises a wide range of sports courses for people of all ages across Helsinki. The courses on offer include swimming schools, family exercise, gym classes, team sports and group exercise.
Find out about available courses, register and pay for them on the Sports Services online store. Registration for the autumn courses begins on Monday 10 August. Registration will open in stages. You can also register by calling the number +358 9 310 28858 during the registration period. You can register in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Sports Services online store(Link leads to external service)
Registration instructions(Link leads to external service)
Art courses at Annantalo
The Annantalo Children and Youth Art Centre organises art classes for children and young people. In addition to courses, Annantalo hosts events, exhibitions, performances and workshops. Annantalo is located in Kamppi, and everyone is welcome to come and spend time there.
Annantalo organises a variety of courses: summer courses, courses that last for a school term or year as well as short courses. Registration for courses starting in the autumn began in April, and some of the courses are already full. However, there are still places available on some courses. You can find the details of the courses on Annantalo’s website.
Annantalo’s courses are subject to a fee, but it is possible to apply for an exemption from the fee.