The autumn break week in Helsinki is packed with activities

During the autumn break week, the playgrounds of Helsinki will provide communal activities for families. At the playgrounds, children and families can enjoy play, games, outdoor activities, arts and crafts and spending the break week together. Free-of-charge activities are provided for schoolchildren, pre-schoolers and babies.

Playgrounds are welcoming places, even for those coming the first time. Children can find playmates while adults can meet other families with children. The playground is a laid-back and pleasant place to spend time with children, meet friends and take part in communal, instructed activities.

In the indoor facilities of the playgrounds, you can heat up your own food and make coffee or tea. You can find more detailed activity information on the playgrounds’ own websites. During the autumn break week, the playgrounds will be open from Monday to Friday at 9.00–16.00.

Hanging out and baking at the youth centre 

The youth centres of Helsinki provide a wide range of free-form group activities, such as baking and movie nights.
Hanging out and baking at the youth centre.

The autumn break programme at the youth centres of Helsinki includes activities such as workshops, gaming and music events. Groups will take trips to a trampoline park, Fazerila, Heureka and the local nature in Vuosaari.

On Friday 16 October during the autumn break, Malmitalo will be transformed into a ‘Swedish cruise ship’ for ages 13–17, featuring a cruise programme, karaoke and a ball pit. The headline act for the evening is Seksikäs-Suklaa, while DJ Academy will be providing dance music. The event is free of charge.

The youth centres will also have plenty of free-form group activities, such as movie nights and baking, as well as opportunities to just hang out, with no advance registration. Participation in youth centre activities requires the parent or guardian to register their child for the Jässäri membership card at nuorten.hel.fi/en/jassari(Link leads to external service).

The Swedish-language youth centres of Helsinki will spend the autumn break with day camps, open activities and a programme aimed at LGBTQIA+ young people. The day camps organised by the Rastis, Sandels and Muncca youth centres will feature activities at the youth centres as well as trips to various parts of the city. Additionally, at Rastis, the autumn break will continue towards the end of the week with open activities for school-age young people.

Ungpride and IrisHelsinki will provide activities for LGBTQIA+ young people. The autumn break programme features activities such as a movie night for ages 13–17 and an autumn evening event for ages 16–25.

 Explore the autumn holiday programme for young people(Link leads to external service)

Exercising together and trying new sports

At the autumn break event of Liikuntamylly in Myllypuro, children of primary school age and their families can try out a wide variety of different sports from Monday to Wednesday, 12–14 October, between 11.00 and 14.00. The programme includes ball games, climbing, bouncing on an air mat and trying out different sports. Many of the activities are also suitable for children with functional impairments. Entry fee: €2.10 for children, €3.60 for adults.

Young people can take part in free exercise at Vimma and Puhti sports sessions. Vimma sports are aimed at ages 12–16 and Puhti sports at ages 16–22. You can attend the sessions without registration. For up-to-date information on the sessions held during the autumn break, check out Vimma-sports ─ weekly calendar - Helsinki liikkuu(Link leads to external service) and Puhti-sports ─ weekly calendar - Helsinki liikkuu(Link leads to external service). 

Joy of reading at libraries

The autumn break is for reading! At your local library, you can lose yourself in the world of books in peace and quiet. The library staff are happy to recommend suitable break week reading. 

The joy of reading is also front and centre at the City libraries’ events during the autumn break. At Puistola Library’s reading party, attendees will get to read and enjoy some tasty treats. In the children’s quiet reading club of Kannelmäki Library, you can read in peace alongside other book lovers. A reading dog will be there to listen to attendees read aloud at the libraries of Kallio, Laajasalo, Myllypuro, Tapanila and Töölö. 

Those who enjoy writing can join a story club at Malminkartano Library, while the comics workshop of Jätkäsaari Library offers an opportunity to try creating a comic. Vuosaari Library holds a manga club that invites you to come and discuss all things manga. All of the libraries’ autumn break activities can be found at Helmet events(Link leads to external service). 

Children’s Town and Helsinki Tram Museum invite you to explore and try things

Helsinki City Museum’s Children’s Town and Helsinki Tram Museum provide plenty of fun activities for families with children every day of the autumn break. At the immersive Children’s Town exhibition, you can get hands-on with the history of Helsinki as homes, toys and everyday stories from different eras invite you to explore, try things and make discoveries. At the Tram Museum, located in Töölö, you can hop aboard the trams that have been clattering along the streets of Helsinki for over a century. Entry to the City Museum and the Tram Museum is always free. 

Workshops, movies and disco at cultural centres

At Annantalo Children and Youth Art Centre, we will be diving into the world of books during the autumn break. During our family workshop day on Saturday 10 October, we will enjoy creating fairytale characters and silhouettes. Annantalo’s holiday cinema will screen films based on beloved books from Monday to Thursday, and the week will culminate on Friday 16 October with the popular AnnanHouse disco, where you can meet Ricky Rapper and other familiar characters. 

At Kanneltalo, we will create ecological art from surplus paper at Adventure Art School’s free workshops on Monday 12 and Wednesday 14 October. 

At Malmitalo’s autumn break camps, we will learn new craft skills, such as making felted doughnuts and candy earrings, as well as customising our own clothes. From Tuesday to Thursday, there will be free autumn break film screenings, and on Friday 16 October,

Vuotalo will be spending the autumn break with comics and manga. You can take part in free workshops organised by Comics Centre from Monday to Friday without advance registration.