Summer Activities in Helsinki 2022

Helsinki's Summer ABC – everything the city has to offer children in summer 2022

What to do and where to go with children in Helsinki during summer 2022? What sights and experiences does Helsinki offer for kids? This Little Helsinki summer activities guide lists everything you should know about enjoying Helsinki's summer with children. The guide is updated regularly.

Summer in Helsinki?

Little Helsinki's Summer in Helsinki 2022 series and many tips for spending summer in Helsinki have now been published. The summer tips are also suitable for those visiting the city as tourists.

www.pientenhelsinki.fi/category/kesa-helsingissa

Summer Events

Little Helsinki's Where This Week guide suggests events on a weekly basis!

Free concerts are offered almost daily during the summer season at Espa Stage and for example at the Music House terrace.

Children's orienteering courses are available until 30.6.2022 in Uutela, Laakso, Maunula and Pirkkola. Maps and instructions can be found on Helsinki Orienteering's website.

Best Swimming Spots for Children

Little Helsinki's Swimming guide recommends child-friendly beaches in Helsinki.

Swimming spots for hot days guide collects tips on outdoor pools and other frequently algae-free swimming spots. Also, the child-only sandy beach at Pirkkola Plotti is open again!

Playgrounds' splash pools are open again in summer 2022 after a few years' break in open playgrounds. Summer opening hours for playgrounds can be found here.

Playgrounds' splash pools fill up in summer 2022 after a few years' break.
Photo from Linja playground.

Library Visits with Children

Libraries are also open during the summer season with summer opening hours.

Children's library bus is on summer tour and visits different playgrounds and summer events!

Museums with Children

Little Helsinki's Museums with Children guide lists child-friendly museums in Helsinki.

On the Vantaa side, at Håkansböle Manor until 11.9.2022 the Koiramäki Manor exhibition. Open ONLY on weekends 11am-4pm. Free admission.

Tiitiäinen Times exhibition at the Päivälehti Museum 20.5–30.10.2022. Päivälehti Museum has free admission.

Playgrounds and Play Areas

Helsinki city playgrounds open in summer 2022 can be found here.

Helsinki playgrounds' summer meals begin on Monday, June 6, 2022 at 12 noon.

Tips on the best play areas and newest play areas featured can be found on Little Helsinki.

Children's Traffic Park

Children's Traffic Park summer season begins on June 6, 2022 at 12 noon and ends on August 7, 2022. Free admission to the Traffic Park.

Children's Traffic Park summer 2022 opening hours:
- Mondays and Tuesdays 9am-4pm (supervised go-kart driving for over 5-year-olds)
- Wednesdays and Thursdays 9am-4pm (supervised cycling for over 5-year-olds)
- Fridays and Sundays family day 10am-4pm (no age limit or instruction).

Saturdays the Traffic Park is not open, but you can practice independently in the park with your own equipment.

Animals in the City

Little Helsinki's Animals in the City guide offers the best tips on where sheep, chickens, cows and other farm animals live in Helsinki and neighboring cities.

Suomenlinna Adventure Tour

*This tip is a commercial collaboration between Little Helsinki and Ehrensvärd Society.

King Gustav III's Treasure is an adventure tour for children (ages 6–13) based on historical background information and is also great for adults. The tour takes participants on an exciting time travel to 18th-century Viapori. Following clues and solving hints, adventurers meet interesting characters and curious events from the past. The tour introduces Suomenlinna and the 18th century in a fun and experiential way. Tickets from €13 for children (under 16) and €15 for adults.

Schedule, tickets and more information on Suomenlinna tours website.

Public Sailing on Cannon Sloop Diana

*This tip is a commercial collaboration between Little Helsinki and Ehrensvärd Society.

Sailing aboard the cannon sloop Diana takes you back in time to the 18th century and offers a new perspective on maritime Helsinki and Suomenlinna's fortress islands. The journey is led by the famous Admiral af Chapman himself, designer of the archipelago fleet vessels. During the journey, participants can help, if they wish, the crew dressed in 18th-century uniforms raise and lower the sails. Plus, a few brave souls can join rowing practice and try the ship's oars over 8 meters long! Public sailing tours are held from June 29 to August 6, 2022 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Schedule, tickets and more information on Suomenlinna tours website.

Winter Garden and Puppet Theater Sytkyt

Children's own summer theater at Winter Garden courtyard in summer 2022:
Tales of the Owl – Stories from Ukraine (duration 20 minutes)

Performance times summer 2022:

Tuesday June 7, 2022 at 9:30 am & 10:30 am
Wednesday June 8, 2022 at 9:30 am & 10:30 am
Tuesday June 28, 2022 at 11 am & 1 pm

Tuesday July 26, 2022 at 11 am & 1 pm
Tuesday August 16, 2022 at 9:30 am & 10:30 am

Bring your own blankets, snacks and weather-appropriate clothing. Free admission.

The lovely Winter Garden of the City of Helsinki and its beautifully blooming rose garden in summer are open to the public all summer. For more detailed opening hours, see Winter Garden's website.

Skateboarding Schools

Free skateboarding schools are held at Zoo Skate Container, Kontulan Sledding Park and Myyrmäki Skate Park (Vantaa) twice a week:

Skateboarding Schools / Skate Container Zoo Tuesdays and Fridays 12pm-2pm

Skateboarding Schools / Kontulan Sledding Park Mondays and Thursdays 12pm-2pm

Skateboarding Schools / Myyrmäki Skate Park (Vantaa) Mondays and Thursdays 3pm-5pm

The skateboarding school has loaner boards, so you can come and try skateboarding without your own equipment. Skateboarding schools are free and don't require advance registration. Suitable for all ages and no previous skateboarding experience required.

What to Do? Tips for Boring Days

Little Helsinki's What to Do guide suggests twenty easy and free attractions in Helsinki for children.

Find Helsinki's Fountains and Finest Sculptures

In Helsinki, dozens of fountains bubble during the summer months. At least the Little Helsinki team is a fan of Havis Amanda and other water features found near Espa Park, and suggests that a fountain tour around the city is an excellent way to spend a summer day with children in Helsinki. From HAM Helsinki sculptures database you can find many good ones by searching for "fountain," and even more by browsing sculptures.

An art day finding the finest statues is also fun and different entertainment in Helsinki. For example, Helsinki has several animal-themed sculptures: at least a rearing moose, many bear sculptures, eagles, dogs, fish, wolverines, porcupines, deer and horses. Little Helsinki challenges you to see the city with fresh eyes! Finding sculptures can be a nice art experience for the whole family. A list of sculptures found throughout the city with photos can be found on the HAM Helsinki website.

The large Seagull sculpture by artist Villu Jaanisoo can be seen on top of the canopy at the north end of the Tennis Palace.

Adventures in Nature

In addition to Little Helsinki's various day trip guides, we strongly recommend the Nature Moments blog and Mira's excellent hiking tips.

Also, from Little Helsinki's Helsinki Places guide you can find, for example, tips on park hiking destinations.

Raven Island off Kaivopuisto is also open in summer 2022. Free admission, a small fee is charged for ferry rides.

On the Espoo side, a nature destination worth recommending is Villa Elfvik. Around Elfvik there are easy-access nature trails, bird towers and grazing horses in coastal landscapes.

Kruunuvuori Pond is Helsinki's only forest pond just a few kilometers away from downtown Helsinki on a bird trail.

Don't Forget Helsinki's Summer Classics!

Linnanmäki amusement park, Korkeasaari zoo, the many possibilities of Suomenlinna, Central Library Oodi, summer islands Mustasaari and Pihlajasaari, Kaivopuisto beaches, Hakaniemi and Market Square summer markets and market halls, Allas Sea Pool...

Little Finland

Little Finland suggests activities and experiences for children throughout Finland. It also includes many tips for the surrounding area and day trips as well as a large listing of the best play areas throughout Finland. There are currently over 600 tips on the trip map!