August third week events

Updated August 15, 2017

What suitable activities for children can be found in Helsinki? Where to go with small children on the weekend? What to come up with on a rainy day? The Small Helsinki weekly series looks for activity tips and recommends child-friendly places in Helsinki and the surrounding area. The target audience on the site is children below school age.

The third week of August emphasizes sports events and culminates in a street festival in the alleys of the Market Districts. You can also start preparing for the Night of the Arts, for example, through the “Secret Garden” craft workshops or by planning your evening using Small Helsinki’s tips. Saturday, August 19, 2017 is a real super Saturday for children’s events!

It’s now an excellent time to visit playgrounds and share your wishes for the autumn program. Don’t be shy about tugging at the instructors’ sleeves, as playgrounds work for the children. The parks’ weekly programs are starting to roll out, and the parks are full of late summer action. Program highlights for the playgrounds will be updated early in the week as the parks have updated their program information.

Registrations for many hobbies also begin or continue: remember, for example, the Worker’s Institute course registration (more information here). Tips for sports activities for young children can be found here.

 

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

Events:

Story hour at Puistola Library at 10 a.m.

At the Secret Garden workshop at Kanneltalo from 5-8 p.m., decorations are created for the Night of the Arts Secret Garden event at Senate Square. Suitable for all ages. The workshop is part of the Helsinki Festival Week program. Read more here.

Tapanila Sports Centre’s open house event from 5-8 p.m. features sports demonstrations, opportunities to try different sports, and for children there is, among other things, an obstacle course. More information about the event and detailed schedule can be found here.

Music school Jamkids hosts a non-stop jam session at Tapanila Library from 5:30-7 p.m., where children of all ages are welcome to try different instruments. More information about the jam session can be found here.

Playground:

Playground in Herttoniemi celebrates autumn planning day! Read more here.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

Event:

Summer theatre? Hippo Nalle and Brave Reeta are performed at Tikkurila Summer Theatre in Vantaa on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The performance is recommended for ages 4 and up, and the duration is about two hours with intermission. Advance tickets €16, door tickets €18, family tickets also available. More information about Tikkurila Summer Theatre here.

Tip: Vallila Library features an exhibition about Sanna Pelliccioni’s Onni boy books on the children’s floor through the end of August. More information about the exhibition can be found here.

[caption id=“attachment_844” align=“aligncenter” width=“720”] Libraries offer diverse activities for children: exhibitions, story times, reading, games…[/caption]

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

Events: Reading dogs Börje and Bruno meet friends of all ages at Tapanila Library on Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. Information about reading dogs and free petting are available. More information can be found here.

Secret Garden workshop at Stoa from 5-8 p.m. creates decorations for the Night of the Arts Secret Garden event at Senate Square. Suitable for all ages. The workshop is part of the Helsinki Festival Week program. Read more here.

Tip: There’s still time to go to summer theatre with the kids! Read tips about performances here.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2017

Events:

Story hour at Suutarila Library from 9:30-10 a.m.

Secret Garden workshop at Vuotalo from 5-8 p.m. creates decorations for the Night of the Arts Secret Garden event at Senate Square. Suitable for all ages. The workshop is part of the Helsinki Festival Week program. Read more here.

Tip: One week to go until Helsinki’s Night of the Arts! Explore the program offerings in advance and pick up tips for adventure with children here.

[caption id=“attachment_1089” align=“aligncenter” width=“960”] Night of the Arts is celebrated on Thursday, August 24, 2017.[/caption]

FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2017

Events:

Music House summer concerts in the main hall (café open area) are a great opportunity to introduce your child to concerts in a relaxed setting and enjoying café treats. Friday’s concert “Blue Bird” features songs of summer, love, and secret gardens. Soprano Sirkku Rintamäki and Satu Elijärvi (piano) perform at the concert. Summer concerts are free, no advance registration required. More information can be found here.

The last summer guard parade is seen in downtown Helsinki on Friday at 12:30 p.m. The guard parade departs from Senate Square, marching through Market Square to the main guard and from there along Esplanade to Citizen Square. This week the guard parade is part of the “Sleep peacefully” event and ends at Citizen Square, where the Guard Band also performs at 10 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Citizen Square offers diverse programming, for example search dogs, police horses, and other attractions. More information about the Citizen Square “Sleep peacefully” event here. Also see additional information below in the “Remember these too” section.

Children’s Valley event at Roihuvuori Ashpot Park (Ashpot Street 10-12) features reading adventures, live music from The Bätmäns orchestra, and giant soap bubbles. More information about the event can be found here.

Tip: If the weather forecast is correct, the whole week promises mostly clear weather. If the destination is the beach, you’ll find tips about child-friendly beaches here.

[caption id=“attachment_569” align=“aligncenter” width=“3952”] Going for a swim in August?[/caption]

SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 2017

Events:

Cleaning Day takes over the streets and squares. Sell what you don’t need and buy what you do! Read more about Cleaning Day here.

Children’s sports festival “Haukka Event” is held at Myllypuro Arena Center on Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sports demonstrations and try-outs for children, information about different sports for adults. Free admission. More information about the event can be found here.

Sports for Everyone event takes over Myllypuro Sports Center on Saturday from 12-3 p.m. and offers diverse sports try-outs and movement fun for children with an adult. Free admission. More information about the event can be found here.

On Saturday, August 19, a children’s concert “Call the Police 112” is held at Citizen Square at 10:30 a.m., featuring the Helsinki Police Band and Nallekopla with conductor Sami Ruusuvuori. Part of the “Sleep peacefully” project main event. Read more below in the “Remember these too” section.

Secret Garden workshop at Annantalo from 12-3 p.m. creates decorations for the Night of the Arts Secret Garden event at Senate Square. Suitable for all ages. The workshop is part of the Helsinki Festival Week program. Read more here.

Red Bull Hill Cart GP 2017 takes over Star Hill instead. Thrilling hill cart racing and competition atmosphere can be watched on Saturday from 12-4 p.m. More information about the event can be found here.

Market Districts street festival is celebrated on Saturday in the city center at Senate Square. The streets and alleys of the Market Districts fill with diverse programming, and children are very well remembered at this event. The street festival starts at 12 p.m. and programming runs into the evening. Free admission. More information about the event can be found here.

[caption id=“attachment_930” align=“aligncenter” width=“1600”] Market Districts street festival also takes over Katariina Street on Saturday, August 19, 2017.[/caption]

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017

Events:

Restaurant Day takes over the city and offers child-friendly restaurants and cafés as well. Have you ever been to summer café Rhubarb Paradise, where children are honored guests? Read more about Restaurant Day and find an interesting place on the map!

On Hare Island in front of Kaivopuisto, a Children’s Island Adventure is held on Sunday from 1-3 p.m. The island adventure is aimed at 4-10 year olds. A shuttle boat to Hare Island leaves from the Ullanlinnan dock at Kaivopuisto (Ehrenströmintie 3). Round-trip tickets cost €5 for adults, €2 for children and pensioners. Access to Hare Island and the island adventure is free. More information about the Hare Island trip can be found here.

Vartiosaari Day is celebrated on Sunday, and there is then free non-stop transportation to the island from Reposalmen dock. Programming and free adventure on the island for the whole family. More information about the day’s program can be found here.

Altaa Family Sunday takes over Altaa by Market Square again. Programming for the whole family: family yoga, games and activities, performances, and Jani Sievinen’s children’s swimming school! Paid event. Read more about the event here.

Tip: Seal spotting!

Designed by Stefan Lindforss and decorated by various Finnish artists, the two-meter-tall seal sculptures are still viewable for a few more weeks around Helsinki. Have you spotted all forty fun seals? Fortunately, you don’t have to spot them all in one day, and location tips can be found here. Small Helsinki challenges everyone to seal spotting! Spot one or more artworks and share your photos of spotted seal sculptures on Instagram. #spotseals #hejhylje.

More information about the project supporting Baltic Sea protection here. You can also adopt your own seal through the project and support Baltic Sea conservation work.

[caption id=“attachment_1141” align=“aligncenter” width=“720”] #spotseals and its 39 friends![/caption]

 

Remember these too:

Sleep peacefully is a volunteer-based national defense and security initiative and a Finland 100 celebration project. The main event is held August 18-19, 2017 in Helsinki at Citizen Square. Programming includes various equipment demonstrations (such as police, fire service, army, border patrol, maritime rescue, etc.), music, and other programming suitable for children. On Saturday, August 19, a children's concert "Call the Police 112" is held at Citizen Square, featuring the Helsinki Police Band and Nallekopla with conductor Sami Ruusuvuori.

Read more about the “Sleep peacefully” project main event here.

 

Little Kakkonen celebration exhibition at Annantalo continues through the end of August. Open daily during Annantalo’s opening hours. Check out what the exhibition looks like here.

[caption id=“attachment_889” align=“aligncenter” width=“1334”] Little Kakkonen celebration exhibition all of August at Annantalo.[/caption]

 

Ethno-Espa takes over Espa Stage from August 7-16, 2017 and brings a diverse collection of good-spirited music for everyone to listen to every day. Children’s Saturdays are celebrated on August 12. Read more about Ethno-Espa’s program here.

 

Small Helsinki's August-September list of upcoming events: Events for little ones under Helsinki's roofs, autumn 2017