Seikkaile Helsingissä! on Pienten Helsinki

Helsinki's Islands: Uunisaari

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:34:57 +0200

Helsinki's Islands is a series of easy island destinations to visit with children. The series introduces favorites from the Little Helsinki background team around Helsinki. Uunisaari is a small rocky island in front of Kaivopuisto.

This article was first published in 2023.

Update November 2025:
A pontoon bridge for pedestrians will be installed again from Merisatama wharf to Northern
Uunisaari on Monday 17.11.2025 (the bridge will be in use by Monday at the latest at 2 PM) and will be removed on 15.4.2026.

Other parts of the Helsinki's Islands article series

Uunisaari in front of Kaivopuisto is an easily accessible excursion destination from autumn to spring (November-April), when a pontoon bridge runs from Merisatamanranta on Ehrenströmintie to Uunisaari. The walking bridge is removed around mid-April so that boat traffic from Kaivopuisto can pass by the island. During the summer season, Uunisaari is accessible a short boat ride away, and a shuttle service between the island and mainland charges a small fee for the journey. Visiting Uunisaari is also possible and worthwhile in summer, as the island has beautiful rocky shores perfect for picnicking, as well as a municipally maintained swimming beach. The beach also has some playground equipment for children, though its condition and quantity decrease year after year.

Sledding Hills in Helsinki and the Greater Helsinki Area

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0200

Looking for a sledding hill? Weather permitting, the Helsinki region and surrounding areas have some wonderful places for sledding. Helsinki's only official sledding hill can be found at the Paloheinä outdoor recreation area, while evaluating other hills for sledding purposes is always the responsibility of the sledder. But what do you think is the best sledding hill in the greater Helsinki area? The favorite spot of the Little Helsinki team can be found in the stunning national landscapes of Porvoo!

Museums with Children in Helsinki

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 10:52:32 +0200

Museum Experiences in Helsinki and Surrounding Area

For those looking for indoor activities and on rainy days, many museums in Helsinki and the surrounding area are excellent places to spend time and experience something new. Many museums have thoughtfully accommodated young visitors, and for example, you can move around with strollers and carriages in the exhibitions. Many museums also have quite functional care rooms as well as places to eat packed lunches.

Please note that many museums are closed on Mondays! However, not the Helsinki City Museum, Tram Museum, Merkki, TAHTO, and Amos Rex (Amos Rex is closed on Tuesdays).

A Christmas Adventure at the Winter Garden

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 22:47:14 +0200

This article was first published in December 2024.

Where can you find Helsinki's best picnic spot during the winter season? Warmth and light even during the dark times of year? Well, just north of Töölönlahti Bay, from the warmth of the Winter Garden beneath palm trees and banana plants! The Winter Garden is the city's hidden gem, and it's definitely worth visiting with children too!

The Winter Garden is always wonderful, and really perhaps one of Helsinki's most beautiful places. And since entry is free and it's almost always open (closed on Fridays when the plants and fish are tended to), it's easy to pop in multiple times or spend longer there. There's no café at the Winter Garden, so you can bring your own packed lunch, which you can enjoy at tables in the greenhouses while listening to the sound of the waterfall and admiring the garden's hundreds of plants. Kids especially love the carp swimming in the garden's pond and the large spiky cacti.

What to Do? Tips for Boring Days

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 23:19:41 +0200

What could we do today? Ideas for days when it would be nice to go somewhere together. Twenty easy and free destinations in Helsinki with children.

The "What to do today" tips have been created based on our own needs: we often wonder on Sunday mornings with sleepy eyes what on earth we could do today and where to go, but coming up with ideas feels challenging and all the nice places are forgotten.

The list has been compiled from easy places where you can drop by without major planning or advance preparation. All the places on the list also have free access and are open mostly very widely. This is a list you should return to again and again! The map at the end of the article makes navigation easier and also shows what activities can be found in nearby areas.

Helsinki in Children's Books

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 21:00:00 +0200

Several children's books about Helsinki have been published with beautiful illustrations. Pienten Helsinki compiles a directory of Helsinki-themed children's books and welcomes suggestions for other children's books that feature Helsinki and Helsinki's children's culture.

Some of the works in this list are already out of print, but they're worth asking for at libraries and used bookstores.

Helsinki in Children's Books - Directory

Hilma-täti ja kuutamoseikkailu
Lehtinen N., Muhonen A. Avain. 2021.

Hooray for Helsinki!
Hämäläinen K. Savolainen S. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Tammi. 2011.

Child-Friendly Swimming Beaches in Helsinki and the Greater Capital Area

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:02:46 +0200

Which swimming beach is best in Helsinki for children? Where can you find a playground at a beach? Which beach is easily accessible by metro? The Pienet Helsinki team has compiled their favorite child-friendly swimming spots in Helsinki and Espoo.

Current blue-green algae information from Helsinki's swimming beaches can be found at ulkoliikunta.fi service

Child-Friendly Swimming Beaches in Helsinki and the Greater Capital Area

Helsinki

Kallahti Beach

Kallahti Beach located between Vuosaari and Meri-Rastila is excellent for small children.
Kallahti Point's beach extends very shallowly for a long distance, and the water is often warmer than other beaches as a result. However, watch out for sudden deep spots further along the beach! There's a kiosk-café, a large climbing ship as a playground, and public grills on the beach (bring your own charcoal). You can also enjoy snacks in the nearby forest sitting on tree trunks, avoiding the beach seagull problem. A magnificent natural spot and a lovely archipelago beach—a Helsinki gem! The surroundings offer easily accessible nature trails and stunning views. From the nearest bus stop, it's a few kilometers away, so unfortunately Kallahti is not easily accessible by public transport.

Helsinki Islands: A Hot Summer Day at Mustasaari

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:00:44 +0200

A Hot Summer Day at Mustasaari in Helsinki

This article was first published on 1.7.2018 and updated on 3.6.2024.

If you're looking for activities and an outing destination for a summer day with children, summer Mustasaari in Seurasaarenlahti is an excellent choice! An island full of summer activities perfect for kids, sunshine and sea breeze, and delicious giant cardamom pastries!

Mustasaari is open 4.6.–11.8.2024 as follows:
Tuesday and Friday to Sunday 9 am–5 pm
Wednesday and Thursday 9 am–8 pm
The island is closed on Mondays.

Helsinki's Islands: Lammassaari and Kuusiluoto

Sat, 11 May 2024 21:00:00 +0200

An Autumn Adventure to Lammassaari and Kuusiluoto

Published 25.8.2018

Helsinki's Islands is a series of easy island destinations for children. The series showcases the favorites of the Small Helsinki team across the city.

Update 2025: The summer sheep have left Kuusiluoto to spend winter elsewhere and will return in early June 2026.
Please note that the summer sheep are initially shy in their new environment, so approach them calmly.
The photos in this article from Lammassaari and Kuusiluoto are from June and autumn 2017.

Helsinki's Islands: Matosaari

Sat, 04 May 2024 09:38:44 +0200

Helsinki's Islands: Matosaari

Published 8.7.2018

Helsinki's Islands is a series of easy island destinations for visiting with children. The series presents the favorite locations of the Little Helsinki team around the city.
This time we're visiting Matosaari in Jollaksessa, which is like a hidden gem in the eastern archipelago. It offers peace, spectacular views, adventure on the small island's paths, garden plants from decades past, and the opportunity to see the Finnish Maritime Rescue Association's vessels at the island's dock.

Summer Cafés in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 21:02:42 +0200

Wonderful summer cafés with children in 2023

Updated 2.6.2023

Helsinki is full of wonderful summer cafés all around the city where you can happily stop by with children. The summer café list currently features nine favorites from the Little Helsinki background team!
Little Helsinki is happy to hear tips about new child-friendly cafés and restaurants, so feel free to tip us off or invite us to visit!

The cover image of the article is from Puotila Manor.

Central Library Oodi Through Children's Eyes

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 10:35:42 +0200

First Time at Oodi

Article first published in December 2018.

The long-awaited, Helsinki's newest gem Central Library Oodi opened its doors on 5.12.2018 and invited everyone from babies to grandparents to make the building their own. We had been looking forward to this event with the children for a long time, wondering about Oodi's roof windows being installed with a large crane during the summer heat, thinking about what kind of place it would be, and dreaming about everything Oodi would offer. Our first visit happened on a Friday evening, when the worst of the opening day crowds had passed and we were able to wonder at the gleaming new Oodi in peace.

Family City Routes: Oil Tank 468

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0200

Do you want to get lost on new paths and discover something new? Look at Helsinki with fresh eyes? Turn in a different direction at an intersection? Family City Routes are exactly for that! The city routes take you to new neighborhoods, new places and help and inspire you to explore your home city or visit new corners as a tourist. Family City Routes are a new type of tourism concept in Helsinki neighborhoods developed by hospitality student Heidi Säynätkari as her thesis work. The four city routes created as a thesis work are now joined by new and different routes throughout the city.

Picnic at the Summit of Kruunuvuori

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 08:00:00 +0200

Kruunuvuori Villa Area in Laajasalo

Published 4.10.2017

The Kruunuvuori villa area is located in Kaitalahtipuisto in Laajasalo. The area gets its informal name from the wooden villas built in the early 20th century, unfortunately almost all of which have been destroyed. From the summit of Kruunuvuori, spectacular views open up to Suomenlinna, the city center and downtown skyline, Korkeasaari, Mustikkamaa, and numerous other islands and well-known landmarks.

The terrain is dense, overgrown, and unkempt deciduous forest with rocky ground, steep ascents, and ravines. The route is quite difficult to walk and for small children it's worth bringing a backpack carrier and leaving strollers at home. Due to the difficult terrain, the area cannot be recommended for those taking their first walks in the forest, but for small and large adventurers, Kruunuvuori is all the more fantastic a hiking destination. You can reach Kruunuvuorenranta by bus number 88 from Herttoniemi. A nice cycling route to the area runs from Herttoniemi along the shore through Tullisaari Park.

First Destination: Kruunuvuori Lake

We set our first goal to find a lake from the center of the villa area. We set out from Kaitalahti, following a fairly wide path from the end of the Main Road that led up a steep slope. At this point it was clear that strollers have no business here. The path winding through dense forest is occasionally rocky and at other times completely muddy in the forest, so rubber boots or water-resistant hiking boots are a good choice here, if not a requirement. After walking for a while, we came to a crossroads from which we could see the lake peeking through the trees in the autumn sun. The secret lake had been found!

[caption id=“attachment_1592” align=“alignnone” width=“2000”] Kruunuvuori villa area lake[/caption]

Where to Go This Week? Sept. 12-18, 2022

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 22:56:05 +0200

What to do or where to go with children? What kid-friendly activities can you find in Helsinki this week? Pienten Helsinki's weekly "Where to Go This Week" series searches for activity tips and suggests child-friendly events and activities in Helsinki and the surrounding area. The target audience of the site is families with children under ten years old.

The cover image shows the secret island of Sisä-Hattu off Lauttasaari, which can be reached on foot during low water.

Uutela Star Trail 2021

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 08:03:00 +0200

Come on an adventure with children to Uutela to learn about and wonder at the stars and natural phenomena! The Uutela Star Trail is implemented in 2021 as a mobile trail and includes a new Day Trail! Get to know Ursa association's centenary challenge Spot 100 and earn a diploma at the wonders of the sky!

Article cover image: Luontohetkiblogi

In 2021, the Uutela Star Trail can be experienced with the help of a mobile map and as a novelty, the trail features Day stations in addition to the dusk-time stations. Each mobile map point thus has two stations: a STAR station for dark times and a DAY station to experience in daylight.

Helsinki Places

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 08:30:00 +0200

Little Helsinki's ABC

Published 4.7.2018, updated 1.6.2020 (122 locations)

The Helsinki places featured in Little Helsinki’s stories and articles are now available in one place as a directory. Wonderful places, fun attractions, plenty to see and experience with children - Helsinki’s treasures! The basis for this story is One Hundred and One Places in Helsinki, but good attractions for children are added to the list frequently. The story contains a lot of insider knowledge about Helsinki with the goal of creating a comprehensive directory of Helsinki’s places.

Spot the Vehicles!

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 12:30:00 +0200

Spotting Through Helsinki

Published 30.7.2017, updated 19.2.2019.

Trains, airplanes, trams, ships, tractors, cranes… These and many other vehicles and machines can be spotted in Helsinki!

Trains

From Linnunlaulu Bridge opens a view of Helsinki Central Railway Station's railway yard, and all trains arriving and departing from the main railway station pass under this bridge. You may also see signals controlling train traffic and other equipment from the bridge. Linnunlaulu has a pleasant walking route and you can continue your journey to Töölönlahti or Hakaniemi playground.

[caption id=“attachment_737” align=“aligncenter” width=“1334”] Linnunlaulu Bridge crosses all the train tracks of the main railway station.[/caption]

Helsinki's Islands: Autumn Talosaari

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 05:54:00 +0200

Secret Talosaari, Husö

Published 24.9.2017

Autumn Talosaari (Husö) in eastern Helsinki offered a real nature excursion when we headed out to admire autumn nature in hopes of mushroom hunting. The place is familiar from summer outings, so the first autumn visit offered truly unique nature experiences compared to summer. The mushrooms stayed in the forest, but otherwise the trip was unforgettable: horses, migratory birds, snakes, giant ant hills and two beaver lodges (and some beavers lurking somewhere nearby).

Helsinki's Islands: An Early Fall Trip to Suomenlinna

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 23:00:00 +0200

Peaceful Suomenlinna

First published 31.8.2017.

A calm Wednesday in late summer and early fall took us on a trip to Suomenlinna, when the playgrounds weren’t calling but the weather was just right for outdoor adventures. In late summer, Suomenlinna feels spacious—we got window seats on the ferry better than expected and explored in complete peace. Besides the island’s residents, there was just us and some tourists visiting Finland.

Another great thing about late summer trips is that you can grab fresh provisions from the Market Square. Suomenlinna’s shop is open year-round and some of the cafes stay open quite late, so there are plenty of options for snacks.

Helsinki Island Routes

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 09:03:00 +0200

This article was a commercial collaboration with JT-Line in summer 2021
and the island route information is partially outdated.

Published 27.5.2021

Helsinki's marine areas have several different island destinations that you can reach by scheduled boat services during the summer season. Pientenhelsinki compiled Helsinki's island routes and island hopping on one page and offers tips on what you can experience on islands accessible by sea from Helsinki. The article was sponsored in summer 2021 by JT-Line, whose vessels transport passengers this summer to Helsinki's beautiful island destinations.

Scheduled boat services to Helsinki's islands are paid services and tickets as well as any seat reservations should always be checked on the website of the company operating the line. Access to the islands is free, but some islands charge a dock fee from private boats.

Family City Paths: Jätkäsaari

Wed, 26 May 2021 09:31:00 +0200

Published in November 2019.

Commercial collaboration with Verkkokauppa.com.

Do you want to get lost on new paths and discover something new? See Helsinki through different eyes? Turn in a different direction at a crossroads? Family City Paths are just for that! City paths lead to new neighborhoods, new places, and help and inspire you to explore your home city or visit new corners as a tourist. Family City Paths is a new type of tourism concept for Helsinki neighborhoods, developed as a final thesis project by hospitality management student Heidi Säynätkari. The four city paths created as a final thesis are now joined by new and different paths around the city.

Home by Evening - A Day Trip to Espoo with Kids

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 06:00:00 +0200

Published 12.7.2019

Our dear neighboring city Espoo has invested significantly in recent years in children's culture and activities for kids. The city also attracts playpark tourists with its Angry Birds playgrounds. So it's finally time to list the favorites of the Little Helsinki team and the places that have been on our to-do list for our neighboring city Espoo.

The cover image is from Träskändan Manor Park.

Experience at least these places with kids in Espoo

To Espoo by Metro

Following HSL's zone reform, with an AB-zone ticket you can travel all the way to Matinkylä in Espoo, and there's plenty to see along the metro route. The new west metro stations are attractions in themselves, and much more is being built along the route, so even a little train-spotter will find plenty to marvel at.

Quick tip for the weekend: Be a tourist in Helsinki!

Sat, 26 May 2018 00:09:13 +0200

Be a tourist in Helsinki!

This weekend's quick tip recommends venturing out as a tourist to central Helsinki right now, in May, and enjoying the city in its summer glory. Helsinki is at its best right now in terms of weather, nature, and events: the Ihana Helsinki festival is taking place at Espa this weekend, Big Band music will swing from the Espa stage, and a short walk away you can travel the world at the Maailma kylässä festival.

[caption id=“attachment_4450” align=“aligncenter” width=“824”] Ornamental crab apple trees are blooming in Espa Park.[/caption]

One Hundred and One Places in Helsinki

Sat, 10 Mar 2018 22:08:20 +0200

One Hundred and One Places in Helsinki with Children

One Hundred and One Places in Helsinki is Little Helsinki's hundredth published article. It takes you around Helsinki to places that appeal to children, are especially child-friendly, or are simply wonderful places to visit with little ones. Thanks to the map, you can search for places near you or check if there are fun spots nearby, whether on a rainy day or as a destination for a city trip.

You can return to this list during boring moments, on days off, or when looking for tips on what to do in Helsinki as a tourist.

By Metro West! Lauttasaari and Koivusaari

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 23:18:07 +0200

Published 2017, updated 4/2022

To Lauttasaari by the West Metro

With the West Metro, family-friendly destinations that were previously difficult to reach by bus are now much more accessible. Small Helsinki tips to Lauttasaari and the Espoo-side corners of the West Metro take you to, for example, museums, nature trails, playgrounds and a library. Espoo's investment in family services in recent years is visible in family services at shopping centers, beautiful playgrounds and amazing children's cultural offerings. Small Helsinki's "By Metro West!" series first part takes you to Lauttasaari and Koivusaari, Helsinki's westernmost metro stations.

Seikkaile Helsingissä! on Pienten Helsinki

Helsinki's Islands: Uunisaari

Update November 2025:A pontoon bridge for pedestrians will be installed again from Merisatama wharf to NorthernUunisaari on Monday 17.11.2025 (the bridge will be in use by Monday at the latest at 2 PM) and will be removed on 15.4.2026.

Other parts of the Helsinki's Islands article series

Sledding Hills in Helsinki and the Greater Helsinki Area

Museums with Children in Helsinki

Museum Experiences in Helsinki and Surrounding Area

A Christmas Adventure at the Winter Garden

What to Do? Tips for Boring Days

Helsinki in Children's Books

Helsinki in Children's Books - Directory

Child-Friendly Swimming Beaches in Helsinki and the Greater Capital Area

Child-Friendly Swimming Beaches in Helsinki and the Greater Capital Area

Helsinki

Kallahti Beach

Helsinki Islands: A Hot Summer Day at Mustasaari

A Hot Summer Day at Mustasaari in Helsinki

Helsinki's Islands: Lammassaari and Kuusiluoto

An Autumn Adventure to Lammassaari and Kuusiluoto

Helsinki's Islands: Matosaari

Helsinki's Islands: Matosaari

Summer Cafés in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area

Wonderful summer cafés with children in 2023

Central Library Oodi Through Children's Eyes

First Time at Oodi

Family City Routes: Oil Tank 468

Picnic at the Summit of Kruunuvuori

Kruunuvuori Villa Area in Laajasalo

First Destination: Kruunuvuori Lake

Where to Go This Week? Sept. 12-18, 2022

Uutela Star Trail 2021

Helsinki Places

Little Helsinki's ABC

Spot the Vehicles!

Spotting Through Helsinki

Trains

Helsinki's Islands: Autumn Talosaari

Secret Talosaari, Husö

Helsinki's Islands: An Early Fall Trip to Suomenlinna

Peaceful Suomenlinna

Helsinki Island Routes

Family City Paths: Jätkäsaari

Home by Evening - A Day Trip to Espoo with Kids

Experience at least these places with kids in Espoo

To Espoo by Metro

Quick tip for the weekend: Be a tourist in Helsinki!

Be a tourist in Helsinki!

One Hundred and One Places in Helsinki

One Hundred and One Places in Helsinki with Children

By Metro West! Lauttasaari and Koivusaari

To Lauttasaari by the West Metro

Update November 2025:
A pontoon bridge for pedestrians will be installed again from Merisatama wharf to Northern
Uunisaari on Monday 17.11.2025 (the bridge will be in use by Monday at the latest at 2 PM) and will be removed on 15.4.2026.