Updated 14.8.2022

Hi Pienten Helsinki friends!


I received a message asking why Pienten Helsinki doesn't feature all of Helsinki's children's events and what sets this website apart from other similar event sites.
I think it's worth answering this publicly and explaining Pienten Helsinki's background thinking more broadly.

Pienten Helsinki is a project that started as one mother's parental leave project and now operates as a side hobby. The website is currently funded mainly out of pocket, with some advertising revenue helping to cover hosting costs. You can read more about advertising spaces and collaboration opportunities in the site's media kit.

The reason why, for example, the "Where This Week" posts don't necessarily feature all organized events is due to four reasons.

1. I create almost every single weekly activity list by hand, nearly every Sunday, and I select very carefully which events I recommend to readers. Only events that I have sufficient background information about or that I know from my own experience are well-executed make it onto the list. Every event that ends up on the list is something I would take my own children to (ages 6 and 9).

I also want to bring new ideas to everyday life, so the list includes things like Albertin living room and playground ideas, to make it easier to come up with things to do during the week and to lower the threshold for getting out. The event listings also include events that aren't primarily children's events, but that work well with kids too. This is because I want to broaden the idea of what children's events are, and on my part, I hope to promote more child-friendly thinking (examples include Öljysäiliö 468 and the Open Doors at the Presidential Palace).

2. The second reason is Pienten Helsinki's focus on creating content for a specific target group: families with children under ten years old.

3. The third reason is that I search for all event information by hand and sometimes get tips as well. Unfortunately, it's possible that some great events might slip past me. All event tips are also very welcome!

4. The fourth reason is to exclude clearly commercial event advertising without a separate agreement. Since Pienten Helsinki operates mainly at my own expense, unfortunately I cannot offer clearly commercial operators free advertising spaces. There are exceptions of course, but this is why the site no longer features, for example, theatre roundups or shopping mall children's events. I apologize for this policy and hope you understand. It's possible to purchase various marketing and visibility campaigns on Pienten Helsinki at very competitive rates for a very well-targeted audience. You can read more about advertising spaces and collaboration opportunities in the site's media kit.

I'm also a passionate children's culture enthusiast (I would be a fan of Pikku Pappu's Orchestra even without kids) and a big supporter of community and doing things together. It was surprising to notice a few years ago how challenging it was to follow children's culture events and get information about them, so that was a big reason why Pienten Helsinki was born.

Since Pienten Helsinki is mostly volunteer work that I don't get paid for, it also doesn't have an amazing marketing budget. So thank you if you tell others about Pienten Helsinki—that's more valuable than gold!

And of course, thanks go to you thousands of page readers, which is why all of this is done week after week! 😘

Feel free to ask and share your thoughts—all kinds of feedback are welcome!

Best,
Mari / Pienten Helsinki & Pienten Suomi

Photo from the Central Library Oodi, which is dedicated of course also to the little ones at Pienten Helsinki's request ❤️