Myllypuro family café on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-12 p.m., location Myllykylä Village House (Ryynimyllynkatu 1). Puistola family café on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-12 p.m., location Tapuli Playground. Tammisalo family café on Tuesdays on odd weeks 10 a.m.-12 p.m., location Tammisalo Church. Töyrynummi family café on Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m., location Kesanto Playground. North-Haaga evening family café on Tuesdays on even weeks 5:00-7:00 p.m., location Laurinniitty Playground. Roihuvuori family café on Tuesdays on even weeks 10 a.m.-12 p.m., location Roihuvuori Playground. All MLL family cafés operating in Helsinki can be found listed at Small Helsinki’s website.

Other events:

WEDNESDAY 30.5.2018

Library events:

Reading Dog Doris at Tapulikaupunki Library at 5:30 p.m.

For babies and parents: BabyKino at Kallion Library. You can watch films with your baby on Wednesdays at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The BabyKino group on Facebook can be found here, where for example the week’s film is published and the upcoming program is voted on.

MLL family cafés on Wednesday:

Herttoniemi family café on Wednesdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m., location Resident House Ankkuri. Jätkäsaari family club on Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m., location Good Hope Chapel in Jätkäsaari. Konala family café on Wednesdays 9:00-10:30 a.m., location Konala School club room, (Riihipellonkuja 2, C building). Laajasalo family café on Wednesdays 4:30-6:30 p.m., location Kiiltotähti Playground. Lauttasaari family café on Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 a.m., location Apaja Youth Center. Malmi family café on Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 a.m., location Filpus Playground.' Oulunkylä family café on Wednesdays 10-11:30 a.m., location Mäkitorppa Playground (Mäkitorpantie 42-44). Pakila family café on Wednesdays 10 a.m.-12 p.m., location Pakila Youth Center. Pihlajamäki family café on Wednesdays 10 a.m.-12 p.m., location Maasälpä Playground. Pukinmäki evening family café on Wednesdays 5:30-7:00 p.m., location Unikko Playground. Ruoholahti father-child club on Wednesdays 5:00-7:00 p.m., location Ruoholahti Playground. All MLL family cafés operating in Helsinki can be found listed at Small Helsinki’s website.

Other events:

Nurka Playground spring season finale on Wednesday 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Read more at the event’s Facebook page.

Princess Rose puppet play at Sampo Puppet Theatre on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Tickets €12. More information and ticket reservations at Sampo’s website.

Kiasma 20 years anniversary celebration - the museum is free to enter all day 10 a.m.-10 p.m. More information at Kiasma’s website.

Finnish Defence Forces 100 anniversary celebration week in Helsinki from Wednesday to Monday 30.5.-4.6.2018. The celebration week has events and attractions around the city, mostly at Senate Square. On Wednesday there is programming and equipment exhibitions at Senate Square 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Read more about Wednesday’s program at the Finnish Defence Forces website.

Kindergarten Museum is open every Wednesday 12-6 p.m.

TIP: Fallkulla Farm Animals is open all summer daily 26.5.-26.8. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Read more at the farm’s website. Also Linnunrata Playground in Helsinki, Glims Manor Museum in Espoo, and Katrinebergi Manor in Vantaa have farm animals visiting for the summer!

THURSDAY 31.5.2018

Library events:

MLL family cafés on Thursday:

Kruununhaan family café on Thursdays 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Kruna Mesta (Meritullinkatu 6). Laajasalo family café on Thursdays 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Kiiltotähti Playground. Pihlajisto family café on Thursdays 10-11:45 a.m. at Salpausselä Playground. North-Haaga family café on Thursdays 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Laurinniitty Playground. Pukinmäki busy Thursday 10-11:30 a.m. at Pukinmäki Youth Center (Säterintie 2, 2nd floor). Tapulikaupunki family café on Thursdays 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Nurka Playground (Nurkkatie 2). Töölö family café on Thursdays 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Ruusulahti Family Activity Center (Ruusulankatu 10, annex building). Vesala family café on Thursdays 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. at Vesala Youth Center (Tuukkalankuja 4).

Other events:

Finnish Defence Forces 100 anniversary celebration week in Helsinki from Wednesday to Monday 30.5.-4.6.2018. The celebration week has events and attractions around the city, mostly at Senate Square. On Thursday there is programming and equipment exhibitions at Senate Square 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Read more about Wednesday’s program at the Finnish Defence Forces website. X

Annantalo A-stage summer music classes begin and invite everyone from babies to grandparents to make music under the guidance of music teacher Tuuli Paasola on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. Admission to the music class is free. Read more at Annantalo’s website.

Tip for Järvenpää: Eeva-Leena Pokela and Loiskis Orchestra at Maahis Family Center in Järvenpää at 10 a.m. Read more at the family center’s Facebook page. Free admission.

TIP: Haaga Alpine Rhododendron Park bloom is beginning and the park can be visited well with children too. So take a trip to the forested rhododendron park to marvel at the beautiful multicolored bloom. Read more about the rhododendron park here.

FRIDAY 1.6.2018

Library events:

MLL family cafés on Friday:

Itäkatu Family Center family café on Fridays 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Itäkatu Family Center. X Kannelmäki family café on Fridays 9:30-11:30 a.m., location Kannelmäki Playground. Käpylä family café on Fridays 10 a.m.-12 p.m., location Koskela Youth Center. Lassila family café on Fridays 10 a.m.-12 p.m., location Settlement Housing Resident House (Eliel Saarisen tie 15) Malmi family café on Fridays 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m., location Traktori Playground. Munkkiniemi family café on Fridays 9-11:30 a.m., location Munkki Playground. Pasila family café on Fridays 10 a.m.-12 p.m., location Sanna Playground. Viiki family café on Fridays 10-11:30 a.m., location Viikkari Playground.

Other events:

Finnish Defence Forces 100 anniversary celebration week in Helsinki from Wednesday to Monday 30.5.-4.6.2018. The celebration week has events and attractions around the city, mostly at Senate Square. On Friday there is military sports programming and equipment exhibitions at Senate Square 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Read more about Wednesday's program at the Finnish Defence Forces website.

Guard Parade tradition continues on Fridays. The Guard Parade procession departs at 12:30 p.m. from Helsinki's Senate Square, marching through Market Square to the Main Guard, and then back along the Esplanade to Kasarmitori. After the Guard Parade, there is an entertaining MIL-Espa concert at 2 p.m. on the Espa stage. On Friday 1.6., the Lapland Military Band and Rakuunasoittokunta are responsible for the Guard Parade music. More information at the event's Facebook page.

TIP: Helsinki places are child-friendly Helsinki gems, with lots of hidden knowledge and the beginning of a directory of Helsinki locations.

SATURDAY 2.6.2018

Library events:

Other events:

Tomppeli at Tervasaari Summer Theatre at 3 p.m. Tickets €14. Read more about the performance at the theatre’s own website.

Finnish Defence Forces 100 anniversary celebration week in Helsinki from Wednesday to Monday 30.5.-4.6.2018. The celebration week has events and attractions around the city. On Saturday the Senate Square event area has equipment exhibitions and exhibition tents open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The Hamina-class missile boat at South Harbor, Pakkahuone Quay, is open to the public 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Read more details about Saturday’s program at the Finnish Defence Forces website.

Get to Know Military service - Open doors at the Guards Jäger Regiment and National Defence University on Santahamina and the Naval Academy in Suomenlinna 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Read more about the Get to Know Military service day here. Note. Pre-registration is required for visiting Santahamina, which can also be done on the event day at the event website.

On Saturday you can also see Utin Jäger Regiment’s parachute jump with the Finnish flag from an HN90 transport helicopter to Kaivopuisto at 2:50 p.m. and after the parachute jump you can see Hornet and Midnight Hawks flight demonstrations in the sky. The flights are weather dependent. Other good places to see the overflights can be found at least at Kruunuvuorenranta and possibly also at the southern tip of Lauttasaari.

TIP for Espoo: Badger’s Forest Story Hour at Villa Elfviki on Saturday at 11 a.m. Read more at Villa Elfviki’s website.

TIP: Summer theatre season begins, when Tomppeli takes over Tervasaari. Read more at Small Helsinki’s summer theatre article.

SUNDAY 3.6.2018

Other events:

Finnish Defence Forces 100 anniversary celebration week in Helsinki from Wednesday to Monday 30.5.-4.6.2018. The celebration week has events and attractions around the city, mostly at Senate Square. On Sunday there is programming and equipment exhibitions at Senate Square 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Additionally, the Hamina-class missile boat at South Harbor, Pakkahuone Quay, is open to the public 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Read more details about Sunday’s program at the Finnish Defence Forces website.

Firemaster’s House 200 year celebration on Sunday 12-3 p.m. Dive into history and visit the yellow house located in Kruununhaka! More information at the house’s own website. Free admission.

Children’s Island Adventure on Hara Island off Kaivopuisto on Sunday 1-3 p.m. The island adventure is aimed at 4-10 year olds. Access to Hara Island is by ferry from Kaivopuisto’s Ullanlinnan Dock (Ehrenströmintie 3). Round-trip ferry tickets cost €5 for adults, €2 for children and seniors (card payment only). Admission to Hara Island and the island adventure is free. More information about the island adventure can be found at the event’s Facebook page.

Family sing-along evening at Stansvik restaurant on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. Also features selections from the Pekka Töpöhäntä summer theatre performance. The event is organized by Laajasalo Church. Read more at Stansvik restaurant’s Facebook page.

Tip for Vantaa: MLL Aviapolis children’s items summer flea market at SuperPark’s yard in Vantaa’s Tammisto on Sunday 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Read more at the event’s Facebook page.

Tip for Espoo: Villa Elfviki Fairy School is a whole family activity nature trip where you travel on the children’s terms. Bring small snacks and dress appropriately for the weather. The trip through Elfviki’s landscapes on Sunday 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free admission, no pre-registration required. More information at Villa Elfviki’s website.

New in Small Helsinki: Summer in Helsinki series has been published and there are already nearly twenty articles about summer in Helsinki. More are coming and suggestions are also welcome :)

Also remember these:

Fallkulla Farm Animals is open all summer daily 26.5.-26.8. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Read more at the farm’s website. Also Linnunrata Playground in Helsinki, Glims Manor Museum in Espoo, and Katrinebergi Manor in Vantaa have farm animals visiting for the summer!

Take a trip to a lovely apple orchard in Malminkartano! The gates are now open until 30.5. and the trees are still blooming. A wonderful place to take pictures, enjoy a snack and simply admire this often-closed garden. Note that there is no waste disposal in the park, so you must take your own trash with you. Current information about the orchard’s opening hours can be found here.

Haaga Alpine Rhododendron Park bloom is beginning and the park can be visited well with children too. So take a trip to the forested rhododendron park to marvel at the beautiful multicolored bloom. Read more about the rhododendron park here.

Interactive exhibition “Oh, what a Scatterbrain!”. Russian-language interactive exhibition based on Samuil Marshak’s children’s poem at Itäkeskus Library 25.5-1.6. in the library’s meeting room. The exhibition supports and develops a bilingual child’s Russian language skills. More information at the library’s website.

Linnanmäki amusement park has opened for the 2018 summer season. Check the more detailed opening hours for May and June at the amusement park’s own website.

Current museum tips from Small Helsinki’s museum news article.

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