Background and events of Baby's Day in Helsinki

Updated 28.9.2017

Finland is celebrating the first and unique Baby’s Day on Friday, 29.9.2017. The idea of Baby Finland Association is to make babies and baby families visible beyond their strollers and to bring the needs of the youngest to the forefront. Baby’s Day brings the needs of the smallest citizens to decision-makers and increases visibility in the media and other channels.

Small Helsinki participating in Baby's Day

Small Helsinki wants to participate in promoting the message of Baby's Day. Baby's Day is also a good time to remember the parents of babies, for whom a baby's birth brings a new zest for life and new challenges to everyday life. Everyday life with a small baby can be surprisingly lonely for two people, and the negative effects of loneliness can be great. The threshold for going out with a small baby can easily be incredibly high, and when tired, finding things to do outside the walls of home can be challenging. Small Helsinki's strong underlying principle is preventing parental loneliness and social exclusion on children's terms. The website mainly lists event tips that would be as easy as possible to participate in with children and with a low threshold for participation. The site's tips often include events and activities for parents to consider as well, without forgetting the children. A new addition to the weekly event listings is a "FOR BABIES" tag for events that are especially suitable for the smallest visitors due to their nature.

Small Helsinki has published the first part of the Baby Helsinki series in honor of Baby’s Day. The article encourages exploration of Helsinki with a baby. The article series will receive more material in the coming weeks, and suggestions for topics are welcomed with joy.

The prevailing attitudes and how babies and children are treated affect and complicate getting around with the smallest ones. How do fellow passengers react to a crying baby on the bus, how are those moving with strollers treated in a crowded metro, where and how can I feed my baby or can I visit a restaurant with children? For this reason, Small Helsinki invites everyone to help make Helsinki a more baby and child-friendly city. Small gestures often have great significance, just as the very smallest city residents have great significance and the right to be heard and seen.

Child-friendliness often doesn’t bring additional costs; it’s about attitude and listening to children, young people, and families.

#smallhelsinki #babyhelsinki

Baby's Day events in Helsinki

The main Baby's Day event is being celebrated in Helsinki. The Music House foyer and Kansalaistori square will be occupied by the Baby's Voice event on Friday, 29.9.2017 from 11:30-16:30. The family event program is aimed at 0-3 year old babies and their families, featuring performers, stage performances, and speeches. Kansalaistori offers, for example, the opportunity for horseback riding. The Baby's Day main event program will be finalized in the coming days. Admission is free. Although the program is aimed at 0-3 year olds, you can also attend with older siblings.

On Baby’s Day, babies’ message is also brought to Parliament when the Baby March travels from Kansalaistori to Parliament. In honor of Finland’s 100th birthday celebration, a hundred babies are invited to participate. Sign up to participate in bringing an important message to decision-makers. You can also share wishes and concerns related to baby daily life; these will be compiled into a manifesto for parliament.

Music House main event schedule

11.30 Huotari&Mantere guitar duo 12.30 MLL - Dance with your baby 13.00 Baby music class, church music educator Mari Torri-Tuominen 13.30 Huotari&Mantere guitar duo 14.00 Kukkuluuruu: Playgrounds offer baby play, indoors or outdoors depending on weather 14.30 Panel discussion: Baby Finland panel. Speakers include Pertti Arajärvi, Minna Isotalus, Liisa Keltikangas and Tuomas Kurttila, as well as Kaija Puura (via Skype from Kuopio) 15.30 Loiske Ensemble BabyTango (duration 40 min)

The Baby’s Day procession departs from Kansalaistori heading towards Parliament House at approximately 11:30. Performers will be present and baby product samples, balloons, and reflectors will be distributed.

Baby’s Day is also celebrated in Helsinki’s city playgrounds, where baby-friendly programs are organized for babies and parents. Read more about the playgrounds’ Baby’s Day program on the playgrounds’ website and on the playgrounds’ Facebook event.

Helsinki’s public libraries are also participating in Baby’s Day and offer a diverse range of baby-friendly activities: for example, baby massage, rhyme sessions, music performances. Read more about the libraries’ Baby’s Day program offerings on the library services website.

All of Helsinki’s maternity and child health clinics are also participating in the day with their own programs (Note: Lauttasaari clinic’s program is held at Lahnalahti playground). Read about everything that babies and parents can experience at the health clinics on this festive Friday. Baby’s Day at Helsinki’s health clinics Facebook event. Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen opens the day at 11 at the Itälahdenkatu family center.

Read more about Baby’s Day www.vauvasuomi.fi

Image rights for the article’s pictures are owned by Baby Finland Association.