This winter break, try everything
Helsinki offers dozens of free activities, events, and excursions for children during the winter break from February 16th to 22nd, 2026. Most of the city’s winter break program is free, and even the paid experiences are affordable. The winter break program spans across the city in youth centers, libraries, sports venues, cultural centers, and museums.
Below, some tips for the week. You can find the entire winter break offering on the Youth Helsinki website https://nuorten.hel.fi/en/winterbreak/
Music and dance
Tiivistämö in Suvilahti (Sörnäisten rantatie 22) offers several music events for young people, including K-Pop On the Stage, a K-pop dance cover competition on Sunday 15th February, and a DJ Academy event on 16th February. All winter holiday events for the young at Tiivistämö are free of charge and have no age limit.
Gaming and hanging out
LAN party at Ruoholahti Youth Centre. Come and have a great time at the overnight LAN party at the Ruoholahti Youth Centre. The programme also includes cooking, hanging out, and playing games. As requested, there will be various game tournaments held during the night.
Winter break gaming event at Maunula. Maunula Youth Centre’s gaming activities will take over Metsäpurosali Hall on 16–19 February from 13.00 to 20.00. We will play computer and board games etc. Maunula Youth Centre, Metsäpurontie 4.
Arts and crafts
At the Figurine Workshop, we will be sculpting with polymer clay. Come design and make your own characters for gaming or decoration! The workshop is suitable for anyone interested in handicrafts and requires no prior skills. Figurine Workshop takes place at Malmi Youth Center (Kunnantie 3) on Wednesday 18th February.
Customising textiles at Oodi. Come learn how to use a vinyl cutter and heat press and renew the look of your old T-shirt or canvas bag! The workshop will provide ready-made text and image templates, but you can also create your own design from scratch. No advance registration required – just show up at the Urban Workshop of Oodi. Bring your own T-shirt, canvas bag or other textile. The workshop is free of charge and takes place at Oodi on Wednesday 18th February at 13:30-15:30.
Holiday Grub – the tastiest event of the winter break!
Looking for something to do on your winter break that will give you the chance to cook, have fun and eat genuinely good food? Lomasafkaa (‘Holiday Grub’) is a food course for young people aged 13–19. During the Holiday Grub course, we will cook together easy and delicious vegetarian dishes that you will also want to make at home. No previous experience required; all you need is your appetite and curiosity. The course is free of charge. Youth Activity Centre Silmu in Itä-Pasila from Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 February at 12.00–18.00.
Excursions and Camps During Winter Break Week
Youth centers organize day trips and camps during the winter break.
Culture Lab (Kulttuurilabra, Untuvaisentie 2) located in Roihuvuori offers a hobby horse camp starting on Monday 16 February at 11:00 – 15:00.
Winter break is calling – the trail leads to the Adventure House! During the three days of the day camp, we will explore urban nature, follow the tracks of forest animals, and solve puzzles. This day camp will be full of action, shared activities and winter adventures for ages 9–12. The programme features fun and adventurous activities. We will hike in nature, solve puzzles, and examine how forest animals spend their winter. We will learn to identify animal tracks and signs in nature. We will cook together at a campfire. The day camp will be held at the Adventure House in Vuosaari from Monday 16 to Wednesday 18 February between 12.00 and 16.30.
Youth-Created Programs at Youth Centers
Youth centers are open every day offering fun activities like gaming and pizza. Many a winter break celebrations are planned by the youth themselves.
Kipinä Youth Center’s Winter Break Buzz offers fun winter break activities for kids and teens throughout the holiday. The program includes a quiz, cooking together, and a flag hunt. Itäkeskus Youth Work Unit, Turunlinnantie 1 A. Also Kivikko Youth Center (Kivikonkaari 21) offers winter break activities throughout the holiday 16.2.2026 – 20.2.2026.
Mon 16.2.2026, at 17:00 – 21:00
Winter break wish workshop for young people at Kontula Youth Centre (Ostostie 4). Winter break activity planning for young people from 17.00 to 21.00 at Kontula Youth Centre. What kind of activities and things can we come up with together? Come and get involved in producing activities!
Check out the entire winter break offering on the Youth Helsinki website https://nuorten.hel.fi/en/winterbreak/