Tampere with kids, a list of kids-friendly activities in Tampere, Finland

What to do in Tampere with kids? Take a ride on a rollercoaster, in a horse-drawn carriage or a retro car, take the secret agent test, a dip in a waterpark or an underground pool, see the world’s biggest Teddy Bear, bits of a meteorite and some dinosaur eggs, enjoy the view from the tallest observation tower in Finland and a whole lot of other ideas of family fun in Tampere - in this review.

 

 

Entertainment for kids in Tampere: rides, pools and waterparks

The Sarkanniemi Theme Park is best to visit in the summer, when it is possible to take all the rides and all the water slides. Trains, swings and other attractions for young kids are located in the Ipanaario zone. The Koiramäki theme zone is full of souvenir and pastry shops, a 19th century-style playhouse for kids, a not-at-all-scary Dracula’s house, and a magical village, where some fairytale characters live. In good weather the Angry Birds play area is worth a visit and every day it is possible to climb up to the Näsinneula Observation Tower (second tallest in the Nordics). There is also a dolphin show at the dolphinarium and a movie about Cosmos at the planetarium. In 2015 Sarkanniemi turns 40 with a vast festivities program.

 

 

Younger kids can have fun at the Tampere HopLop with its multilevel labyrinth, slides, a dry pool, a bounce house and a cafe for all. For older children there is the Megazone Lazer Tag in Tampere, where it is possible to have a kids party, a tournament or join a group game. 

 

The entire family can enjoy time at FunPark, the largest indoor park in Northern Europe, which is located in the Ideapark shopping center not far from Tampere. The FunPark has a vast video games and simulators zone, a laser tag arena, a climbing wall, a “horror underground”, an autodrom, various rides and a HopLop zone for young kids. In the “Mission impossible” laser labyrinth children can try being super agents and crawl through laser beams, while adults can chill in the bowling or golf zones.

 

 

In the summer time, the FunPark has an open air playzone with water attractions, slides, bouncy castles and mini-golf (towels and a change of clothes are recommended). In the Ideapark shopping center it is possible to see the world’s largest Teddy bear and visit the PiiPoo Cultural Center with creative workshops, a play room and a miniature Salvador Dali-style climbing wall for kids.

 

The Rantasipi Eden Spa with various slides and pools is just 13 kilometers from Tampere. Its glassed-in swimming pavilion has a big wave and two kids pools, some hydromassage baths and an infrared sauna. There is also a small heated outdoor pool with a play zone for children.

 

In Tampere it is also possible to go swimming at the Kaleva, Tescoma, Hervannan and Pyynikki swimming centers, each of them has a separate pool for kids. The Hervannan swimming center is located 30 meters underground, and at the Rauhaniemen public beach there is a playground for kids and an all-year-round public sauna.

 

Museums for kids in Tampere

It is possible to see some real Tove Jansson illustrations and a detailed two-meter-tall Moomin house model at the Moominvalley Museum in Tampere. Inside this model house, visitors can spot the kitchen of Moominmamma and the office of Moominpappa and the room of Moomintroll himself. It is also possible to go on a multimedia tour of the Moominvalley. In 2017 the Moominvalley Museum reopened in the Tampere Talo. 

 

 

The Vapriikki Museum Center in Tampere has more than 10 regular exhibits for the entire family. At the Toy Museum kids can build castles from big soft blocks, ride a rocking horse, go on a “bobsled track”. At the Natural History Museum children can learn about the Tampere region: smell the local plants, compare their own weight to that of various animals living in the area, go on a virtual tour of the Tammerkoski river. At the Minerals Museum it is possible to see bits of real meteorites and eggs of dinosaurs, at the Hockey Museum - to score the puck in the gate, at the Shoe Museum - make a pair of shoes with your own hands. Most major exhibitions at Vapriikki Museum Center offer audio guides for free, but an ID is needed as the deposit.

 

Police cars and bikes, uniforms, weapons, old photos and thousands of other items are exhibited at the Police Museum in Tampere. In the interactive police play zone, kids can try on police uniform and see how it feels to be incarcerated, and what is even better - the Police Museum is free for all to visit. 

 

 

In the Amuri District it is possible to take a stroll down some old streets, visit 30 “working-class” apartments (end of XIX - beginning of XX century), a shop, a public sauna, and have a beverage at the Amurin Helmi cafe. 

 

At the The Finlaysonin Alue expocenter there are a number of exhibitions for families with kids, for instance, at the Rupriikki Media Museum one can learn about the history of Media, children can turn the projector knobs, watch films, turn on the interactive exhibits. And at the Werstas Finnish Labour Museum it is possible to see the model of a workers’ town from 1930’s with 300 buildings, and listen to folk songs (entrance to this museum is free). The Print Museum, Museum of the Textile Industry, Museum of Steam Engines, and Europe’s only Spy Museum are also located in the complex. At the Spy Museum kids can learn about famous spies and their work. Among the 400 exponents are old cameras, microphones, voice recorders, encryption machines, lie detectors and unusual spy weapons, like umbrellas or pens. Visitors can pass a “spy test” here: decrypt a secret code, find a gun with the help of a metal detector, fight off an attack with a laser weapon and 5 other things; after the test each guest gets a “spy diploma”.

Behind the Finlaysonin complex are the Tallipiha Stables, kids can visit handicraft workshops here, chill out in a cafe, and on weekend - to take a ride in a carriage or on horse back. The Rulla Children’s Cultural Center is located inside the stables, and also offers workshops, interactive exhibitions, masterclasses and performance to children. 

 

 

The Mobilia Automobile and Road Museum is located just 20 kilometers from Tampere and its exhibition is updated every year. In 2015 it is devoted to the recovery of Finland after WWII. A collection of retro cars can be seen at the Mobilia Classics exhibition, and in the Racers’ Alley of Fame visitors can learn about the Finnish racers - champions of world rallies and Moto competitions. There is also an open air village of road workers from the 1950’s and 60’s, there are canteens, workshops and even laboratories. In the summer time, kids from 4 to 12 years of age can attend classes at the AutoCity, where they can learn traffic laws and drive velo-cars. There is a beach and a playground at Mobilia, and it is possible to rent a retro car here.

 

 

Where to go for a walk in Tampere? Parks, playgrounds and observation points in Tampere

 

Open air playgrounds in Tampere can be found at the Koskipuisto park (the Pikku Kakkonen children’s park), as well as at the Sorsapuisto park, the Nasinpuisto park, the park next to the Vapriikki Museum Center, and in the Emil Aaltosen park.

 

 

In the summer, it is possible to see wild birds in the mini-zoo of the Sorsapuisto “duck” park. At the Kiovanpuisto park kids aged from 6 to 10 can freely play at an autocity with miniature roads, traffic lights, signs, and crosswalks. There is also a special driving area for kids over 4. Families can have picnics on the grass and maybe even see an open air concert in the center of Tampere, at the Koskipuisto park or the park next to the Cathedral (Tuomiokirkon puisto).

At the Hatanpyaya Rose Garden there are jogging paths, picnic areas a beach and, of course, a rose gargen.

The 26-meter-tall Pyynikkin observation tower is located in the Pyynikkin park. It is possible to climb up the stairs or take an old elevator up to the top of the tower and enjoy a view of the Näsijärvi and the Pyhäjärvi lakes from an open or glassed-in terrace. The tower has its own cafe, where visitors can have some donuts or waffles.

 

 

In the Hervanta suburb of Tampere there is another observation deck on top of a water tower. On the 17th floor sits the highest pizza place in Tampere - the Haransilma Pizzeria, so it is possible to enjoy the view of Tampere from 48 meters above - for free, if you just buy a slice of pizza, some ice cream or even a cup of coffee.

 

Photo: kidsreview.ru, vk.com/sarkanniemi, facebook.com/hoplop, facebook.com/muumilaakso, facebook.com/Suomenpoliisi, facebook.com/pages/Vakoilumuseo-Spy-Museum/110314892345758, facebook.com/mobilia.fi