Entertaining a 10 year old for 2 weeks....

[Kylie]

So I have bought my little 10 year old brother over to Helsinki for 2 weeks and I need plenty of things to keep him occupied
I took him to the Military museum in Helsinki yesterday (which he loved!)
and I am just looking for any ideas of good places to take a 10 year old boy..There's the obvious Korkeasaari, Linnanmäki etc...but is there any other hidden gems any one knows about?
I am looking for places in Helsinki or the surrounding area, not too far out

Thanks in advance

[Rosamunda]

There are a few things on Suomenlinna: a submarine (not very expensive, might even be free for kids not sure and there is usually someone on board who just loves talking to the kids), a toy museum (not too girlie, my kids enjoyed it when they were that age) and also the underground passages (take a torch and buy the map from one of the kiosks, if it's windy take a kite).

In Espoo there is a brilliant car museum, run by a bunch of local enthusiasts. I think there is a bus going out there, I'll look for the link. edit: Not in English but this should help http://www.saunalahti.fi/automuse/sijainti.html

Seurasaari is a nice walk and you can visit the old buildings, watch some handicrafts (sometimes) and feed the squirrels (don't forget the peanuts, but I find choc biscuits are OK too)

On a rainy day the Natural History Museum (in between Kamppi and the Railway station) is FAB (newly renovated).

You could take a bus out to Haukilahti (bus 111) or Matinkyla (132???) and spend some time just sitting on the beach, eating ice-cream, reading a book or playing beach volley. There are probably beaches east of the town centre too, but I don't know that side so well. Under 18s can fish without a permit so you could buy him a small fishing rod (eg from HongKong, Prisma etc, not very expensive) and let him try fishing.

There are island hopping ferries in Espoo that go out into the archipelago at regular intervals. Some of the islands are great for picking blueberries and generally just exploring, one or two of them have summer cafés, all are good for fishing, BBQs and picnics. http://www.espoo.fi/default.asp?path=1; ... 6054;16056

[Pursuivant]

Theres the panzer museum in Parola, but thats a car journey allright (and an artillery museum in Hämeenlinna)...

Helsinki environs... mmmm... theres the old fortifications around Helsinki, a few good ones at the end of bus 14 in Pajamäki/Pitäjänmäki Train station you go "over the bridge" and dawdle up the hill... Seurasaari is fun with the tame squirrels and birds even you're not interested in old houses... theres a train museum with old steam engines in Hyvinkää - easily with train. Then Heureka of course in Tikkurila.

[Rosamunda]

Quite a few minigolf places in and around town too.

[Pursuivant]

And Korkeasaari zoo is fun anyways even the only thing alive is a smelly goat

[raamv]

The nearest park with a slide, jungle jim, sand--pit etc..
Will last at least 50% of the days..
Then there's the Tram ride ( 3T), Metro rides.. etc
A Suomenlinna Ferry ride would be a highlight..
and so would a day at the beaches in and around Helsinki..
If you wanna spend some money..Then a few hours at Hop lop..
a pizza buffet at RAX...
Mall hopping from Sello, to Iso Omena to Itäkeskus..

[Upphew]

http://www.heureka.fi/portal/englanti/

[Pursuivant]

Darn, back in the seventies you only got a plastic bag and a tube of airfix...

[Kylie]

Thanks for all the ideas!

I think Suomenlinna is a must, even I haven't made it there yet and I have been living here for a year :p

[Rosamunda]

Thanks for all the ideas!

I think Suomenlinna is a must, even I haven't made it there yet and I have been living here for a year :p

http://www.suomenlinna.fi/index.php?menuid=3&lang=eng (for more info)

It's very crowded at the moment but some kids went back to school today (one of mine did anyway) and most go back on the 18th. After the that you will have the place almost to yourselves during the week, which makes the underground passages much more spooky and fun. There are canons on the fortress walls (nice walk) and a multi-media (video) about the history of the islands. Not sure when it shows in English though. Small beach (not brilliant) and plenty of places to climb and scramble around. Mine always enjoyed the place, even when the weather was not so good.

You could take a picnic and just buy drinks/ice-cream on the islands, works out cheaper that way.

BTW make sure you take the MUNICIPAL ferry that leaves from the Uspenski end of the tori. The ferries that leave from the Wanha Kauppahalli end are privately run and much more expensive. For your little brother it might be worthwhile getting a one-day tourist ticket (or 3 or 5 days) for all-inclusive travel and some museum reductions etc.

[sammy]

plenty of places to climb and scramble around.

Careful, though. Some of the ramparts, while they are in good condition as such, still offer good opportunities for falling and IIRC some poor youngster died from a fall just some years ago... there are no security fences to speak of so you may come across places where it's not a good idea to run amok in the way only 10-year-olds know how to...

Having said that, what with the sea trip and the submarine and the old fortifications and the dark underground passagea & so on, it's a top destination.

You might even come across these Hobbit houses

[ajl]

my boys like the aviation museum near the airport ... http://www.ilmailumuseo.fi/
but that really depends on the kid's interests. We still haven't gone to the science
museum or the panzer museum yet.

[maxxfi]

There is the Finnish Railway museum in Hyvinkää.
While checking its address I noticed that just this week, on August 16
they have the Museum Day: http://www.rautatie.org/web/en/eventdet.asp?id=91

We haven't been there, but I remember it was recommended place to go with kids.