In Stockholm, mellandagerna, the days between Christmas and New Year starts on the 27th December – 31st December 2016. It’s approaching fast and there isn’t much time left to prepare timetables of adventurous things to do with the kids. If we were all made of money we’d fork out the dough to send them somewhere which would do the thinking for us. But, alas, none of us are made of money these days.
So, we’ve cracked our skulls together at Littlebearabroad HQ and put together 8 free things to do with kids during Stockholm’s mellandagerna.
1: Museums in Stockholm
Since early 2016 a huge portion of the cultural centres and museums in Stockholm are now free to enter. For a full list read the article published by the Local in Feb 2016 “Swedish museums start opening up for free.” During the holidays many of these museums run specialist pedagogical programmes for pre-school and school children. A lot of them will have a halloween theme or autumnal vibe and it is a great way of introducing kids into the City’s cultural scene.
In particular, Nordiska Museet and Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet have brilliant programmes based around creative play and arts ‘n’ crafts.
2: Walks in Tyresta National Park
Tyresta National Park is 20km south of Stockholm, approx 30 minutes by car and an hour by train from T-Central. It is a diverse landscape of forest, wetlands and lakes. The Tyresta National Park is almost completely surrounded by the Tyresta National Reserve, famous for its broad-leaved woods, buildings of cultural interest and private farmland.
3: Painting at Rum för barn
So, this might be cheating slightly because it isn’t exactly free. BUT, it is a brilliant way to entertain the kids for an afternoon whilst you drink a coffee. Rum för barn’s bildverkstad is open every day during the week between the opening hours of 12pm – 5pm, but do check their website. There is a small fee of 30sek that goes towards painting materials. Other than that it is completely free. There are Kulturhuset employees there to support you and the kids whilst they paint. Job Done!
4. Listen to some storytelling
On the 29th October the English Bookshop in Södermalm is hosting another ‘Storytime!’ children’s English storytelling session at 11am. There are also several other storytelling in English sessions taking place around Stockholm. Rum för barn at Kulturhuset host storytelling for 3+ years every Wednesday between 4-5pm. And, Stockholmstadsbibliotek are hosting their English storytime on the 6th November at 3pm. All of these you can find on Littlebearabroad’s events calendar.
5. Forest Exploration in Lida
Lida is another nature reserve or community recreation area in Botkyrka and owned by the municipality. It’s a total delight with 35km of nature, parkland, walks, running tracks, bike tracks and cross-country skiing. The name Lida means ‘slope’ in English so where better to take the pulka’s and hit the snow in the Winter.
The diversity of the parkland and nature serves as a brilliant took to play some awesome forest games. I-Spy for one and hunting animal tracks. Exploring the different trees and bark and discovering new fungus (look, don’t touch!). Perhaps, collecting some souvenirs to bring home and create autumn sensory boards and best of all, conker heaven!
6. Uppsala – Pelle Svanslöss, Botaniska, Gustava Museet
Another short ride from Stockholm is Uppsala. The City of Uppsala is the one of the oldest Cities in Sweden, pre-dating Christianity and believed to be the home of Sweden’s oldest and most respected Viking clans. It is also home to some pretty brilliant free stuff. In the heart of Uppsala is the English Park, Engelskaparken, named that because of its similarities to English parks. In the middle of the park is Pelle Svanslös play park. Pelle Svanslös is a well known children’s story about a tail-less cat. The author was from Uppsala and so was the cat. The play park is fantastic and it doesn’t matter whether or not you know the stories. In Uppsala there is also the Botanic gardens and Museum Gustavianum.
7. Walks in Hellasgården
Hellasgården on the outskirts of the Nacka nature reserve it claims to be 15 minutes from downtown Slussen. If you add 2 kids, a buggy and life’s daily survival kit make that 35 minutes and it’s more accurate. Still very easy to get to by bus and car. There is also a cafe with lunch and fika items. There are dirt tracks, forest walks and more.
8. Get down with the mysig “hygge” and watch a movie
What is more comforting than curling up on the sofa with blankets, pillows, warm drinks and watching your favourite movie? The concept of Fredagsmysig (‘Friday cosy’) doesn’t just have to happen on a Friday! During the holidays it can happen every day of the week. Make like a winter Bear and start that hibernation phase in style.