Playgrounds in Lapland — How Kids Enjoy the Arctic Winter

Our favourite playgrounds and indoor activities for kids in Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi has plenty of places for children to play in winter, from outdoor playgrounds and skating areas to indoor play centres and museums.

And you don't always need to plan a big activity.

Some of our favourite moments with our little one have been much simpler.

A sled. A playground. Learning to skate. Climbing a snow pile. Or watching a snowplough at work.

Here are some of our favourite easy places to play with kids in Rovaniemi — both outside and indoors.

If you're wondering how to dress your child before heading outside, start with our What to Wear in Lapland with Kids guide.

‍

‍

First: take a sled

Once there's plenty of snow, I find a sled much easier than a stroller.

It glides over snowy paths and is easy to pull around town. A stroller with good winter wheels works too, especially on cleared paths, but in fresh or deeper snow we usually prefer the sled.

For babies and toddlers sitting still, make sure they're well insulated. A warm blanket helps, and if you have a sheepskin liner from your stroller, it works really well in a sled too.

Sometimes simply being pulled through snowy Rovaniemi is already part of the adventure.

Vanhantorin Leikkipaikka — play, sled and learn to skate

This is one of our favourite easy stops in central Rovaniemi.

There's a small playground and, when there's enough snow, a little hill that's perfect for sledding.

But what makes this place especially nice in winter is the small café next to the playground and skating area.

You can stop for something warm to drink and rent ice skates there, with both children's and adult sizes available.

It's a lovely place to let your little one try skating for the first time. Our son learned to take his first steps on hockey skates here and absolutely loved it.

And sometimes there's another attraction you won't find in a tourist guide.

Our son loves tractors, fire trucks and snowploughs, so watching the machines clear the snow or prepare the ice can be almost as exciting as the skating itself.

‍

Angry Birds Playground — outdoor play in the snow

If your child has plenty of energy, Angry Birds Playground is another good option in Rovaniemi.

It's larger, with climbing structures, slides and plenty of space to run around.

And snow completely changes the playground in winter.

Snowbanks become something to climb, slides become faster and there's always somewhere to dig, jump or fall into the snow.

It's close enough to central Rovaniemi to easily combine with other plans, so you don't need to turn it into a whole-day activity.

Bring something warm to drink and let them play.

RolloHalli & HopLop — indoor play in Rovaniemi

Not every Lapland day has to be spent outside.

Sometimes it's extremely cold. Sometimes the weather isn't great.

And sometimes you simply don't feel like dressing everyone in winter layers again.

That's when an indoor play centre is very welcome.

RolloHalli and HopLop are good options for letting children climb, jump, slide and burn some energy indoors.

We like having an indoor option in mind, especially when travelling with small children. You don't have to force an outdoor plan just because you're in Lapland.

Arktikum — a quieter indoor activity with kids

If you want something calmer, Arktikum Museum is another nice indoor option in Rovaniemi.

Instead of running and climbing, you can spend some time discovering Lapland and the Arctic together.

It's a good choice for a slower afternoon or as a warm indoor break between outdoor adventures.

And with young children, you don't necessarily need to see everything.

Follow what interests them, take your time and keep it relaxed.

Know when it's time to warm up

There's no fixed amount of time that children should spend outside in winter.

How long they're comfortable depends on the temperature, wind, their age, what they're wearing and how active they are.

Some winter days you'll stay outside for a long time.

On colder days, we play for a while and then head somewhere warm.

That's another reason we like having both outdoor and indoor favourites in Rovaniemi.

For more advice about keeping little ones comfortable outside, read What to Wear in Lapland with Kids.

You don't have to plan everything

One of the nicest things about experiencing Lapland with a small child is discovering how little they sometimes need.

Go sledding.

Try skating.

Find a playground.

Climb a snow pile.

Watch a snowplough.

Stop somewhere for something warm.

And then see what happens next.

Some of our son's favourite winter moments here have been the simplest ones — and those are often the moments we remember too.

If you're preparing for your family trip to Lapland, you can also read our What to Pack for Lapland with Kids guide.