Children’s Weekend, 29 September–1 October 2023

The Spanish word pulsar means touching, caressing and exploring. In this Mexican theatre performance, intended for young children, wooden blocks are used to create a constantly changing landscape that moves, grows, rises and makes music. The audience sits around the landscape, creating a safe community of their own. Teatro al Vacío is one of the reformers of children’s theatre in Latin America and specialises in creating performances about important things in life for young children. The group organises workshops with children and studies the world from their perspective. Teatro Al Vacío is a member of the Small Size Network.  

Idea and staging: Adrián Hernández and José Agüero  

Costume and set design: Mauricio Ascencio  

Soundscape: Camila Romero Lema  

Duration: about 30 minutes  

Recommended age: 0–3 years 

Tickets: €12 at Lippu.fi; your child needs their own ticket. 

The performance is non-verbal.  

YOOHOO! Is anybody here? Where’s everybody hiding? PiiloPaussit offers babies and toddlers a sensory break space filled with light and shadows. A sensory break gives families a chance to explore and experience lights, soundscapes and materials. PiiloPaussit is a baby-approved lounge area! Feel the soft pompoms and the warmth of the lights, or wrap yourself in rays of blue. Lie down in fluffy cotton and breathe in pink droplets of light. Play peekaboo, and hunt for funny springs. Go hide under an umbrella, dive into a soft hut or peek into a tunnel! Under the swirls of fabric and glimmering lights, the whole family can take a relaxing break. Welcome! 

Recommended age: babies aged under 12 months, together with a responsible adult.  

Free admission. 



Read more on the website of the Children’s Cultural Centre Aurora.

The guided tour introduces you to the stories and work of Mauri Kunnas. We will meet familiar characters from Mauri Kunnas’s books, get to know the book creation process, and discuss the meaning of literature in our lives. 

Duration: about 30 minutes. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. 



Read more on the website of Exhibition Centre WeeGee.



Mauri Kunnas exhibition 

Explore the colourful worlds created by Mauri Kunnas! At the exhibition, you can try the life of a pirate, explore Santa’s plane or peek into a spooky alley. You can take a break from playing and immerse yourself in Kunnas’s books in the reading crater surrounded by planets. 

On Friday 29 September, the exhibition is open from 11:00 to 19:00. Free admission from 15:00 to 19:00.

 

The Friday morning concert, featuring Tuomo performing in a duo, is aimed at day care centres and pre-primary pupils. In Saturday’s concert aimed at families, Tuomo takes the stage with the five-person band Hiekkakakkuorkesteri. Come and celebrate at Sello Hall with your family! 

Recommended age: 3 or older 

Duration: 45 minutes

Read more on the Sello Hall website.

15:00–17:45, Workshop: Step into the picture



18:00, heavy metal band Moottörin Jyrinä!

Children’s heavy metal band Moottörin Jyrinä plays cover songs of heavy metal classics with new child-friendly lyrics in Finnish. The atmosphere at the band’s concerts is always joyful and fun. 

Duration: about 60 minutes 

Tickets: €15 at Lippu.fi.   Family/group ticket (for four): € 54

Tickets at the door: €18 (if seats are available). Tickets available at the door one hour before the event. Children under 2 who sit on their adult’s lap need no ticket.    

Read more on the Kannusali website. 

The Waters is a multi-sensory performance about the rain, ice, seas, swimming, showers, refreshments, toilet bowls, and pasta cooking water, as experienced by children. The show combines live music, puppet theatre and circus.  The performance is non-verbal and takes place above and around the audience.  The Waters takes into account the special characteristics and needs of babies as spectators, but the show also speaks to a wider audience. Along with the artistic group, the expert group Väriläiskä consisting of 5–8-year-olds from the cultural centre PiiPoo has contributed to the performance content. 

 

Recommended age: 6 months to 6 years  

Duration: 30 minutes. Tickets: €10 + delivery fee (from €1.50 per ticket) at Lippu.fi 

Let’s explore the fascinating world of water. During this artistic expedition, we will follow the journey of water from ice to a drop, from a drop to a stream, and from a stream to an ocean in a wash bowl. The sea of imagination inspires us to build underwater worlds, islands, bridges, rivers, and streams. The art workshop is suitable for the whole family. We recommend that you wear clothes that can stand a few drops of water. Workshop planned and facilitated by: Art Instructor Jenni Vilander. Free admission.  

Read more on the website of the Children’s Cultural Centre Aurora.

A series of top-notch jazz concerts for adults and children alike! 

Flyygeliaula

Duration: 45 minutes 

Free admission. 

A play filled with fun moments, strange things, joyous music and surprising revelations. The new play by Linnateatteri is a light-hearted deep dive into the lives of the famous Outola brothers. The play is based on interviews and archive material, although some elements may be purely fictional. The play also features peculiar letters of the alphabet. 

 

Louhisali 

Duration: 40 minutes 

Recommended age: 3 years and older  

Tickets: €14,50 / group ticket from €54 (minimum 4 tickets) + delivery fees (from €1.50) at Lippu.fi 

Read more on the website of the Espoo Cultural Centre.  

Bounce! Clap! Cheer! At the end of September, Sello Hall celebrates its 20th anniversary with a colourful and fun-filled children’s concert. People of all ages are welcome. The musical parade is led by TV’s beloved children’s performer Tuomo Rannankari.  Tuomo’s catchy songs and winding stories discuss, among other things, why we should celebrate things, what to serve at a party, and why you should invite other guests in addition to your parents and favourite soft toys. 

Read more on the Sello Hall website.

 Workshop: Step into the picture 

Inspired by the works of Mauri Kunnas, participants will design their own imaginary worlds and create them by drawing and painting. Each participant will be photographed, and their images will be transferred onto their own paintings using green screen technology. 

The nonstop workshop is primarily aimed at 7–10-year-olds, but younger and older participants are also welcome. Admission to the workshop is free. 

Workshop dates and places: 

Fri 29 September, 15:00–17:45, Kannusali (Kannusillankatu 4, Espoo) 

Sat 30 September, 13:00–16:00, WeeGee (Ahertajantie 5, Tapiola, Espoo)  

The workshop is part of Children’s Weekend organised by Espoo’s Cultural Venues and Services. 

Sun 1 October, 12:00–15:00, Espoo Cultural Centre (Kulttuuriaukio 2, Tapiola, Espoo) 

The workshop is part of Children’s Weekend organised by Espoo’s Cultural Venues and Services. 

Sat 7 October, 10:00–13:00, Children’s Cultural Centre Aurora, (Järvenperäntie 1–3, Espoo)   

Sat 14 October, 12:00–15:00, Lippulaiva Library (Espoonlahdenkatu 8, Espoo) 

Sat 25 November, 13:00–16:00, Sello Hall (Soittoniekanaukio 1 A, Espoo) 

The workshop is organised by LAKU Creative for Exhibition Centre WeeGee. WeeGee, located in Tapiola, has a permanent exhibition presenting the work and life of Mauri Kunnas.

 

Read more on the website of Exhibition Centre WeeGee. 

We will invent fantasy animals and turn our designs into moving cardboard creatures by joining the parts together with paper fasteners. You can visit the non-stop workshop at any time. For all ages. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Adults can also participate in the workshop without a child. Knowledge of Finnish language is not required.

Included in the museum entrance fee (20/10€, free entry for under 18-year-olds).

What would you have looked like in the past? Draw a self-portrait on an old portrait and jump into history. The workshop fits for the whole family!

Mimi and Kuku’s super entertaining performances are filled with movement. Children get to experience the joy of success and discovery. Each child gets to be the hero of the performance in their own way. The performance is fun-filled and action-packed and includes singing games seen on TV, a touch of theatre, and a pinch of magic.  

 

Suitable for all ages. 

Free admission.  

A performance seasoned with salt, pepper and a pinch of empathy

 

Whizz, whirr, bang, clang! takes the audience on a journey through the imagination, sensations and togetherness – and into different realities. 

What does it mean to be seen and understood? Are things what they seem to be? And can our imagination change them, define them or redefine them? 

Whizz, whirr, bang, clang! plays with the idea of new possible worlds and alternate realities by redefining circumstances that we take for granted. 

 

The performance is based on The Bed Book and Mrs Cherry’s Kitchen written by Sylvia Plath. 

Recommended age:  6–11 years 

Duration: 50 minutes 

Tickets: €10 + delivery fees (from €1.50 per ticket) at Lippu.fi 

 

Finland’s pompom queen Rakkaudella MARRE and her mascot Matti will host a pompom workshop at the Children’s Cultural Centre Aurora! 

Marre’s fun and colourful crafts videos have attracted thousands of views on TikTok and YouTube from adults and children alike. In addition to tutorials, Marre takes on challenges, such as making pompoms for 8 hours straight or a giant pompom weighing 3 kilos. She also tries out new trends in crafts.  

At the workshop, you can make your own mini mascot. You can choose your favourite colour from the yarns provided by Kaupunkilanka. 

Admission to the workshop is free.  

 

Read more on the website of the Children’s Cultural Centre Aurora.

Music and modern circus all in one. During the performance built around the search for a missing key, we get to visit people’s homes and meet neighbours. Each home is unique and looks and sounds like the people who live there. The people we meet include Kosmo, who lives with his houseplants, his brother and a cat; the minimalist Tim, who only owns things he needs; and the gentleman couple Ossi and Ray, who enjoy jazz. Was the key left with Maija and her seven small dads? Or will we find it in Harri’s collection of sweets? 

 The performance, which is suitable for the whole family, is based on the book Avain hukassa, written and illustrated by Sanna Mander. Sannis Sundström has written new songs based on the poems in the book. 

The acoustic and electronic music is accompanied by rotating hoops, bouncing balls, and enchanting soap bubbles. During quieter moments, we stop and listen and watch balancing on glass bottles. The illustrations of the book come to life on the screen in the background. 

 

Louhisali 

Duration: 40 minutes 

Recommended age: 3 years and older  

Tickets: €17,50 / group ticket from €54 (minimum 4 tickets) + delivery fees (from €1.50) at Lippu.fi

12:00–15:00, Workshop: Step into the picture 

Inspired by the works of Mauri Kunnas, participants will design their own imaginary worlds and create them by drawing and painting. Each participant will be photographed, and their images will be transferred onto their own paintings using green screen technology. 

The nonstop workshop is primarily aimed at 7–10-year-olds, but younger and older participants are also welcome. Admission to the workshop is free. 

Read more on the website of the Espoo Cultural Centre.  

The Waters is a multi-sensory performance about the rain, ice, seas, swimming, showers, refreshments, toilet bowls, and pasta cooking water, as experienced by children. The Waters combines light and sound art, music, puppet theatre and circus. The performance is non-verbal and takes place above and around the audience. 

The Waters takes into account the special characteristics and needs of babies as spectators, but the show also speaks to a wider audience. Along with the artistic group, the expert group Väriläiskä consisting of 5–8-year-olds from the cultural centre PiiPoo has contributed to the performance content. 

Script: Katja Kähkönen, Mateja Ocepek, Katja Povse, Väriläiskä expert group 

Directed by: Katja Kähkönen, Katja Povse 

Juggling choreography: Simon Llewellyn 

Costume design, set design and construction: Katja Kähkönen, Mateja Ocepek 

Music, soundscape, singing: Sanette Sevon 

Performers: Katja Kähkönen, Simon Llewellyn, Sanette Sevon 

Lighting design: Katja Kähkönen 

Photos: Sanette Sevon 

Produced by: Katja Kähkönen 

Recommended age: 6 months to 6 years  

Duration: about 30 minutes 

Max. 60 persons per show. 

 

Read more on the Sello Hall website.

The Näkymätön reppu exhibition features illustrations of a children’s book of the same name. The story describes how a sensitive child becomes familiar with their own unique way of experiencing the world. The main character of the book is a child who carries an invisible backpack on her back. The backpack contains everything the child sees, does, hears, experiences and thinks: a ghost story, a ray of sunshine, a running race, and a crumpled pillow. And much, much more. The backpack offers many surprises — and some difficulties too. The sequel ‘Villikissareppu’ (wildcat’s backpack) comes out in autumn 2023. 

Free admission. 

Read more on the website of the Children’s Cultural Centre Aurora.