School-based leisure and club activities have brought joy to over 1,300 children and young people in Tuusula – a revamped programme is on the way for the autumn 

Free and engaging school clubs and activities offer primary school pupils a chance to enjoy themselves after school. A wide range of activities are organised at schools, sports centres, sports facilities and online.  

During the 2025–2026 academic year, the programme reached over 1,300 children and young people in Tuusula. A total of 47 year-round activities and 55 clubs of varying durations were on offer.  

Participants and parents have had the opportunity to provide feedback on the past term. The pupils felt that the activities were enjoyable and the clubs were interesting. They also learnt a lot of new things. The instructors have also received praise. Parents have been delighted that the activities are free of charge and that their children have the opportunity to spend time on hobbies or in clubs after school. The pupils’ accounts of their projects and work have reached their homes. 

Putting children and young people’s wishes at the heart of our work

The aim of these diverse activities is to promote pupils’ well-being and provide them with accessible opportunities to experience inclusion and equality. Accessible leisure opportunities are a goal chosen by the children and young people themselves as part of the action plan for Tuusula’s Child-Friendly Municipality initiative.  

– “The most important things for those taking part in our leisure and club activities are their friends, doing things together and a sense of community,” says Head of Education Leena Lakovaara. 

The range of leisure and club activities on offer is based largely on the wishes of the children and young people themselves, who are asked for their views each school year.  

– We are delighted that this spring, Tuusula’s new ‘hobby groups’ – pupils who act as peer supporters for their fellow pupils in finding suitable hobbies – have also helped us gather suggestions, says project coordinator Tiina Laine.   

Pupils in Years 1–3 are keen on physical education, ball games, baking and spending time with animals, while the older pupils in Years 4–6 are keen on digital clubs, such as coding, robotics and computer games, as well as playing floorball; however, like the younger children, animals are also close to their hearts. Upper school pupils hope to spend time working out at the local sports hall, as well as playing floorball and other ball and racket sports.  

When planning for the coming autumn, we will also take into account the wishes expressed during the ideas phase of the participatory budgeting process for children and young people (osbu). There are many exciting opportunities on the horizon through school clubs and extracurricular activities, even though not all club proposals will proceed to implementation via PB based on the voting results. 

The evolving range of activities encourages people to take up a new hobby 

The 2026–2027 academic year promises a diverse and ever-evolving range of leisure and club activities. The aim is for every child and young person to find something that suits them. 

– The programme for the coming autumn will be published after the summer holidays. After a refreshing summer, keep an eye on Wilma for updates on when registration opens. The activities themselves will start in early September, says Laine. 

There will also be opportunities to find out about different sports and leisure organisations at the third Tuusula Leisure Fair, to be held at Riihikallio School in August.  

– The celebrations will take place in conjunction with the ‘Everyone Plays Everyone’ game session on 25 August 2026, under the theme ‘Leisure activities are for everyone’. The theme conveys to children and young people that there is a place for everyone to take part in hobbies and that everyone is welcome to join in. Keep an eye out for event updates after the summer holidays, or grab a member of your school’s sports club by the sleeve straight after the holidays and ask them for tips, encourages Laine.  

At its meeting on 9 June 2026, the Tuusula Education and Culture Committee heard a progress report on the past term and future plans.
 
 – Extracurricular and club activities in schools are a significant part of our work to promote well-being: they strengthen children’s and young people’s sense of inclusion, community spirit and equal opportunities to find meaningful activities to do during the school day. In Tuusula, these activities are developed with great care, listening to the wishes of children and young people themselves, which is reflected in a high-quality and accessible range of activities. “This is how we ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience success and feel part of the group,” says Marianne Liimatainen, Head of Education.

Further information:
Head of Teaching Leena Lakovaara, leena.lakovaara@tuusula.fi(opens in a new window), 040 314 3410
Project Coordinator Tiina Laine, tiina.laine@tuusula.fi(opens in a new window), 040 314 3494 

This content has been translated using AI