After-school activities

After-school activities in basic education are intended for 1st- and 2nd-graders and pupils requiring special support. Priority is given to 1st-graders and pupils requiring special support. If there are more applications for a location than there are places available, a draw will be used to choose between applications with equal priority.

1st- and 2nd-graders who apply during the application period will be offered a place in after-school activities. If no place is available at your chosen location, your child will be offered a place in another location in your area.

If your child does not get a place in your chosen group, we will try to find a suitable place for the child in other locations in the area.

If you receive a negative decision, please do not submit a new application. Duplicate applications cause additional work and slow down the processing of applications. You will be contacted if a place becomes available. We do not answer status enquiries during the process. 

When places become available, priority is given to 1st-graders and pupils requiring special support. If there are more applications than there are places, a draw will be used to choose between applications with equal priority.

Places in after-school activities cannot be changed. You can terminate the place and submit a new application. Applications will be processed according to the application criteria, taking into account the places available in the area. We cannot guarantee whether a new place will be available.

Talk to the organiser of the activity. You do not need to send a new application. 

Please note that some places close at 4 pm. Also keep in mind that there is a one-month transition period when changing the activity time. 

Changing the activity time will affect the monthly fee.

After-school activities follow the school term dates and holidays. During school holidays, which are the autumn break, Christmas holiday and winter break, we do not organise after-school activities in accordance with the Basic Education Act.

If you need changes in the time of the activities, you can agree on these directly with the after-school activity organisers. 

During school holidays, schoolchildren can participate in playgrounds' open activities or other children's recreational activities organised by the city.

Explore the playgrounds' open activities

Learn more about recreational activities for children(Link leads to external service)

After-school activities offer guided, fun activities in a safe environment. The activities include playing and spending time with friends, outdoor activities and exercise, as well as small excursions to the surrounding area.

The organisers will define the more detailed contents of the activities and possible special emphases based on their own strengths and practical possibilities.

Children in after-school activities are covered by the City of Helsinki’s collective accident insurance. The insurance covers medical care costs within the scope of public health care.

When you receive a decision on a place in after-school activities in the summer and want to cancel the place, do so in writing before the beginning of the school year. Find a cancellation form enclosed in the decision letter. Send the cancellation form to Education Division, After-school activities, P.O. Box 51300, 00099 City of Helsinki.

You can also cancel the place by notifying us by email at iltapaivatoiminta@hel.fi (clicking the link opens your default email software)(Link opens default mail program). Include the child's full name, date of birth and details of the after-school activity location in your email.

If you apply and receive a decision after the actual application period, cancel the place within two weeks of receiving the decision. After this, cancellation will be treated as termination with a period of notice of one calendar month.

The place must be terminated in writing at least one full calendar month before the start of the change. For example, if you terminate the place on 6 October, the termination will take effect on 1 December. In this case, the customer fee will be charged for October and November.

When you want to terminate a place, email us at iltapaivatoiminta@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program). Include the child’s full name, date of birth, details of the after-school activity location and from what date onwards you wish to terminate the place in the email.

Alternatively, you can fill out the termination form(Link leads to external service), print it out and post it to Education Division, After-school activities, PO Box 58300, 00099 City of Helsinki. 
You can also deliver it to our letter box at Työpajankatu 8, 00580 Helsinki.