Finnish Childrens attractions in Valkeakoski, Finland
Apia Swimming Beach and Adventure Park Finnish Childrens Attractions
Location: Valkeakoski,Finland : Street name: Apiankatu 17
One of the first Finnish childrens attractions we visit in the summer is in Valkeakoski.
Take your kids to the Apia Swimming Beach and Adventure Park after shopping at the Ideapark Shopping Center. -a big mall with little shops in Finland
Ideapark Shopping Center is 20 kilometers from the Apia swimming beach--about a twenty minute drive.What to expect: A 50 meter long beach
- A freshly (2002) rebuilt sauna with locker rooms, toilets, kiosk(food)
- A diving tower and a slide.
- During the summer, staff is on-duty to supervise.
- The beachfront sauna is open June 1-August 31 Tuesdays and Thursdays 4 pm to 7.30 pm, 1 euro fee.(cheap)
- Organized winter swimming.
- A house for indoor children's activities.
- An open theater
- Walking paths with open fire place for grilling. Call: +358 40 335 6813 for more details.
Admittance is free. Walk around and enjoy the lakeside view while your children play.
We all went adventuring and Tomi went swimming in the lagoon.
Visit the Apia swimming beach in Valkeakoski with your family, for an afternoon. Tomi 7, Rosa 5 and Anu's children went. People were playing beach volleyball. We enjoyed the sun along a 50 meter long beach front.
Finnish childrens attractions -The fortress
The fortress and play area keep the kids busy for hours. It is built of large long wooden cants and big enough for adults to walk through. Walk up the fortresses stairs and in one room you feel like you are being held captive. Rosa and Pinja are already captured.Help! We're being held captive behind bars! View the outside fortress from inside (right).
Rosa loves slides!
Swings are engineered to EU standards!
Meanwhile Tomi and Toni swing their hearts out. Chains connect the sturdy solid seats to the upper crossbar supporting the kids as they swing. Steel metal hoops are used as fasteners.
Once I have seen up to six larger kids on one Finnish swing.
Premium safety standards... as seen at most playgrounds at Finnish childrens attractions.
More Finnish childrens attractions -The Incredible Water Machine.
The kids jump off the swings and run on to play with the water machine.
The mechanics: First you pump water into the first level.(table) When it overflows, the water runs down the yellow table flowing into the grooves and onto the lower table. The girl is scooping water into the bucket. A boy (with the green and blue striped shirt) hand outstretched appears on the right. That boy pulls up the bucket via the 'bucket chain elevator.' (a half-hour children's attraction). Behind is another red pipe where sand and water get stuffed down into it.Take a look at the kid on the right and his left hand!...
In the meantime Anu and the rest of us including myself watch some live animals close by. More Finnish childrens attractions. This is a picture of one of the many birds you can see.
After snapping the above shot we look over our shoulder near a lake. Written on the box: "Firewood!" Already cut and split to size! Valkeakoski "Seikkailupuisto" Adventure Park is for kids and adults. Why not go there if you want to just get away to the beach and have a cook-out over an open fire. Of course you can use that wood! Use this between 10 am-6 pm.
Near those boats (to the right) the orange roof of Hotel Waltikka
We keep walking along the lakeside...
The little island...hidden behind the birch branches.
Entering an 'off-the-beaten-track path' leading us around the small island of the Apia National Park(Apian Kansainpuisto).
Places you can sit around an open fire. Roast some hot dogs, fish, or a Finnish hog!
Walking around the island and back to the beach area close to the waterfront. Tomi rides the kids pulley 10-15 meters in length.
...Tomi close up...warm sand under the feet...a beautiful Finnish beach day!
If it rains a bit...no worries! Indoors there are plenty of Finnish childrens attractions for little hands.Among them: Painting, drawing, jumping in the "Dalmatian" Jumping Castle(Pomppalinna). On to more Finnish childrens attractions
In the same day why not visit the Traffic Park in Valkeakoski. One kilometer walk from hotel Waltikka.
Riding pedalled mini-cars at Children Traffic Parks in Finland are among some of the more popular Finnish children's attractions. Riding the children's size cars are usually free-of-charge.
A rainy day is a good time to visit the Valkeakoski Children's Traffic Parks as fewer children will be there.
Do not worry, summer rains in Finland are usually gentle. Just take a raincoat and boots with you. The kids love it. Driving around the track over and over again can take an hour an half.
The Valkeakoski Traffic Park , Tallikatu 2 Valkeakoski
Finnish childrens attractions for smaller kids who would rather not ride...this park has a bucket style swing set to ride...perfect for five year old, Rosa.
No worries! Most Traffic Parks in Finland have swingsets and other playground attractions for 3 to 5 year olds.
Four wheels, seats, steering wheel. You can even ride bicycles around the tracks.
The sizes of cars vary. Some are built for smaller children and others for those taller. They actually let me test drive one. I am 5' 7" and weigh 67 kilos. My legs hit my chin a bit. Ughh!
All the kids are encouraged to observe the traffic rules and traffic signs. Lights are controlled from inside the storage garage area. Traffic lights are independent, and turn red or green randomly.
Rosa is waiting at a red 'stop' light.
....and goooo. Now it is green and off she pedals...
...following the light signal.
Tomi, Toni, and Vesa race by me and Rosa is in the backround at the far end of the track. click to see her...squint..she is there.This is a long track. The distance here between Tomi ahead, at the far side of the track.
The pedals are bike pedals. The frames are strong, made of tube-steel. A chain is connected from the pedals to a rear axles sprocket and transfers the power between leg motion and the rear tires. That is how the little feet give motion to the mini-car. You can go forward or reverse, and travel as fast as you can pedal. The steering is tight so any quick turning movement sends you turning sharply, even at low speeds. There are no shock absorbers in the cars. The tires are small bicycle tires. The inflated tires absorb the bumps sufficiently.
Tomi and Vesa liked "Popping Wheelies" the most. Possible to do when there is less traffic on the track.
If your child is begging to drive a car, but you just cannot give up your car keys to your five year old son quite yet. consider taking him to the Kangasala Childrens Traffic Park, where they get their driving licence the same day.
This Finnish childrens attractions has a participation fee, but,well worth it, as your children will not forget the fun!
For the young driver who wants to drive ahead of his peers, Kangasala old Car Museum 'Mobilia' is the place for 4 to 12 year-olders. Learn real traffic and pedestrian rules. Children get to drive normal cars and trucks.
Location of other popular "Free of Charge" Childrens Traffic Parks in Finland:
Located near the Viitaniemi School Eeronkatu 12, Jyväskylä
HelsinkiLasten Liikennekaupunki,
Nordenskiöldinkatu 18,
Helsinki.
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