Lapland is THE destination for the ultimate family Christmas. During our 5 years of nomadic travel Rovaniemi, Finland was the most northern point of our travels. Most people coming for a Lapland with kids vacation spend hours sifting through the numerous attractions, trying to narrow down the selection. But we wanted to do them all!

In the end, the experiences I chose for our short 3-night stay in Lapland were amongst the most exhilarating and entertaining experiences we’ve had in our decades of travel. My kids have never forgotten.

If you are thinking about celebrating one Christmas to top all Christmases then here are the top 8 things you should do in Rovaniemi, Finland, Lapland with kids.

Family Husky Sledding

I have always wanted to do this and when I found that Lapland Safaris offered a family-friendly version, we were so excited. This tour company is really polished, they have thought of everything, including high-quality cold-weather gear.

Siberian huskies love nothing more than a vigorous dash through the snowy forest, and they seemed more than excited to pull the kids and me along for the ride. You can read more about our husky adventure here.

Northern Lights By Snowmobile

It has always been my daughter’s dream to see the Northern Lights. And when I found out we could do it by snowmobile, I was sold. Lapland Safaris again came to the party with warm outfits, a helpful guide and a bus ride out to the middle of the cold winter wonderland where all the vehicles were waiting. The kids got loaded into a large sleigh pulled by a friendly staff member riding a snowmobile, while I roared across the white frozen landscape in the afternoon darkness of Lapland. Did we find the lights? Read on here.

Learn Elf Culture

Hidden away in a snowy enchanted forest is a quaint elf village making the perfect Lapland with kids activity. A shuttle collected us from our hotel into this magical setting. It’s here the elves taught us everything they knew – how to peek through windows, tiptoeing through houses, decorating gingerbread cookies, baking traditional Finnish desserts, crafting Christmas decorations, and searching the winter wonderland forest for the perfect Christmas tree to decorate. Read more about our Traditions of Christmas experience here.

Visit the Real Santa

Did you know that Rovaniemi is the official home of Santa Claus? And we had a chance to visit him in person at his office. It’s said his actual home is located further north and pretty much inaccessible, however, his office is open to the public and easy to reach. Located nearby is Santa’s post office where you can post a letter anywhere in the world for actually fairly cheap. You will also find that all the letters written to Santa Claus from children across the globe make their way here.

Within the mini-village are reindeer rides, snowmobiles for kids, ice slides and snow mounds. If the outdoor snow is not sufficient you can head over to Snowman’s World. Here we zipped down intense ice slides on inflatable tubes and checked out the ice hotel. If you want more details on our visit to Santa Claus Village, read here.

Cross the Arctic Circle Underground

Not far from Santa’s Holiday Village is Santa Park. This attraction also has it’s own Santa Claus to meet, plus an elf school, gingerbread making workshop and an Angry Bird-themed playground. All of this is toasty warm indoors. Plus, it happens to be the only place in the world you can cross the Arctic Circle underground!

Go on a Reindeer Ride

Lapland is home to over 200,000 reindeers, each with an owner. We took the opportunity to visit one of the reindeer farms and enjoy a reindeer ride through the Finnish forest. After we got to gently pat and fed these beautiful creatures.

On top of all this, we took part in an ancient ceremony inside a cozy Kota (traditional Finnish wooden hut).

Explore Pilke

This kid-friendly science center is located in the middle of Rovaniemi and an easy 10-minute walk from our hotel, Santa Claus Hotel. The kids adored this place as they could touch everything – including a karaoke TV, a giant tractor to climb, guns to virtually shoot moose, drawing, train sets and so much more. They didn’t even realize they were learning about the environment because it was so fun.

View the Northern Lights at the Artkikum

If you miss the Northern Lights on your snowmobile tour you can still see them at the Artkikum. This museum is devoted to aurora borealis and they have an exhibit where you can lie on cushions and watch a short video. It’s very relaxing, you may just fall asleep!

The museum has plenty to touch and also a drawing table so while doing Lapland with kids they will stay amused. The center features life-size stuffed animals: bear, moose, and seals, which are fun and engaging for youngsters.

If you are looking for a truly magical Christmas for your family, your search is over. The charming experiences on offer in Lapland, Finland will be etched vividly in their memories for decades. And undoubtedly your children are never ever going to forget meeting Santa. You are bound to be on their “good list” for many Christmases to come.

Looking for a tour in Finland? Book your tour to Finland with Bookmundi today.

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