Höstlov, the autumn school break, falls in week 44 in Stockholm, and the best way to plan it is by weather, not by day. Five ideas for dry days: the forest, Skansen, conker hunting, playgrounds and a boat trip. Five for rain: museums, the swimming pool, the library, crafts and Halloween at home. Decide in the morning, not the Sunday before, and do one thing a day.
Monday morning of week 44, eight o'clock, seven degrees and drizzle. The six-year-old has the whole break ahead of her, the three-year-old has förskola (municipal preschool, from age one) but doesn't want to go when big sister is at home, and you have taken three days off that you don't quite know what to do with. This is the list for that week, built so that you look out of the window and choose.
Dry weather: five things to do outdoors
- The forest with a mission. Judarskogen, Hellasgården or the nearest patch of woods. Bring a bag and hunt for pine cones, conkers and the prettiest leaves. They become crafts on the rainy day. See our guide to Nature reserves in Stockholm with kids.
- Skansen in autumn colours. The animals are active in the cold, it is quiet and there is often a höstlov programme. Check current times on their website.
- Conker hunting in town. Horse chestnuts can be found in many parks and on inner-city streets in October. A three-year-old can keep going for an hour.
- A new playground. Travel to a part of town you have never been to and find the playground there. See our guide to Parks in Stockholm with great playgrounds.
- The Djurgården ferry there and back. Short, windy and exciting. Fika on the other side and home again.
Rain: five things to do indoors
- A museum with a höstlov programme. Tekniska museet, Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Nordiska museet and the Vasa Museum often run special activities during the break. Check their websites and arrive at opening time.
- The swimming pool. The safest bet of the week. Two hours, then a child who is asleep by seven.
- The library. Holiday crafts, story time and a pile of new books. Free and calm.
- Crafts with what you found in the forest. Pine cone people, leaf prints, conker animals. See our guide to Nature crafts for kids.
- Halloween at home. A pumpkin, a costume, ghost stories and a little party with the neighbours' children. See our guides to Halloween costumes for kids and Halloween crafts for kids.
The forest in October: what to look for
The October forest is full of things children want to take home: pine cones in different sizes, acorns, conkers, red and yellow leaves, pieces of birch bark lying on the ground and good sticks. Give each child their own bag and a mission, and they walk further and squabble less. Mushrooms you look at but don't pick, unless you know them for certain. Rowan berries and rosehips can come home for crafts, but be clear with a three-year-old that we don't eat anything from the forest without asking. At home everything dries on newspaper for a couple of days before it becomes anything. That is the material Wednesday's crafts are built on.
Darkness, cold and clothes that keep your child going
At the end of October it is dusk by four o'clock and often around five degrees in the morning. What your child needs is one layer more than you think: wool next to the skin, fleece, waterproofs or padded trousers on top, boots with thick socks and gloves even when it doesn't feel cold. A child with cold feet wants to go home after twenty minutes however much fun the forest is. Bring a thermos of warm squash and something to sit on, and do the outdoor things in the morning while it is light. The afternoon is for crafts, baths and books.
Which day for what?
| Day | If it is dry | If it rains |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | The forest, collecting materials | The swimming pool |
| Tuesday | Skansen | A museum at opening time |
| Wednesday | No plan, a playground near home | Crafts with the forest finds, the library |
| Thursday | Conker hunting and fika | Halloween preparations at home |
| Friday | The ferry, Halloween in the evening | Halloween indoors with the neighbours' children |
Halloween: just enough for small children
Halloween has become big in Stockholm, and it is fun for children from about four. Younger children are often frightened, by costumes and by the dark. Keep it in proportion: a pumpkin to carve together, a costume that is fun rather than scary, and trick or treating only at neighbours you know who have said yes. See our guide to Halloween games for kids if you want to put on a little party.
What makes höstlov hard work, and how to avoid it
- Too many plans. Five days is enough for three things. The rest is play at home, and that is not wasted.
- One sibling at home, one at förskola. In the three-year-old's eyes that is unfair. Take a day when both are off and do something for the younger one.
- Waiting for good weather. It isn't coming. Waterproofs, boots and out anyway; half an hour is enough.
- The dark. It is dusk by four at the end of October. Do outdoor things in the morning and indoor things after lunch.
- Working from home with your child beside you. It rarely works. A nanny who takes the morning gives you four hours and your child an outing.
How we do it with our families
Esther has a family in Bromma with a six-year-old and a three-year-old, and last höstlov she took three mornings. On Monday they went to Judarskogen with a bag each and came home with pine cones, conkers and a good deal of mud. Tuesday was rained off at the library. Wednesday was pine cone people and leaf prints at the kitchen table, and the note to the parents said where the crafts were drying and that the three-year-old had decided all the pine cone people are called Sven. The same nanny three days in a row meant the project held together from forest to kitchen table.
Our nannies are out and about with children in Stockholm every week: parks, libraries, swimming pools and playgrounds. Would you like someone to take the afternoons? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your home.
Read more: Halloween crafts for kids · Nature crafts for kids · Rainy days in Stockholm with kids · FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When is the autumn break in Stockholm?
Week 44 for most schools in Stockholm county, which means the last week of October and the start of November. It coincides with Halloween, which explains why half the break is about pumpkins and ghosts. Förskola is open as usual all week.
What do you do over höstlov when it rains every day?
The museums have holiday programmes, the swimming pools are open, the libraries run crafts. And the forest is lovely even in rain with the right clothes. Alternate indoors and outdoors, one thing a day, and have a craft day at home when nobody can face going anywhere. What you collected in the forest on Monday becomes Wednesday's crafts.
How much does höstlov cost?
Almost nothing if you want. The forest, the library, the playground, crafts with natural materials and Halloween preparations at home are free. Museums and the swimming pool cost a little. The expensive things are the indoor play centres and the big attractions, and they are not needed for a good break.
Is the autumn break too short to plan?
No, but it is too short for a trip away. Five weekdays are enough for two outings, a craft day, a Halloween celebration and a day with no plan. More than that creates stress, not memories. Write down the three things and let the rest be.
What do we do with a förskola child over höstlov?
Förskola is open, so nothing special unless you want to. But if you have a school-age child at home it feels unfair, so do take a day when both are off and do something that suits the younger one: the forest, Skansen, a craft day.