The school holiday from December 23 to January 5 offers exciting workshops ranging from crafting to cultural programs and winter camps.

Deputy Mayor Aleksei Jašin stated that this year’s holidays, falling midweek, provide an opportunity for extended rest and time with family and loved ones. He also emphasized the importance of mental well-being during the dark season and finding ways to maintain a positive mood. “Adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, and regular physical activity form a strong foundation for well-being. It’s also worth participating in Tallinn’s holiday program, spending time in nature, pursuing enjoyable hobbies, relaxing, and maintaining close relationships with family and friends – all of which help reduce stress, boost mood, and provide developmental opportunities for youth,” said Jašin.

At Tallinn Zoo, visitors can view Heiko Kruusi’s photo exhibition “Too Many Elephants?” highlighting the lives of endangered elephants and other savanna animals. In addition, from Christmas to the end of the year, visitors can watch the feeding of spectacled bears, Senegal bush babies, grey seals, meerkats, Amur tigers, and others.

At Tallinn libraries, children and teens under 18 can enjoy cozy reading corners, book clubs, crafting sessions, board game meetups, and Estonian language circles. At Nõmme Library, participants can solve winter-themed puzzles and play board games. At Laagna Library, visitors can craft holiday cards and bird feeders. At Nurmenuku Library, children aged 5–7 can participate in reading games on December 28. At Kalamaja Library, children aged 7–16 can create wooden mosaics on December 28.

The Nukuteatrimuuseum invites children aged 3–6 to “Alice and the Museum Wonderland” on January 4–5. Participants will meet various literary characters, decorate the Queen of Hearts’ rose garden, cook snowball soup, and play croquet. The game concludes with a tea party with the March Hare and the Mad Hatter, where participants can craft their favorite Wonderland characters.

At Kadriorg Art Museum, children aged 4–14 can craft gift boxes and window decorations, learn about the traditions of depicting Christmas in Europe through the centuries, and take part in a playful Christmas story tour.

At Põhja-Tallinn Youth Center, an anime club will take place on December 27 for youth aged 7–26 to watch anime and share their interest in anime culture. On December 30, the group will visit Kalev Spa Water Park for a fun day out. At Valdeku Youth Center, participants will learn to play board games from December 30 to January 3 and help create a mural with international volunteers.

Free Flow Studio offers dance and vocal classes for children aged 5 and older during the first week of January. Dance styles include hip-hop, vogue, jazz-funk, heels, k-pop, breakdancing, and ballet. Singing and instrumental lessons are also available. The Estonian Dance Agency will host “Winter Intensive” on January 3–4, which includes creative labs, workshops, and evening events for dancers aged 7 and older.

Koit Dance School’s acrobatics and trick school on January 2–3 will teach children aged 6–14 new skills at beginner and advanced levels. Happy Classes Steam will run a snowboarding and engineering camp in Viimsi on January 2–3 for children aged 7–11. On the same dates, Happy Days Travel offers a winter camp at Nelijärve for children aged 7–13, featuring activities like hiking, skating, and sledding. On January 3, the Estonian Museum of Natural History will host a day camp for 1st–4th graders to explore how forest animals survive winter, where migratory birds go, and what food local birds eat in winter.

The full program and information for registration (in Estonian language) can be found here.