When the school year starts, it’s not just about new schedules or classmates. For the lucky ones, it’s also the beginning of a new hobby or the continuation of one they already enjoy.
Starting hobbies early, especially group-based ones, can help kids feel like they belong. Regular participation in organized leisure activities can boost children’s overall well-being and foster their social connections. Everyone knows this, yet there are increasing barriers to getting every kid to participate in a meaningful hobby.
In the past, hobbies were often cheap and casual, but today, many have become more expensive, competitive, and out of reach for many families. At the same time, a lot of kids now spend their after-school time online, which means less face-to-face time with friends.
Having real-life interactions is still important for kids, especially when it comes to developing social skills. Free-time hobbies could help fill that gap. The big question is, though, does every kid have the opportunity to participate in hobbies?
What if the hobbies were free and take place during or afterschool?
In many municipalities across Finland, free hobby groups are offered during or directly after the school day to ensure that every kid can have a hobby they like. This initiative is part of the Ministry of Education and Culture's “Finnish model of leisure activities”, which receives around €14 million in annual funding.
The hobby options are based on what kids in that area are interested in, and they vary from town to town. You might see options like cooking clubs, ice hockey, parkour, or pottery, depending on where you live. These hobbies not only give kids fun things to do in the afternoons but also make life easier for families.
The idea is to give all kids, at least in theory, an equal shot at taking part in a hobby. But who actually attends these groups? And what impact do they have on the kids’ well-being?
Looking into the impact of free-of-charge leisure activities
During the 2024–2025 school year, several municipalities will be collecting data from the parents of kids participating in these hobbies. We will ask, for example, whether the kids have the chance to join other hobbies – perhaps due to where they live or their family’s financial situation. We will also gather data on how these hobbies affect the children’s well-being and sense of belonging within the group.
Our goal is to find out how accessible these hobbies are and what’s their impact. About 20 different towns, big and small, from across Finland will be part of this study. During the school year, we will send a few short surveys to parents, which they can fill out on their own or together with their kids.
The surveys will be conducted using technology developed by the We Foundation, designed to measure the impact of hobbies and participation rates. The results will be statistical data, ensuring the anonymity of individual children and their parents.
Responding has been made as easy as possible – data will be collected after kids have been registered to hobby groups and again after the school term. Using We Foundation’s technology is simple, safe, and follows strict privacy rules. Participation in the surveys is voluntary. Those who complete all the surveys will be entered into a draw for family-friendly prizes.
Contact us if you would like more information about the study: partners(at)mesaatio.fi
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