Kotilo Friends gather once a month on Sundays to spend joyful time together at Children’s Cultural Center Kotilo. They dive into the world of stories, play, and enjoy fun activities as a group. Would you like to become a Kotilo’s Friend too? Come join a group where friendship and joy go hand in hand!
Friends of Kotilo a series of events for children and families led by Oulu2026 volunteers. The gatherings are held on the fourth floor of Central Library Saari. The events are part of a pilot within the project “Equal Participation Through Volunteering,” coordinated by the Oulu Cultural Foundation. The events are organized once a month until December 2026.
April 19, 1–3 PM
Friendship Knot
Kotilo is full of small and large, colorful beads, jewelry beads, and tiny treasures. Each one is different, each one unique, just like all of Kotilo’s friends. Choose the beads you like the most, thread them onto a string, and create a friendship knots just the way you want it! You can take it home or give it as a gift to a friend at Kotilo. Come create, experiment, and discover your favorite colors. Every bead tells its own little story!
May 17, 1–3 PM
Let’s Play Together!
Wherever you look in Kotilo, you’ll find dice, game pieces, blocks, and puzzles. Tables are filled with games waiting for players.
Friends of Kotilo love playing together. When we play, winning isn’t what matters most, it’s being on the same side of joy and laughter.
Roll the dice, move your piece, and see what happens. Every game is a new adventure where we can imagine, explore, and have fun together!
June 14, 1–3 PM
Summer Circles
Friends of Kotilo like playing together in a circle. In a circle, it’s easy to play and be together. Everyone can see each other, and no one is left out. A circle is the best place for friends. It’s easy to talk, laugh, and enjoy being together.
As Midsummer approaches, we’ll make colorful flower crowns to wear and celebrate the arrival of summer.
We’ll play circle games and even dance together happily. It’s a wonderful way to be together.
July 19, 1–3 PM
Active Summer
An active summer at Kotilo is full of play and fun activities. Everyone knows you can find seashells at the beach, but few know that Friends of Kotilo have their own little beach inside Kotilo. Come and see for yourself! You can build, play, and enjoy summer together with friends.
August 16, 1–3 PM
Back to School!
It’s wonderful to go back to school! Friends of Kotilo are returning and excited to meet old friends and make new ones.
Pens, colored pencils, pencils, erasers, and rulers are also waiting for the school year to begin, ready for new happy tasks and drawings.
Bring your school supplies to Kotilo on Sunday, and we’ll make beautiful and colorful pencil cases for them together!
September 20, 1–3 PM
Colorful Friendship
The colors of friendship are everywhere! Friends of Kotilo like collecting colorful leaves and hanging them back onto trees. Have you tried this before? It’s so much fun! Everyone hangs one leaf for each friend, filling the tree with color and joy. What kind of colorful friendship tree will grow in Kotilo? Come and join us!
October 18, 1–3 PM
Friends’ Kitchen
Friends’ Kitchen is a warm place full of play and imagination. When it gets cold outside, friends gather in the Kotilo’s kitchen.
There, we will learn about healthy eating, and invent our own fun recipes. Everyone can join in and try out their ideas.
Come along! Our kitchen is full of laughter and togetherness.
November 15, 1–3 PM
Friendship lights
It’s getting dark outside, but not in Kotilo. Friends of Kotilo host their very own light fest!
We play with light and shadow, discovering the shapes they can create together. We watch how light changes and how shadows dance on the walls. We’ll also make our own lanterns and experiment with the patterns of light they create. Come join our light festival, it’s full of magic!
December 13, 1–3 PM
Christmas Friends
Christmas is approaching, and Friends of Kotilo gather to enjoy the festive spirit together. We’ll make beautiful Christmas cards to give to friends. It’s fun to craft together and create small, joyful surprises for one another. Come join us! Christmas with Friends of Kotilo is full of joy, laughter, and friendship!
Friends of Kotilo is an event series led by Cultural Companion volunteers. Culture Companion 2026 is an initiative of the “Equal Participation through Volunteering” project, co-funded by the European Union.
