Höstlov 2026 in Sweden: Best Things to Do with Kids

Höstlov is coming. Search for things to do with kids in Sweden and it can quickly feel as though you need to book a theme park, buy tickets to three museums and plan every hour of the week.

You really do not. A good school holiday does not have to cost anything. Children may simply want more time with you, more time with friends and a few mornings when nobody is rushing from breakfast to school, activities and bedtime.

For municipal compulsory schools in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, Höstlov 2026 falls in week 44, Monday 26 to Friday 30 October.*11,*12,*13 Independent schools and individual schools can use different dates, so check your own calendar before booking.

01You do not actually have to go anywhere

You can make an ordinary afternoon feel special with things you already have. Draw, build, bake, read, make up a game or turn the living room into a den. If your children enjoy Halloween, paper decorations or a homemade treasure hunt can be one optional part of the week rather than its whole theme.

• Paint leaves, make paper animals or build with recycled cardboard.
• Create a treasure hunt with clues around the home.
• Bake cinnamon buns or biscuits together.
• Invite a couple of friends for games, drawing or a mini disco.
• Have a film afternoon with popcorn and blankets.
• Build a blanket fort.
• Open a pretend restaurant and let the children design the menu.

Höstlov can also mean inviting a friend for lunch, visiting grandparents, trying a playground in another neighbourhood or allowing an afternoon with nothing scheduled.

02A simple Höstlov formula

That is already a holiday. A paid activity is an option, not a requirement.

03Free things to do beyond your front door

A library card is enough for a whole afternoon. Go in, let each child choose the books and stay as long as you like. Walk or cycle to a playground you have not tried before. Collect colourful leaves and pinecones, make nature bingo, look for animal tracks or meet another family for a packed lunch.

Many libraries, cultural centres, sports associations and municipalities publish free school-holiday activities closer to week 44. Check your municipality's event calendar and the local library — there is usually more happening nearby than you expect.

A friend in your kitchen, baking with whatever is in the cupboard and a morning in pyjamas are not a weaker version of a holiday. They are a holiday.

04Take fika outdoors

Sweden makes a low-cost outdoor day unusually easy. Choose a marked trail, nature reserve or nearby forest, pack warm drinks and sandwiches, and let the walk take as long as it takes.

Sometimes the day children remember is not the expensive attraction. It is the day they drank hot chocolate, jumped into leaves and stayed in their pyjamas until lunch.

05If you choose one bigger day out

The following attractions are optional extras, not a Höstlov checklist. They have published autumn or Halloween information for 2026. Opening days, programme details, capacity and prices can still change, so check the attraction's own calendar before travelling.

Kolmården — a full-day adventure

Kolmården's Halloween season runs from 3 October to 8 November 2026.*1 It combines family-friendly autumn experiences with scarier zones. Bamse's World remains ghost-free, which makes the park easier to navigate with siblings of different ages.

Best for: A full-day trip and families balancing younger children with older thrill-seekers.

Astrid Lindgrens Värld — a storybook autumn day

The park's Höstlov programme brings lanterns, fire baskets, performances and a traditional autumn market to the story environments.*2 It suits children who already know Pippi, Emil, Ronja or Madicken, and can work well as a small overnight trip.

Best for: Younger children and primary-school families who love Astrid Lindgren's stories.

Liseberg — rides and Halloween

Liseberg's main Halloween season runs from 2 October to 1 November 2026.*3 The park separates gentler family experiences from its more intense horror environments, and individual horror attractions can have age limits.

Best for: School-age children, teenagers and families wanting a proper theme-park day.

Universeum — a dependable rainy-day plan

Universeum combines its rainforest, aquarium, science areas and Wisdome with seasonal activities during the autumn break.*4 Check the daily programme and opening hours for your date before going.

Best for: Curious children and the kind of Gothenburg rain that arrives sideways.

Skansen — family-friendly Halloween in Stockholm

Skansen's Höstlov programme runs from 24 October to 1 November 2026. Its Halloween evenings take place on 24 and 28–31 October from 15:00 to 19:00, with trick-or-treating, a pumpkin disco, shows and gently spooky experiences.*5 Children aged 0–15 have free admission, although a free child ticket is needed when pre-booking.*5

Best for: Younger children and families wanting Halloween without a full horror-film atmosphere.

Gröna Lund — for more rides and scares

Halloween at Gröna Lund begins on 9 October 2026.*6 The smaller area is designed to be more family-friendly, while the main area includes scarier environments and horror houses. Check the current age guidance before choosing attractions.

Best for: School-age children and teenagers who care more about rides and scares than quiet autumn walks.

Furuvik — animals, rides and Halloween

Furuvik's Halloween season opens on selected days from 10 October 2026, combining animals, rides and seasonal entertainment.*7 Its separate Horror Nights are aimed at older visitors; follow the park's current age recommendation when booking.

Best for: Families around Gävle and central Sweden, especially those with mixed-age siblings.

Skånes Djurpark — Halloween in the forest

Skånes Djurpark runs autumn activities during selected periods including week 44, alongside Nordic animals and Shaun the Sheep Land.*8

Best for: Families in southern Sweden who prefer animals, forest paths and outdoor adventures. This is also the day to check whether last year's rain trousers still fit.

Tom Tits Experiment — hands-on science

Tom Tits in Södertälje has more than 400 experiments. Its Höstlov programme adds seasonal activities to the indoor exhibits and outdoor experiment park.*9 School holidays are busy, so booking ahead is sensible.

Best for: Curious primary-school children and uncertain-weather days.

Malmö museum — an easy indoor choice in the south

During Malmö's school holidays, Malmö museum is open seven days a week. The museum spans Malmöhus Castle, the aquarium and Teknikens och sjöfartens hus, so children with different interests can each find something.*10 Check the calendar closer to your visit for the final Höstlov activity programme.

Best for: Rainy days and families who want several kinds of museum in one visit.

06Which Höstlov activity fits your family?

The best Höstlov is not necessarily the busiest

School holidays can create a strange pressure to make memories: book this, visit that, do not waste the week. But children do not need five extraordinary days.

Maybe you choose Kolmården this year. Maybe you bake and invite two friends over. Maybe you walk into the forest with sandwiches. Maybe everyone stays in pyjamas until 14:00.

All of those can be a good Höstlov. The point is not how many places you managed to visit or how full the week was. It is having a little more time together.

Sources

1. 1Kolmården: Halloween Official 2026 dates and information about family and horror experiences.
2. 2Astrid Lindgrens Värld: Höstlovsöppet Official autumn-break programme and visitor information.
3. 3Liseberg: Halloween in Liseberg Park Official 2026 Halloween information.
4. 4Universeum: Opening hours Current opening information and links to the daily programme.
5. 5Skansen: Höstlov Official dates, activities and child-admission information.
6. 6Gröna Lund: Halloween Official visitor information for Halloween 2026.
7. 7Furuvik: Halloween Official Halloween visitor information.
8. 8Skånes Djurpark: Autumn Official autumn programme and opening calendar.
9. 9Tom Tits Experiment: Höstlov Official school-holiday programme and visitor information.
10. 10Malmö stad: Malmö museum opening hours and admission Official holiday opening information.
11. 11Stockholms stad: School terms and holidays Official dates for municipal compulsory schools.
12. 12Göteborgs Stad: School-year dates Official dates for municipal compulsory schools.
13. 13Malmö stad: School-year dates and holidays Official dates for municipal compulsory schools.