Partnership stories:

Children’s Day of Medicine collaboration:
National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)

In the spring of 2023, THL partnered with Heureka for the Children’s Day of Medicine, which attracted 3,107 active visitors. The theme of our section at the event was children’s vaccinations and the diseases they can prevent. Our content was planned and implemented in cooperation with Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and the authors of Lasten rokotuskirja, a book about children’s vaccinations. 

In Heureka, families with children were able to get acquainted with the new edition of Lasten rokotuskirja, a book about children’s vaccinations by Anne Nikula and Meri Kankaanranta. The illustrations, content and vaccine-themed songs from the non-fiction book aimed at children, families and providers of early education were utilised at the activity points and musical activities created for our section. 

A large number of families with children visited hug therapy, vaccination and aftercare points at our teddy clinic. During the day, cuddly toys were given more than 550 vaccinations. We received positive feedback about the whole section being well implemented and attentive to small children. Visitors were also pleased that there were no queues despite the large number of people.

Through play, music and various colouring and activity tasks, families with children could learn about germs, vaccines and the vaccination programme. An imaginary vaccine was developed as part of a musical adventure with songs and play. Teddy’s vaccination day mini-concert stories also gave the visitors an opportunity to learn new vaccine-related songs.

At our programme points, which were carefully thought out and implemented through multi-professional cooperation, we highlighted how it is possible to use play and songs to alleviate any worries and fears that may be associated with vaccinations.

The cheerful and easy-to-learn songs from the children’s vaccination book are freely available to everyone. The songs can be found on the website of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences: metropolia.fi/lasten-rokotuskirja-musiikki.

It was nice and rewarding to be involved in organising such a vaccination-themed event for the first time in collaboration with students and teachers from Metropolia, the authors and Heureka. I feel that we succeeded in creating good experiences for children. The collaboration allowed us to create exactly the kind of event section and atmosphere we had aimed for.

Heureka’s professionalism in organising the event was first-class. All the arrangements worked beautifully. The experience was inspiring, and we are thinking about producing similar event content in the future. 

Chief Physician Ulpu Elonsalo, THL