Partnership story: Children's Medicine Day x THL
The Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) was Heureka's partner in the spring 2023 Children's Medicine Day, which was visited by no less than 3107 active visitors. The theme of our event section was children's vaccinations and the diseases they prevent. Its content was planned and implemented in cooperation with Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and the authors of the Children's Vaccination Book .
In Heureka, families with children were able to familiarize themselves with the new edition of the Children's vaccination book made by Anne Nikula and Meri Kankaanranta . The illustrations and content of the information book aimed at children, families and early childhood education and the vaccination-themed songs made for it were used in the action points and musical activities created in our event section.
A large number of families with children visited the nursery, vaccination and aftercare centers of the teddy bear clinic. During the day, more than 550 vaccinations were given to soft toys. We received good feedback that the whole thing was well implemented and that small children were well taken into account. We also received praise for the fact that, despite the large number of people, there was no traffic jam.
With the help of play, music and various coloring and crafting tasks, families with children got to know the poppies and got information about vaccines and the vaccination program. In Soivasa's adventure, an imaginative vaccine was developed while singing and playing. In the Winnie the Pooh vaccination day mini-concert narratives involving the audience, you could also learn new vaccination-themed songs
With carefully and multi-professionally thought out and structured program points, we brought out how the tension and fear possibly related to the vaccination visit can be dispelled with, for example, play and song.
The happy 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 organizing such an event on vaccination for the first time in cooperation with Metropolia students and teachers, writers and Heureka. I feel that we managed to create experiences for the children and that through liaison work we were able to produce exactly the kind of event section and atmosphere that we wanted," says Chief Medical Officer Ulpu Elonsalo from THL.
"Heureka's professionalism in organizing the event was first class. All the arrangements work great. The experience was inspiring, so we are thinking about producing similar event content in the future as well," continues Ulpu.