Finnish museum documents fifth graders’ favourite toys and games

A Finnish museum is preserving the play culture of today’s children by collecting fifth graders’ favourite toys and games for a national heritage archive, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

At Porvoo Central School, pupils brought items like stress balls, Twister mats, and miniature cars to class—normally forbidden under school rules—as part of a documentation project led by Museo Leikki (Museum of Play) in Espoo. The initiative aims to capture contemporary play culture for future generations.

“I’m donating these to the museum because I really liked these Barbies when I was little,” said Minka Tolonen, who brought a small plastic play horse and Elsa-themed dolls. “Now others can enjoy them.” Classmate Elle Kouki contributed a play food set she had used for years, though she now prefers stress balls. Linnea Kalevala brought a lynx plush toy that had accompanied her on trips, while Aapi Oras packed around 100 miniature cars, a gift from relatives. “They’re easy to keep nearby and fun to play with,” he explained.

The collection follows a two-step process: museum staff first interview children about their favourite toys, then organise a “play week” where pupils document their own games. According to project researcher Valtteri Korva, the effort continues a century-old tradition—Finnish schoolchildren first recorded play culture in a 1926 competition organised by educator Toivo E. Okkola.

While some games, like kirkonrotta (a tag variant) and kahden tulen välissä (a chasing game), remain familiar across generations, many fifth graders now favour football, ball games, or mobile apps. “We play a lot,” said Elle Kouki of schoolyard activities. Others, like Isak Marttinen, mix traditional and modern play, swapping chess for “anti-chess”—a reversed-version of the game.

Only five classes nationwide were selected for this year’s project. “We’re preserving data on today’s favourite toys and games for future research,” said Anna Salonen, a curator at Museo Leikki.