Peek into Espoo routes invite families for an adventure
The routes have been designed for children under 7 and their families. They are a happy combination of exercise, book tips and stories, set in different areas of Espoo.
The routes on the Seppo.io gaming platform can be played in Finnish, Swedish or English. Game description, instructions and the game codes are at urbanespoo.fi. The routes were created in co-operation with Espoo City Library, Espoo Early Childhood Education, Espoo City Cultural Unit and Espoo City Events.
The routes will cover all Espoo regional centres. On the Central Espoo route you’ll dive into history, in Matinkylä you’ll enjoy the sea. In Leppävaara, the themes are exercise and animals. The Tapiola route takes you around different cultural attractions, the Espoonlahti route focuses on hobbies and the North Espoo route introduces you to local nature. The routes range between 1-4 km in length and can be walked or cycled.
Each task includes a story task, an activity task and book tips. The story task can be shared with orally or sent on as a text or a recording on the game platform. Recordings with permissions are used anonymously in a communal art piece gathered from the story routes.
-We hope that the routes encourage families to get outside together, to share and read stories and to find new locations in their hometown. We are especially excited about the stories shared with us in the game, says Tuuli Aaltio, Espoo library pedagogue coordinating the routes.
The story routes are based on the colourful Peek into Espoo picture book by Carlos Da Cruz. The game scenes are illustrations from the book.
The routes are based on a picture book which is handed out to all four-year-olds in Espoo
The book, illustrated by Carlos Da Cruz, has no text. The purpose of the illustrations is to inspire children to tell meaningful stories about their own everyday lives in Espoo, their hometown.
Peek into Espoo was created in cooperation between preschool groups and Da Cruz. The children had the opportunity to comment on sketches and make requests for illustration contents.
“The book has been an exceptional project that has utilized means of participation, cooperation and cultural education in completely new ways,” says Tiina Kasvi, Head of the Espoo Cultural Unit.
How to play the Peek into Espoo routes:
- Go to play.seppo.io
- Choose English from the drop-down menu
- Login as “Player”
- Enter the game code: D322EF
To play the game in Finnish or Swedish go to urbanespoo.fi/sisalto/kurkkaa-espooseen-reititor urbanespoo.fi/sisalto/kika-in-i-esbo-rutterna ja
> More about the Peek into Espoo book
More information about the Peek into Espoo routes:
Library pedagogue Laura Heino
tel. 040 6369290, laura.heino@espoo.fi