The best month to visit Lapland with kids depends on what the trip is for: December if Christmas and Santa are the point, March if you want the deepest snow and long, bright days. January and February sit in between, colder, quieter than Christmas week and with the light coming back.
Winter in Finnish Lapland runs from December to March. We went to Levi in January, for one week, with our five-year-old daughter, and this is how the four months compare.
Lapland month by month: the summary
| Month | Temperature | Daylight | Good to know | Crowds and opening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | −20 to −10°C | Polar night; the sky turns blue and pink around 11 a.m. | Snow is a gamble | Christmas crowds; SantaPark open; Snow Village opens 25 December |
| January | −30 to −15°C | Light returns in the second half of the month | The coldest month | SantaPark closes 23 January; village rink usually from late January |
| February | −25 to −15°C | Noticeably more daylight | Not warmer than January, often colder | School holidays: safaris sell out |
| March | −15 to −5°C | About twelve hours | Deepest snow: 60–90 cm in mid-March | The underrated month |
December: for Christmas and Santa
December is polar night. The sun barely clears the horizon, but the Arctic twilight turns the snow blue and pink for hours. It is the month most people picture, and to me Lapland is the most magical winter destination of all at Christmas and New Year.
What to know before you book:
- Snow is not guaranteed. December is the month where snow is a gamble.
- It is the busiest time. Christmas and New Year sell out early. Book flights and the hotel about 12 months ahead.
- Everything Santa is open. SantaPark in Rovaniemi runs from 31 October 2026 to 23 January 2027, and the Snow Village in Lainio opens on 25 December.
January: the coldest month, and when we went
January is the coldest month on paper, from −30 to −15°C. We had −15 to −20, and went snowmobiling at −25°C. The light returns in the second half of the month. In the early afternoon the sky turns pink and the snow turns blue; at three in the afternoon that colour lasts about an hour, and then it is dark.
January works well with a small child because the Christmas rush is over but the Santa season is not. If SantaPark is on your list, go before 23 January, when it closes for the season. The Snow Village in Lainio stays open until 4 April 2027. From late January there is usually a free natural skating rink in Levi village too.
Cold with children: what it actually means
At −25°C our daughter chose to stay in the warm lodge during the snowmobile safari, and the other children who went came back with purple hands and a few tears, despite being well wrapped. Operators lend the heavy outer layer for every excursion; what you bring is merino base layers, two pairs of gloves each and hand and toe warmers. Phone batteries die in minutes at that temperature, so pack a power bank.
February: more light, and the school holidays
February is not warmer than January, and is often colder, at −25 to −15°C. The difference is noticeably more daylight. February and March are also among the strongest months for the northern lights, which are visible on roughly every second clear night at this latitude, usually between 21:00 and 01:00.
The catch is the February school holidays. Reindeer, husky and snowmobile safaris sell out, so book them two to three months ahead. SantaPark is already closed in February, but Levi has its own Santa's Cabin and year-round Santa experiences.
March: the underrated month
Snow in Lapland is deepest in mid-March, not December. The Finnish Meteorological Institute puts it at 60–90 cm in the north. March is also the mildest of the four months, at −15 to −5°C, with about twelve hours of daylight.
If Christmas is not the point of your trip, March gives you more snow, five times the daylight and still enough darkness for the northern lights. It suits families who want to ski: in Levi, children under 6 ski free with a helmet and a skiing adult, and the Leevilandia family park has magic-carpet lifts, sledding and snow-tubing. Pack sunglasses, because in March the glare off the snow is genuinely painful.
So which month should you choose?
- For Santa and the Christmas atmosphere: December, or January before SantaPark closes on 23 January.
- For snow, daylight and skiing: March.
- For the northern lights: February or March, with a free evening kept for the right forecast.
- For milder temperatures with a small child: March.
Whichever month you pick, the guide Lapland with a Child has the full weather chapter, what to pack and the opening dates for every attraction this season. To sketch out your dates first, try the free Lapland planner.
We did not see the northern lights in January, which is exactly why they are at the top of my list for next time. If you want the whole week we did, with prices checked for 2026–2027, the guide is €9.99, online and in 9 languages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Lapland with kids?
December if you want the Christmas atmosphere and every Santa attraction open; March if you want the deepest snow, milder temperatures and about twelve hours of daylight.
When is there the most snow in Lapland?
In mid-March. The Finnish Meteorological Institute puts snow depth at 60–90 cm in northern Lapland then, while December snow is a gamble.
How cold is Lapland in January?
January is the coldest month, typically −30 to −15°C. During our week in Levi we had −15 to −20°C, and it was −25°C on the day we went snowmobiling.
Is SantaPark open all winter?
No. For the 2026–2027 season SantaPark is open from 31 October 2026 to 23 January 2027, usually 10:00–18:00, so if you travel later in the winter it is already closed. Levi has its own Santa's Cabin and year-round Santa experiences.