Parents ask us a version of the same question every week from October onwards: will my child cope with a northern lights tour, and will I regret it if they do not? The tours run in the evening, the cold is real, and a six-year-old who is magnificent at breakfast can be a puddle at nine at night.

We are a couple living in Rovaniemi, and Joona has worked around Lapland tourism for years, so we have seen families do this very well and a few do it painfully. The deciding factors are surprisingly boring: sleep, snacks, layers, and choosing the right size of group. This guide covers all of them for the small group hunting tour.

Why a small group suits a six-year-old

A group of two to eight people, which is how our catalogue describes this tour, behaves very differently from a big coach. Your child can see the guide, ask questions, and be spoken to rather than lost in a crowd. If they need the toilet, a snack or a cuddle in the vehicle, nobody has to wait for forty people to reshuffle.

Small groups also tend to be quieter, which matters if your child gets overstimulated. When the aurora appears, the guide can place everyone with a clear view and help children find the right angle to look up. That attention is the main thing you pay extra for compared with a bus tour.

The flip side is price. From €199 per adult, the small group costs more than the bus option, and you should decide whether your child will notice the difference. For some six-year-olds the answer is yes, for others a bigger bus with other children is more fun.

Start times and the bedtime problem

Our notes say start times can vary between 17:00 and 21:00 and are confirmed by email beforehand. That range is the whole bedtime problem in one sentence. An early start is kind to children; a late one is not.

When you book, tell StayLapland in the notes that you are travelling with a young child and would prefer an earlier slot if there is flexibility. They may not be able to promise it, because the timing follows weather and route, but asking costs nothing.

Then protect the day. Plan a quiet morning, a real afternoon nap or at least an hour lying down, and an early dinner with something warm and filling. A child who is rested and fed will cope with a late evening far better than one who spent the day at a busy attraction.

If your child is the sort who truly cannot be woken after eight, consider a daytime reindeer visit instead and keep aurora for another trip.

A small trick we like: do a dress rehearsal at the hotel. Let your child try on their own hat and gloves, practise walking in boots in the corridor and decide which toy comes in the pocket. Children who have rehearsed feel ownership over the night rather than being dragged into it, and that single habit reduces more tears than any snack.

Cold, clothes and what is provided

The tour includes winter clothing in adult and child sizes: overalls, boots, gloves and socks. That removes the biggest worry, because buying a full arctic kit for a child you will only dress once is expensive. Underneath, your child needs a snug thermal base layer, a fleece or wool mid layer, and a hat that fits under a hood.

Our wider advice for Lapland winters is in our packing guide for Lapland in winter, and the same logic applies on the tour. Add one pair of thin spare gloves for children, since little fingers feel the cold first, and consider a thin neck warmer.

Do not forget the snack. A small bar, a banana or a plain biscuit in a pocket can save a meltdown during the waiting. Hot drinks are not guaranteed on this particular product according to our notes, so check the live description and pack a flask if in doubt.

What the aurora actually looks like to a child

Photographs make the aurora look like fireworks. In real life it is often a pale green arc or a soft glow that slowly brightens, and young children can be underwhelmed if they were promised neon. Prepare your child by explaining that the sky does a slow dance, and that the camera sees colours better than eyes do.

The guide and photographer on this tour take pictures, which helps. Children love seeing themselves under a green sky on a camera screen, and for many families that is the moment the evening clicks. The tour description promises a 100% refund if no aurora photos are captured, which is worth knowing, though the full conditions are in the booking window.

Keep the evening playful: a game of who spots the first green line, a countdown, a story about the sky. Six-year-olds respond well to a mission.

Be ready for the waiting. Aurora hunting is a game of patience, and even the best guide cannot summon green light on demand. Six-year-olds handle waiting if they have a job, so give yours one: holding the red torch, counting shooting stars, or keeping an eye on the horizon for the first pale arc. If nothing appears at the first stop, the vehicle moves on, which is part of why a hunting tour tends to feel active rather than idle.

Getting there, pickups and logistics

Pickups are typically arranged from hotels or meeting points in the Rovaniemi area, and we explain the usual pattern in how hotel pickups work for Rovaniemi activities. Confirm the exact pickup time by email on the day before and keep your phone charged.

The tour itself moves to find clear sky, so you may spend time in a vehicle. Bring a small toy, a tablet loaded offline, or a headphone story for your child. A calm journey makes the viewing stops sweeter.

Our notes show a booking cutoff of one hour before the start. That is generous, but for December and school holiday weeks we would not leave it late. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before, then the fee is 100%, so keep that in mind if your child is unwell.

Think about your own comfort too. Parents often spend the evening watching their child so closely that they forget to look up. Agree beforehand who takes the first turn at managing the little one and who simply gazes at the sky, then swap at the second stop. It sounds silly, and it works.

Cost for a family and how it compares

At €199 per adult, a family of two adults and one child can add up quickly, and the live price for children is shown in the booking window. Compare options honestly. The bus tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 starts from €109 and lists ages 3–12, so it is the most budget-friendly guaranteed option. The campfire evening5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 from €99 is a shorter three-hour tour with a lower price.

If your child loves cosy settings, the Atmospheric Cottage tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 from €109 includes snacks and drinks by the campfire and a surprise gift for children per our notes. It is not a hunting tour, though, so your chances depend more on local cloud.

We recommend the small group when you want to give the aurora the best realistic chance and your child can stay up. Pick the cheaper options when the budget matters more or the child is very young.

If the total looks steep, remember that a flexible plan beats a cheap one. A cancelled or mistimed evening costs more in tears than a better-matched tour costs in euros. Compare the live prices side by side in the booking windows on this page before deciding, and use the reader discount on whichever you pick.

How to turn it into a good family memory

Think about the whole trip rather than the single evening. Keep the day before and after light. A gentle reindeer visit such as the Kuoksa Reindeer Adventure5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, from €159 for about three hours, gives your child animals to remember even if the sky stays cloudy.

Plan a lie-in the next morning and a hot chocolate somewhere warm. If the aurora does not show, you have a story, a guided night in the wilderness, and the refund conditions described by the tour.

Type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout on either tour for 5% off, and it applies to every StayLapland tour on this page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the small group aurora tour suitable for a six-year-old?
Often yes, if the child can stay up for an evening tour. Check the live age conditions in the booking window and choose a slot that fits your child’s bedtime where possible.

What time does the tour start?
Our notes say start times vary between 17:00 and 21:00 and are confirmed by email beforehand.

Is winter clothing provided for children?
The tour lists winter clothing in adult and child sizes, including overalls, boots, gloves and socks.

What does it cost?
From €199 per adult in our catalogue. Check the live booking window for the price on your date and for children.

What if there is no aurora?
The description states a 100% refund if no aurora photos are captured. Read the full terms when you book.

How do I get a discount?
Type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off every StayLapland tour.

Our final pick

Book the small group if your child can stay awake until at least eight or nine, if you value attention from the guide and if you want to chase clear sky rather than stay in one place. Book it if you are happy to pay for a quieter evening.

Skip it if your child falls asleep in cars, if the cold makes them miserable or if the budget is tight. A shorter local tour or a bus tour may suit your family better.

We would book the small group for a calm, curious six-year-old with an afternoon nap behind them, and the bus tour for a lively one who likes company. Whichever you choose, pack snacks, spare gloves and patience. For more family ideas see our guide to activities in Rovaniemi.

Type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off.