A Living Sauna: ritual across the generations
Yes, kids can sauna with you!
Sauna is rooted in cycles and seasons—cycles of hot and cold, of nature, and of human life. Through the rhythm of sauna we can find connection between young and old, as well as generations past and those to come.
In Finnish culture, sauna is the heart of family life—through pregnancy and birth, the joys of childhood, and every stage of life thereafter. Not that long ago, saunas were the place where babies were born and where the dead were prepared for burial. For my Finnish ancestors, the cycles and seasons of their daily lives were rooted in sauna. Today, sauna continues to be an integral part of Finnish family life for both the very young and the very old.
My great-grandparents were the last generation in our family to be born in a gently heated savusauna (a smoke-sauna without a chimney). And while the sauna is no longer a site of childbirth, my family has brought all of our babies to sauna early in their lives. In infancy, sauna is gentle and soft, a reflection of the womb – dark, warm, safe. My partner and I brought each of our babies to the sauna at a few months of age. One of my favourite memories is of my infant son sitting in a wooden sauna bucket kicking his chubby legs and happily splashing his tiny hands in the water. In the darkened corners and soft waves of löyly, new life meets generations past.
As a small child on a farm in Northern Ontario, my mother went to sauna regularly with four generations – her sisters, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. The sauna was heated by a massive hearth of stone collected from the bedrock of the Canadian Shield. They hauled buckets of water from the creek and cooled themselves between rounds by sitting in the field, pouring ladles of cold water over themselves. It was a site of story and connection—to each other and the land.
My grandfather had a very different experience of family sauna. Raised in a small, Canadian mining town full of Finnish immigrants, each Saturday as a child he went to a family-run public sauna with his mother and all of her friends and neighbours. There, he listened to the women quietly talk and laugh as they poured water on the stones, washed each other’s backs, and cared for one another and their children. And through this weekly ritual he learned that all bodies are beautiful and to be respected.
My own childhood was shaped by my early experiences of sauna with my grandparents. While their sauna was very hot and the rounds many, small children were kept comfortable on the bottom bench. They gave us each a bucket of cool water for our feet and we poured ladles freely over our heads to regulate our temperatures. When we were thirsty, they filled a ladle from the tap and we gladly sipped the cold water. While my grandparents went out to roll in the snow or cool their steaming skin in the icy air, we children lounged in the dressing room with cold drinks. And then, when everyone was ready, we entered the sauna again.
Decades later, my grandmother (who went to sauna until she was in her 90s) was gathering her things for the sauna and asked a room full of family members, “Would anyone like to go with me?”. To everyone’s quiet delight, her four-year-old great-grandchild leapt up and said she did. As we watched them walk to the sauna, I could see the scene of quiet companionship unfold – the tending of each other’s needs, the pouring of water over bodies and stones, the softened gaze in the deepening shadows, the gentle reciprocity between young and old.
Sauna is a quiet place, darkened and hushed. A space for care and intergenerational connection. In the sauna children, like adults, can feel their bodies soften and their minds relax in the heat. I’ve found my own children want to care for me and others in this space. They find joy in pouring water on the stones and other bathers, in the gentle conversations between generations, in the comfort and ease of the adults. In the sauna, children are part of a ritual that is cyclical, that stretches back through time, that is grounded in the body. With repetition, children can become part of a rhythm of sauna that is rooted in gentleness, trust, and quiet joy.
TIPS FOR SAUNA WITH KIDS
1. Talk about it before you go in. The stove is hot — point it out and name it clearly. Let kids know sauna is a quieter space, one where we slow down and pay attention. In Finland, sauna has always been treated as a sacred space.
2. Begin gently. Seat young ones on the lowest bench, away from the stove, where the heat settles softest. Aim for 60–70°C and keep the first rounds short — five to ten minutes is plenty.
3. Put water in their hands. Give each child a small bucket and ladle. Cooling their feet and pouring water over their heads regularly keeps them comfortable and gives them something purposeful to do with the heat.
4. Invite them to check in with their bodies. If the heat starts to feel like too much, the floor is always the coolest spot — and it's always an option. Sauna is not an endurance exercise. It's a practice of listening.
5. Plan for a soft landing outside. Not every child will want a cold shock between rounds — and they don't need one. A shaded spot, fresh water, and a moment to breathe is all the reset they need.
6. Stay close. Keep a caregiver within arm's reach of younger children throughout. If they need to step out early, someone goes with them. No child saunas alone.
7. Finish with something restorative. End the session with cool water and a salty snack. Heat draws out fluids and sodium — replenishing both is as important for kids as it is for adults.
8. Come back. A single session is lovely. A regular rhythm is transformative. The real gift of family sauna is the ritual itself — the returning, the slowing, the being together without distraction.
FAQs
What age can kids start using a sauna? Children in Finland are often introduced to sauna in early childhood. We suggest starting around age 5, though every child is different — follow their comfort and your instincts as a parent. Shorter sessions and lower heat are the right foundation.
How long should a child's session be? Five to ten minutes at 60–70°C is a good starting point. Let them guide when they're ready to step out. As they build familiarity over time, they'll naturally find their own rhythm — just like adults do.
Are Kotisauna sessions open to families? Our regular sessions are designed for adults, but families are warmly welcomed through private bookings. Reach out and we'll find the right fit for your family.
What if my child wants to leave early? Let them. Sauna should feel like something they want to come back to, not something they endured. Having an adult ready to step out with them — without fuss — builds exactly the kind of positive association that makes this a lifelong practice.
Should I check with a doctor first? If your child has any health conditions, particularly those that affect how they regulate temperature, a conversation with your family doctor is a good idea before introducing them to sauna. Children under 6 generally need extra care and shorter sessions regardless.
