Recreation centres – fritids – are usually offered to children between the ages of 6 and 13. It is open before and after school hours and during school breaks when parents are working or studying. The recreation centres are open year-round except on major Swedish holidays and Saturday-Sunday. The pupils can be there before and after school and their use of the recreation center is usually adapted to the parents’ work or studies and to the pupils’ needs.
The recreation centre supplements school in two ways:
- Care for pupils when they are not in school and during breaks.
- Give pupils different experiences and knowledge than what they get in school.
It is common that recreation centers are coordinated with the schools, for instance regarding staff, the location of the recreation center and which activities are offered.
Many municipalities also offer recreation activities for children in the ages 10-13. These are open recreation activities for pupils in the years 4 to 6. Open recreation activities are voluntary and it is important to know that the activities do not offer care and supervision in the same way as a recreation centre.
Participating in recreation centers are usually not free but tend to be reasonably priced. The fee is also commonly based on the household income level. There is also a max cost which means that even if you have a larger than average salary, the fee will not be above the max cost.
