How to Sauna as a Family: A Guide for Younger Kids

Picture two little girls, ages 3 and 5, giggling and running around outside in their swimsuits while the temperature sits below zero. No complaints. No rushing back inside. Just pure, uninhibited joy — completely free and easy in the middle of winter. That's what the sauna makes possible. It changes the relationship kids have with cold weather entirely. Instead of something to escape, winter becomes something to play in. The sauna is the tool that makes that happen, and watching it click for a child is one of the better things a parent gets to witness.

We're always looking for fun things to do with the kids that don't involve driving all over town, spending a fortune, or loading them up with sugar. That's where the sauna comes in. It's a chance for kids to let out some steam, have a little fun with the family, share some real conversation, and walk away feeling better than when they went in. It's a genuinely unique experience — one that's hard to replicate anywhere else.

At minimum, the family hits the sauna once a weekend, especially in the winter, and sometimes during the week too. Starting young is worth it. By the time they're in middle school and high school, they're a lot more fun to sauna with — they stay in longer, they stop opening and closing the door every two minutes, and they actually start to get it. But getting there requires a little patience in the early years. This is a guide for those years — kids 12 and under.

Start with fun, not rules

The single most important thing about family sauna time with young kids is that it stays fun. Leave the performance metrics at the door — the whoop strap, the exact temperature target, the timed rounds. The door is going to open and close. Kids are going to wander in and out. Embrace it. The goal here isn't optimization; it's building a lifelong relationship with one of the world's oldest wellness traditions.

Keep kids cool and hydrated

Children's bodies respond to heat differently than adults. They'll feel the temperature more intensely and they'll make it known — which is actually a good thing. Trust what their bodies are telling them. The lower bench is their territory, where temperatures are noticeably cooler, and free movement around the sauna space is completely fine. The bigger concern is hydration. Keep water flowing generously, and don't hesitate to bring juice along — a little sugar gives kids energy and makes the whole experience feel like more of a treat.

Short sessions, big memories

Nobody should be pushing kids to stay in longer than they want to. Short, fun bursts are the rhythm of family sauna with younger kids — in for a while, out to cool down, back in again when the mood strikes. The cooling-off period between rounds matters just as much as the heat itself, and kids tend to love this part. Running outside, splashing water, feeling the contrast — that's where the magic lives for them.

The cold water pour

One of the most beloved sauna moments for kids across Finland is simple: a ladle of cold water poured slowly down the back while sitting in the heat. The shock of cold against the warmth of the sauna is genuinely delightful, and it's one of those small rituals that tends to stick with people for a lifetime. It's a good entry point — something active and playful that makes the sauna feel like an adventure rather than an endurance test.

A note on benches

Nightjar's larger family models are built with three benches rather than two, and there are two reasons for this. First, it gives everyone more heating options — younger kids can stay low where it's cooler, while adults have room to move up as they want more heat. Second, and more importantly, the third bench puts experienced saunagoers in the löyly pocket — that high zone where the steam is hottest and most intense after a pour. Kids stay low, adults go high, and everyone gets exactly what they need out of the same session.

The long game

Once they hit 13, the conversation about sauna safety basically takes care of itself. Kids that age are smart enough to know when they've had enough — all that's really needed is a reminder to drink enough water. The work happens in these earlier years, building the habit and the love for it before they're old enough to not need the guidance. Keep it loose, keep it joyful, and by the time they're teenagers, the sauna becomes something they actually look forward to — not something they're dragged into.