Jet lag with toddlers is brutal — don't fight it. Pick up groceries, find your feet in Kamppi. If everyone has energy late afternoon, a short walk to the harbour and Market Square is enough. Early dinner, early bedtime.

Classic Finnish amusement park with rides for all ages — specific toddler areas for the little ones, bigger rides for the adults. Sea Life Helsinki is right next door (sharks, rays, ocean tunnel). Do both or just one depending on energy. Back for afternoon naps.

Coffee and pastries first, no rush. Then the short 15-minute ferry from Market Square to Suomenlinna — a UNESCO sea fortress on an island. Kids love the tunnels, cannons, and wide open space to run. Bring a picnic lunch. Back mid-afternoon to rest. Evening: you and your wife out — the au pair is on duty. Try Ravintola Kuurna (book ahead) or Kolme Kruunua for proper Finnish cooking.

Island zoo reached by ferry — arctic foxes, Amur leopards, great Baltic views. Do the morning, then a genuinely unstructured afternoon. Market Square for street food, kids chase pigeons, adults drink coffee. No agenda. Pack in the evening for tomorrow's ferry to Tallinn.

Book an early Tallink or Viking Line sailing (Megastar is the nicest ship). About 2.5 hours across the Gulf of Finland — kids love being on the boat. Book a cabin so they have somewhere to nap and the group has space. Arrive Tallinn mid-morning with the whole day ahead. Taxi from the terminal to Kuninga 1 (don't attempt the hill with luggage on foot). Easy afternoon in the Old Town.

Check in, drop bags. Afternoon stroll through the medieval Old Town — Town Hall Square, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, cobbled alleys. Stop for lunch at a square café. Early dinner nearby, early night — it's been a travel day.

Massive, beautiful green park with a brilliant children's museum right inside it — a pretend shop, post office, toy cars, drawing room, and an old-fashioned camera room. Could easily fill a whole morning. Afterwards, free time in the park: playgrounds, ice cream, a bench in the sun. No agenda for the afternoon.

No plan. Stumble into squares, find the marzipan shops, walk the city walls if the kids are keen — stop when they aren't. Lunch at Olde Hansa for the full medieval experience (candlelight, period food, costumed staff — kids think it's a castle). Afternoon nap. Evening at Ring Spaa — an all-ages spa with a kids' pool, slides and water jets. In Estonia the sauna culture genuinely welcomes toddlers.

Morning at PROTO — an interactive museum in a former top-secret submarine factory, with VR experiences where kids can fly a hot air balloon, ride a flying bike, and walk the ocean floor. Genuinely impressive. Afternoon at Pirita beach on the Baltic — sandy, calm, toddler-friendly. Pirita Adventure Park is right there with trails for ages 2+. Au pair evening if you want one.

Leisurely breakfast. Take a mid-morning LuxExpress bus from Tallinn bus station — airline-style reclining seats, entertainment screens, snacks and coffee. 4.5 hours, arrive Riga mid-afternoon. Check into Aldaru 11. Easy dinner nearby to recover.

Short walk to get your bearings — Town Hall Square, the famous Cat House, the canal. Dinner at LIDO, the beloved Latvian cafeteria chain: you point at what you want, prices are visible, kids love it, and it's a genuinely good introduction to Latvian food.

Morning at the market in the extraordinary converted Zeppelin hangars — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest markets in Europe. Pick up a picnic: fresh bread, local cheeses, smoked fish, seasonal fruit and Latvian honey. Walk to the Laima Chocolate Museum (15 minutes) — interactive exhibits on Latvia's famous chocolate brand, tastings included. Kids love it. Afternoon free — canal-side stroll, park bench, absolutely no agenda.

20-minute train from Riga central. Long, wide white sand beach on the Baltic — calm water, shallow entry, perfect for toddlers. This is a proper lazy day with no agenda. Bring food or find a beach café. Līvu Aquapark is right there if the beach isn't enough — one of the largest water parks in Northern Europe, with slides for all ages and a spa for parents. Evening: splurge dinner at 3 Pavāru Restorāns — the best restaurant in the Baltics. Book ahead.

Relaxed final morning in Riga's beautiful forest park — zoo, playgrounds, cycling paths, no pressure. Then to Riga International Airport (RIX) for the short airBaltic hop to Helsinki (~1 hour). Arrive Helsinki early evening, check into the hotel. Quiet last dinner together, children to bed, adults decompress.

You've done it. Three countries, twelve nights, two toddlers. Check in. Nice simple dinner somewhere nearby. Cold drink. No plans. Kids to bed, adults sit and reflect on what a trip that was.

Slow breakfast, no rush. Head to HEL airport by 1:30 PM — Helsinki airport is small, calm, and easy to navigate. You're going home with two kids who have now seen three countries. Well done.