December 22, 2016 - Indy's Child Magazine

It's hard to believe winter break is here. If your kids aren't out of school already - they will be soon. You may be wondering what you will do to occupy your time together. Last minute to-dos and celebrations with family and friends are a top priority on the final days leading up to Christmas. But what about after the holiday? What then? Some days you may want to stay home and avoid the cold. Other days you may need to get out of the house (even if it's just to go through the drive-thru at Starbucks.) If you are feeling the itch to get out and get moving - here are a few things your family can do over winter break in Indianapolis that are sure to please. 1. A trip to the ice rink What can you and your family do to stay fit while having a blast? Ice skating, of course! It’s time to kick off your shoes, lace up those skates and hit the ice! Gather your family together and check out these locations where fun and exercise go hand-in-hand. We’ve found lots of options included in our Best Places To Go Ice Skating in Indianapolis Guide that offer family-friendly times and skate rentals. Don’t be afraid if you have never ice skated before, some rinks even offer instruction. 2. Burn some energy at The Park at Trader's Point Christian Church If the kids are getting restless and it's time to head somewhere to get the wiggles out, The Park may be just the place for you. The Park is a giant indoor play place consisting of 6 different areas for guests to enjoy. The Preschool Play Structure is a special area where infants and toddlers can play with age-appropriate equipment (and not have to worry about being trampled on by the bigger kids.) The Main Play Structure is the centerpiece of The Park—featuring six levels, three slides, and multiple interactive activities and stations. They also offer a Quiet Zone designed for kids and families with special needs who may be overstimulated and need to take a break from all of the excitement. For those of you who love to shoot and dribble, they offer two basketball courts. The larger one is for older children and the smaller one is for the younger children. They also have created an "outdoor experience" featuring hopscotch and four-square. Do you have a climber? Then the rock wall may be more their speed. With all of that playing, you will probably need a snack. Head into the Oasis where there is plenty of seating for snack time. Or pack a lunch and plan to stay for awhile. There is definitely plenty to do! And the best part of all - it is FREE! Click here for a live tour of the facility. The Park is open Monday through Friday from 8am-8pm, on Saturday from 8am-noon and on Sunday from 2pm-8pm. The Park will be closed Friday through Monday, December 23 to 26, for Christmas and will be closed Saturday through Monday, December 31 to January 2, for New Years. Location: Traders Point Northwest, 6590 South Indianapolis Road, Whitestown Traders Point indoor playground 3. Make a splash at an indoor pool Swimming is the perfect activity for any season, especially as a treat in the wintertime. Luckily, the Indy area has tons of indoor pools and aquatic centers with amenities like zero depth entry and waterslides. Check out our guide of the best indoor pools in Indianapolis to help your family just keep swimming! 4. The Urban Chalkboard The Urban Chalkboard is a fantastic place for kids to come and enjoy themselves in a variety of ways that are both fun and educational. While the kids are playing, mom or dad can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and maybe even some small bites. Some of the events and classes currently offered are: Story Time, BrainDance, Sensory Gym, Art with Esther and the extremely popular Mr. Daniel (be sure to arrive early for a spot because they quickly hit capacity when Mr. Daniel is performing.) Check out their website for all of the classes and events happening in the weeks to come. The Urban Chalkoard is open Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm and on Saturday from 9am-2pm. The cost is 10$ per child with FREE admission for children under 9 months and helpers 8 and over. A 5-Visit Punch Pass can be purchased for just $40. They also offer memberships for $65/child that include many benefits. See website for additional information. Location: 452 East Carmel Drive, Carmel 5. Franklin Skate Club Did you and your family resolve that 2017 was going to be a healthier year? Get moving at Franklin Skate Club where kids ages 12 under skate FREE on Wednesdays from 6pm-8:30pm, Thursdays from 1pm-3:30pm, Fridays from 1pm-3:30pm and Saturdays from 12:30pm-3pm. In order to skate for free, your child needs to be registered for Kids Skate Free passes. Sign up here and start receiving your passes today! Passes cannot be combined with any other offer and cannot be used towards group rates, birthday parties or during special events. Skate Rental is $2.00 extra. You can also find more places to roller stake around town with our guide to Roller Rinks in the Indy area. Location: 2680 North Morton Street, Franklin 6. Discover the fun at Recreation Unlimited Play Zone Photo Credit: Recreation Unlimited Recreation Unlimited sells playground equipment and what better way to see what your child likes then to try it all out during their Pay to Play? Their huge indoor play area offers 15 play systems, 3 trampolines, an indoor basketball court, playhouses and Thomas the Tank Engine play tables. Pay to Play is available for children ages 8 and under. All children playing will be charged admission and adults play for free with the purchase of child’s play. The cost is $8/child (Monday through Friday) and $12/child (Saturday and Sunday.) If you know you will be going to play often, you may want to consider purchasing a 10 for 12 pass punch card. With a punch card you receive two free Pay to Play visits. Recreation Unlimited is open Monday through Friday from 9am-8pm, on Saturday from 10am-8pm and on Sunday from noon-6pm. They will be open on Christmas Eve from 10am-3pm and on New Year's Eve from 10am-5pm. They will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Location: 15150 Herriman Blvd, Noblesville 7. Explore a new museum your kids are sure to love. Explore a new museum your kids are sure to love. There is no shortage of museums in Indianapolis – from those that focus on arts to culture to history and everything in between. But we’re talking about the museums that just get it. And by ‘it’ we mean they offer the activities and amenities that make kids want to overstay their welcome. Check out a few of our favorite Museums for Kids in Indianapolis 8. Hit the sledding slopes Bundle up and and hit the sledding slopes! We’ve got you covered with our top 10 sledding hills around Indianapolis. 9. Day trip to Columbus, Indiana and visit The Commons indoor playground. All right, this one is a bit of a drive from Indianapolis but well worth it. This HUGE indoor playscape has individual areas for tots, preschoolers and the big kids, plus it’s FREE. And parents, it’s such a blast that before long, you’ll find yourself scaling the 3-story climber. Location: 300 Washington Street, downtown Columbus More info: Call {812} 376-2681 or visit thecommonscolumbus.com/. The Commons Playground; photo credit: Facebook/ thecommonscolumbus 10. Play all day long at Incrediplex You can find something for everyone at Incrediplex. From bowling to arcade games, a gym and turf fields. Incrediplex has something every member of the family can enjoy. Younger kids will love their bounce & climb arena which includes 4 Large Inflatables and a 4- Story Obstacle Course. While older kids might like to try a round of laser tag or the arcade. Mom and dad can even hit the gym on their visit to Incrediplex. Location: 6002 Sunnyside Road, IN, 46236 11. Give back this holiday season and volunteer As you and your family reflect on your many blessings this holiday season, consider finding ways to pay it forward. What better way to spend quality time as a family than by showing your children how simple acts of kindness can go a long way? Check out the Indy’s Child guide to family friendly Volunteer Opportunities in Indianapolis for some ideas of where your family can give back! What do you and your family enjoy doing together over winter break? Please comment below or email jthompson@indyschild.com and let us know your winter break favorites.

Daily Archives: December 22, 2016

11 Things to do over Winter Break