Kids

Warm weather, the promise of longer days and plenty of opportunity to explore Indianapolis: The 100 Days Of Summer are here! And to help YOU plan, we asked theCityMoms about their favorite local summer activities. Some are free, some on the weekends - all come with the promise of fun. For a summer challenge, download the printable version of this list and check off each activity your family completes. Make sure you share the fun by posting your photos to social media! Just use the hashtag #ICSummer and tag @indyschild! Things to do any day of the month… Visit your favorite splash pad. Ride the monorail downtown – catch it at Methodist Hospital and ride the loop. Eat ice cream at your favorite spot. Take the family downtown for First Friday Food Truck Festival. Go for a balloon ride at Conner Prairie. Try the free family swim sessions at Goldfish Swim School of Carmel or Fishers. Finally take the fam for an Indy Eleven game. Sign up for a summer reading program at your local library. Snag a Popsicle from Nicey Treat in Broad Ripple Village. Try a mini horseback riding lesson at Natural Valley Ranch of Brownsburg. Plan a day of swimming at your favorite local pool. Touch a truck… at a local Touch-A-Truck festival. Spend a rainy day inside at the Museum of Miniature Houses. Take a walk on the canal. Feed the ducks in Broad Ripple {Good Earth Natural Foods has duck-friendly food for purchase!}. Volunteer as a family. So many options to choose from but find one your entire family is passionate about! Enjoy a little Shakespeare in Garfield Park. Reel in a catch at one of these family-friendly fishing programs. Cheer for the Indianapolis Indians from your view on the lawn {bonus: Kids Eat Free on Sundays!} Enjoy watching a film in the Indianapolis Museum Of Art Summer Nights Series. Relax in the Lazy River at the Monon Community Center waterpark. Creek stomp at Marrott Park or your other favorite spot. Paddleboat the downtown canal. Go for storytime at your favorite bookstore or special spot. Try the free Mother Goose on the Loose toddler storytime at Indianapolis Public Library branches. Visit your favorite Indy-area Farmers Market. Repeat weekly. Hike the trails at Fort Harrison State Park. Enjoy the outdoor patio at Urban Chalkboard while kids play inside. Supervised. Have a water balloon fight outside with friends. Take the family to one of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Symphony on the Prairie summer events. See a movie at an area drive-in theatre like Tibbs in SW Indianapolis or The Skyline of Shelbyville. Picnic at your favorite spot in town. Join the Three Sisters Kids Garden Club at Strawtown Koteewi Park. Grab a coffee at SoHo Café + Gallery of Carmel then hit the Monon for a walk. Pop in to meet the koalas at the Indianapolis Zoo. Try something a little different: Order a plate of s’mores at BRICS of Broad Ripple. Play on the green scene in The Curve Children’s Area at Central Indianapolis Public Library. Take the kids bowling. For free. Catch a $1 movie at local Regal Cinemas. Spend some time at your favorite outdoor pool. Keep an eye on the fun Slide In The City, and cross your fingers that they arrive in Indianapolis soon! Dare yourself {and kids ages 12+} to scale the high ropes course at Butler University. Cool down with a family ice skate. Indulge in a craft donut. Head to the Children’s Museum on the first Thursday of the month for Target Free Family Nights. Visit the new Holliday Park Nature Center, Habitat Hall. Jam out at the weekly Kids Rhythm Club at Bongo Boy Music School. Parents are invited too! Head downtown to trial the Indiana Pacers bikeshare. Drive-in for some sweet potato fries and other greasy faves at Mug N Bun. Round up your sports enthusiasts for a spin through the NCAA Hall Of Champions. Go for a mini golf game. Try an archery lesson at Koteewi Archery Range, the newest Hamilton County Parks location. Preview the new Freedom Springs Aquatics splash park in Greenwood. Explore a new town: Franklin. Explore a new town: Noblesville. Explore a new town: Zionsville. Climb play structures at the Recreation Unlimited Play Zone. See the dolphin show at the Indianapolis Zoo. Eat lunch at City Market in downtown Indy. Enjoy Wet Wednesdays at Splash Island Plainfield. Hit the drums at the Rhythm Discovery Center. Take a road trip to Hunter’s Honey Farm. Head over to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall Of Fame Museum Check out the Indiana State Police Museum, a secret eastside favorite. Set up a tour with friends at a local fire station. Set up a tour at a local airport with friends. Climb to the top of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the downtown Circle. Take the fam for a round of Duckpin bowling in Fountain Square. Soak up the view from the highest point in Crown Hill Cemetery {and leave pennies at Whitcomb Riley’s graveside for Riley Hospital!}. Do a self-guided tour of Traders Point Creamery. Then indulge in ice cream afterward. Participate in the Kids Summer Lunch Bunch, a program providing free sack lunches, books and exercise to kids in the summer months. Enjoy the weekly Kids Koncerts from Carmel Clay Parks, alternating between River Heritage and West Parks. Take the plunge and try ziplining with Go Ape! at Eagle Creek Park {ages 10+}. Eat a slice of sugar cream pie together at Locally Grown Gardens. Visit Darrin’s Coffee Co. of Zionsville on Wednesdays and stay to hear Mr. Daniel play. Pop a tent for a backyard campout. Build sandcastles and splash around at Saxony Lake and Beach of Fishers. Head to a fest, feast or festival near you. Only in June… Go strawberry picking during prime season… begins early June. Try a train ride with Indiana Transportation Museum… weekends in June Visit a new restaurant during Chow Down Midtown… June 2nd-15th Have the Family Learn To Fish at a FREE workshop at Monon Community Center… June 6th. Take a hike at your favorite park on National Trails Day… June 6th Shop the Woodruff Place Flea Market… June 6th and 7th. Indulge in strawberry shortcake at Strawberry Festival On The Circle… June 11th. Visit the Indy public library book sale and stock up on titles for summer reading… June 19th-27th Enjoy a monsoon of fun at Fishers Parks and Recreation’s Monsoon Madness… June 20th Look at chalk drawings or let the kids create a chalk mural at the Hamilton Town Center Chalk Festival… June 20th Shade yourself in the Family Zone during the annual Monumental Yoga event… June 21st Hit the National Guard Association Of Indiana Car Show downtown at the War Memorial… June 27th Only in July… Watch the downtown Indy fireworks from the high hill in the Holy Cross neighborhood Enjoy a 4th of July parade in your neighborhood {Fishers, Carmel and Greenwood all have them!} Savor your sweet tooth at the Ice Cream Social on the Circle… July 10th. Dive in for some ‘we’ll need a shower after this’ fun at the annual Fishers Mud Day… July 11th Head to the Speedway and watch all the Brickyard haulers arrive… July 23rd {estimated} Only in August… Get up early for the hot air balloon launch celebrating the first day of the Indiana State Fair… August 7th Take the family out to the Indiana State Fair. Repeat… August 7th-23rd Snuggle into sleeping bags for the annual Perseid meteor shower… estimated August 9th-14th {peak night is August 11th} Splish splash at the Carmel Clay Parks’ Preschool Splash Bash… August 21st Join Indy's Child at our first Back2School Bash at the Monon Community Center... August 29th CLICK HERE to download the printable version of 100 Things To Do This Summer In Indy! Did your favorite summer activity make theCityMoms’ list? Tweet us at @indyschild to let us know. Out enjoying one of these as a family? Tag us in Instagram with your photos {@indyschild} and we may repost it for our followers too.

Kids

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