60 Things To Do This Winter in Indianapolis

The temperature may be dropping, but that doesn’t mean you’re destined to spend the next couple of months trapped in your house with nothing to do. There is still plenty of things to do this winter in Indianapolis – both indoors and out.

And because everyone loves free things, all of the activities you find below with* are free. That’s right – FREE! So get out there and show those winter blues who’s boss.

60 Things to Do This Winter in Indianapolis:

1. Go sledding on one of Indy’s favorite sledding hills.*
2. Lace up your skates and visit a local ice rink.
3. Make a splash at an indoor pool.

   

4. Burn some energy at one of these fun indoor playgrounds.
5. Visit your favorite Indianapolis museum. 
6. Take a road trip to one of these skiing and snow tubing destinations for a snowy good time your kids won’t soon forget.
7. Build a sandcastle indoors at Dig Dig for Kids, Indiana’s largest indoor sandbox.
8. Not afraid of the cold? Visit one of the coolest playgrounds around Indy (you might even get the playground to yourself if it’s cold enough!). *
9. Enjoy dinner out as a family, and save big at a restaurant that offers a KIDS EAT FREE deal! 
10. Bundle up for dinner outside in an igloo.
11. Have a family game night at one of these places to play board games around Indianapolis.
12. Visit any (or all!) of these nature centers in Central Indiana. *
13. Howl with the wolves at Wolf Park just outside of West Lafayette.
14. Explore Indianapolis with your family with a unique scavenger hunt around the city.
15. Take a road trip to any of these 17 Indiana Landmarks that don’t require you to get out of the car.
16. Strike a pose at Indy’s first selfie museum, Selfie WRLD.
17. Winter is the perfect time to learn to knit. Find a sewing, knitting, or crocheting classes for your kids, and maybe they will make you something warm to wear! 
18. Make, create, and develop creativity at Ignite Art Studio. * 
19. Reach new heights at North Mass Boulder.
20. Visit the Veal’s Ice Tree. This massive icy sculpture is typically formed in January and melts in April.
21. Play a round of Duckpin Bowling at Action & Atomic Duckpin Bowling in Fountain Square.
22. Sled down Koteewi Run, central Indiana’s only groomed snow tubing hill. The season opens on Dec. 26.
23. Ride the escalators at the Central Library in downtown Indy, then head to The Curve for a little green screen fun.*
24. Bang away at the Rhythm Discovery Center, an interactive percussion museum in downtown Indy.
25. Warm up with a cup of coffee, and cuddles from kittens at Nine Lives Cat Café.

    

26. Give back to our community by volunteering as a family. *
27. Try out a Make It, Take It, art class, at the Indianapolis Art Center. Make It, Take It family classes are offered along with kids or adults only.
28. Head inside for a round of glow-in-the-dark mini golf.

    

29. Rent out the movie theater for a special treat for your family and friends. 
30. Discover the indoor Discovery Station at Conner Prairie.
31. Venture through Flat Fork Creek Park of Fishers. Start with the sledding hill – stay for the treehouses.*
32. Teach your kids to bowl at one of these Indianapolis bowling alleys. 
33. Take a trip north for a ride on the Pokagon State Park toboggan run.    

    

34. Have an old-fashioned tea party at Tina’s Traditional Old English Tea Room and Tavern.
35. Enjoy some natural fun at the Holliday Park Nature Center.*
36. Then head outside to the new Holliday Park Ice Rink. 
37. Visit any of these children’s museums within 2 hours from Indy.
38. Visit the Ornithology Center at Eagle Creek Park.
39. Stuck at home? Check out our list of 70 things to do at home. Most items on his list need very little prep, so keep this list on standby for unexpected snow days. *
40. Sign up for a kid-friendly cooking class!
41. Explore the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall Of Fame Museum.
42. Head to the top of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument downtown Indy. There’s a small fee to take the elevator, but the stairs are free if you’re up for the challenge.
43. Explore the Dallara IndyCar Factory in Speedway (kids 6 and under are free). 

    

44. Find your favorite Books & Brews for food, board games, books, and a beer or two for parents.
45. Build a cozy fort at home. *
46. Take a winter stroll through ArtsPark at the Indianapolis Art Center. *
47. Play or read at the Hancock County Library.*

    

48. Enjoy breakfast and a movie during Cereal Cinema. 
49. Step into a digital world of art of THE LUME at Newfields. 
50. Heat up with a Hot Glass Class. GRT Hot Glass Studios offers a variety of classes for ages 10 years and up.
51. Or head to any of these family-friendly breweries around town. 
52. Pack up the kids in the car and head to Fort Wayne for a family day somewhere new!
53. Get creative at The Tie Dye Lab in Avon.

    

54. Take your budding astronomers for a public tour on Friday or Saturday evenings at Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium.
55. Explore and find your new favorite local bookstore. 
56. Visit the Young Readers Center at the Indiana State Museum.*
57. Bundle up and enjoy a winter hike.*
58. Mix things up and visit a local tea room!