Best Winter Break Activities for Kids in Indiana

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for many Hoosier kids! Snow is coming down (sometimes), and school is out for the holiday season, which means your little ones will be spending lots of time at home.

Are you looking for ideas on how to keep your kids entertained over winter break? We’ve got you covered. Check out these ideas for the best winter break activities for kids in Indiana.

Indoor Activities:

Visit an indoor playground: Indoor playgrounds can be found throughout Indiana. They offer a chance for kids to run around and get their energy out even when the weather is bad. Check out the Busy Bee Cafe in Indianapolis, Dig Dig in Fishers, Kids Planet in Brownsburg, The Commons in Columbus or Polka Dots Cafe in the Evansville area. Be sure kids wash their hands frequently when visiting an indoor playground as germs can linger.

Spend a day at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis: The Children’s Museum is a fantastic place to explore this winter. Their WinterFaire exhibit offers the chance for kids to visit with Santa and meet other enchanting creatures. The museum is offering FREE admission on Christmas Eve if you want to plan your visit then.

See a movie in an IMAX theatre: Check out a new movie in a theatre near you..

Attend story time at your local library: Many local libraries offer free weekly or monthly story times for kids. Story time is a great chance for your child to build literacy skills and meet new friends. This blog lists story times at libraries across Indiana so you can find one that’s close to you.

Outdoor Activities:

Attend a holiday market: See if your community is putting on a holiday market. If you’re near Carmel, check out the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, which is inspired by the beautiful Christmas markets in Germany. Here, you can ice skate, see live performances and do some holiday shopping.

Climb aboard a holiday train: Holiday train rides can be a fun way to get out and see Indiana from a new perspective. There are holiday train rides in French Lick, Noblesville, New Haven and more.

Drive through Christmas lights: Put some holiday apple cider or hot cocoa in to-go cups and drive around to look at Christmas lights! You can do this for free in your own neighborhood, or check out a larger display like the Mounds State Park Night of Lights.

Embrace the snow: There are many fun activities you and your child can do in the snow, from building a snowman to having a snowball fight. Check out more ideas for chilly-weather activities you can do outside together.

At-home Activities:

Make a gingerbread house: Building a gingerbread house at home can help your child express themselves artistically. Build one together or have each family member build their own! You can also bake a gingerbread man/woman/child for each member of your family and have everyone decorate their own.

Set a reading challenge: Winter break is a great time to have a fun family reading challenge. Create prizes that go along with how many books your child reads during the break. For example, reading three books means they get to pick the next family movie. Five books mean they get to choose where the family eats next. Ten books equal a new stuffed animal. Choose whatever prizes make sense for your family!

Check out this list of the best holiday books for kids to get ideas on books to read over winter break.

Donate old toys: Winter break is a good time to take stock of what your child has and donate any old toys. You can tell your child Santa needs room to bring their new toys. Take the old toys to a toy drive with your child so they can understand the power of giving.

Looking for More Winter Break Activities for Kids?

Check out our blog on educational winter activities for kids in Indiana which features everything from adopting a tree to making a snowman name tag.