KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sun, Dec 28: Kwanzaa Community Festival: Roots and Rhythm: Living Kwanzaa 365 at Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
Mon, Dec 29: Snowy Luminaries (Ages 6+) at Zionsville Nature Center
Wed, Dec 31: Dave & Buster's New Year's Eve 2025
Wed, Dec 31: Noon Year's Eve! - Hamilton East Public Library-Noblesville Library
Wed, Dec 31: Noon Year's Eve at Lincoln Park - Zionsville, IN
Wed, Dec 31: Family New Year's Eve (All Ages) Crossing at Indiana State Museum
Thu,
Jan 1: luminary First Day Hike at Arbuckle Acres Park
Sat, Jan 17: Mario Kart World Tournament (Ages 12+) at Johnson County Public
Library-Indiana - White River Branch
Mon, Jan 19: FREE DAY! Martin Luther King Jr. Day (All Ages) at Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
Wed, Jan 21: MLK Jr. Dream Canvas at Johnson County Public Library-Indiana - White River Branch
Sun, Feb 1: Get Ready for Kindergarten Week at Johnson County Public Library-Indiana - White River Branch
Fri, Feb 6: Winder Wonderland Dance - At
Cool Creek Nature Center
Fri, Feb 20: Anime Crossroads 2026
Sat, Feb 21: Sappy Saturday at Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation
Thu, Feb 26: Teen: Fantasy Fitness with Stevie Deal - At Beech Grove Branch |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
Peace can come in many textures during the holidays. For some, it’s the energizing bustle of concerts and community events, or the warmth of a crowded house full of voices and motion. For others, it’s the stillness of a walk through snow-covered woods, a soft blanket at home, or the quiet company of someone who understands them. It shifts from person to person, and
sometimes even from one day to the next. Peace can be internal, external, or, at its best, a bit of both: a sense that life makes sense, within and around us. It’s easier to feel when we’re free from hardship, but even in the midst of challenge, it’s sometimes possible to find a quiet kind of peace when we know we’ve done our best with the time and energy we’ve been given. Peace can be elusive for parents; after all, we're the ones in charge of figuring out
how to make the family rhythm and flow work for everyone, and what brings peace to our kids may look nothing like what brings it to us. Maybe your son needs to be out with friends while you crave stillness. Maybe your daughter is hoping to hide in a corner with a book while you're in full-on glitter-and-cookie mode with all the cousins. Parenting is the art of balance, of helping everyone in the family thrive by seeing who they really are and doing our best to honor it. It's not easy, and it's
never perfect, but we try. When kids feel known—when they hear “I see that you love this, that you need this, and I’ll help you find your way to it”—they flourish. That sense of being understood can be its own kind of peace. So as the season winds to a close, I wish you whatever kind of holiday rhythm helps you feel most like you. And I hope you’ll find moments to offer that same gift to those around you. When we make space for each other’s version of peace,
it’s more likely to find its way into the room.
—Debra Ross, publisher
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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New this year! Bring the kids out for a magical skating experience at Grand Junction Plaza’s Ice Ribbon (225 S. Union Street, Westfield, IN 46074). Little ones can skate alongside and take photos with their favorite characters.
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Enjoy the perfect winter break activity with your family in THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Connection. From Sunday, December 21 through Monday, December 29, each adult LUME ticket purchased will receive two free LUME youth tickets (ages 6–17). Kids 5 and under are always free. Come in from the cold of winter and be transported to the other side of the world in Connection: Land, Water, and Sky—a breathtaking contemporary art experience that’s as moving as it is meaningful. Kids and adults alike will enjoy captivating art and music by Indigenous artists, a digital art making experience, and light snacks and specialty drinks available for purchase in Café Ngura. Give your children the gift of experiencing extraordinary global art and music created by Indigenous Australian artists. Together you will discover a vibrant celebration of land, water, and sky, and create lasting memories across generations.
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It’s merry. It’s bright. It’s Winterlights presented by Bank of America at Newfields. Nearly two million lights will dazzle and delight during the ninth annual holiday tradition in The Garden. Lights will dance beneath your feet and twinkle overhead, reaching the very tips of 100-year-old trees and lighting the way. The undeniable display of wintertime wonder extends inside the historic Lilly House with whimsical Dickens Villages, sweetly scented gingerbread, and a sprinkle of holiday delight at Styled for the Season presented by LINNEA. The more the merrier...Winterwonder Pass is available for guests looking for ultimate cheer. Hearts and hands will be warmed by crackling firepits at Culinary Campsite at Garden Terrace. Satisfy your holiday sweet cravings with s’more kits and giant chocolate chip cookies. Get in the holiday spirit—cocoa and ciders can be spiked with a shot from Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey or peppermint vodka. Or enjoy a Winterlights-inspired Electric…
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Beginning December 7, 2025, take a stroll through the Amphitheater Park and take in the holiday lights! Get a festive selfie and maybe just make it a new holiday tradition to enjoy Parks! The lights will be on from DUSK till DAWN. Throughout the month there will be some ambiance entertainment from the stage as you stroll along the trail!
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Santa Claus is coming to town! Join us for a magical day of festive fun as we kick off the holiday season on Nov. 28 and welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus to the museum. Watch Santa’s grand entrance on opening day as he lands at 11 a.m. on the front lawn in a helicopter! Bring the whole family and make cherished memories as you hop aboard the Snowfall Express for an enchanting train ride, explore Celebration Crossing and more. There will be plenty of entertainment, games and activities to keep everyone smiling throughout the day.
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Curious about how competition robots come to life? Drop in to meet The MasterMinds, your local FIRST Tech Challenge team, and experience an exciting and interactive afternoon for all ages. See a real competition robot in action as it performs live demonstrations that highlight speed, precision, and teamwork. Team members will walk you through how they design, build, and program their robot, showing how creativity and problem solving come together in every part of the process. Visitors will even have the chance to take the controls and experience what it feels like to drive a robot used in official competitions. You will also learn about the FIRST Tech Challenge, a global program that inspires students to explore science, technology, and engineering through hands-on innovation. Whether you are a student interested in STEM, a parent looking for new opportunities, or simply curious about robotics, this event offers something for everyone. Come see how ideas become motion and how…
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- Free mini photo session with Shoott! - Indianapolis - Shoott - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, USA, 12/27/2025 - 12/28/2025, See link for times
- Indy Winter Farmers Market - At The AMP at 16 Tech - The AMP at 16 Tech, 1220 Waterway Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46202, 12/27/2025, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
- Find Out About FIRST Tech Challenge A STEM Robotics Program - at Carmel Clay Public Library - Main Branch - Carmel Clay Public Library - Carmel Clay Public Library, East Main Street, Carmel, IN, USA, 12/27/2025, 2:00 pm - 3:30
pm
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Take out your calendar - you have a lot of scheduling to do to fit in all the incredible Holiday Break camps taking place in and around our area! If we're missing a camp that should be on this list, please email us to let us know.
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Ring in the New Year with a little help from KidsOutAndAbout! Our Big List of family-Friendly celebrations is just what you need to find ball drops, fireworks displays, NOON Year's Eve fun, activities, parties and more! If your favorite isn't on the list be
sure to send us an email and we'll add it pronto.
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EXPERIENCES create memories much more than stuff does. As you're considering gifts for family and friends, consider giving the gift of a family membership to one of our local attractions in and around Indianapolis. Here are local organizations that offer
memberships.
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(This list is always a work in progress: We update it continually through the season, so check back frequently!) KidsOutAndAbout is Indy's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families!
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Indianapolis area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas!
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2025's Best Places for Kids in the Indianapolis area! Here are the Top 20 places to take kids in and around Indianapolis, based on KidsOutAndAbout's annual reader survey. Of course, there is LOTS more to do locally "out and about"! Get great ideas here at
KidsOutAndAbout.com!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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