GREENFIELD — Fall break and sweater weather is upon us, and area destinations allow families the chance to have fun and learn together without going far from home.
Here’s a look at family-friendly exhibits, attractions and events in the first two weeks of October.
Children’s Museum features new exhibit
The youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient that dared to stand up to the Taliban in a fight for education and equal rights is featured in the latest exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.
Malala Yousafzai’s story and the experiences that shaped her are on display at “The Power of Children Making a Difference” experience.
It is the only permanent exhibit in the world to feature her story, and the museum worked directly with the Yousafzai family and Malala Fund to tell of her intense desire for education that was so strong she attended school in secret and used henna to decorate her hands with mathematical equations instead of patterns. Her dream of obtaining an education could have ended when she was attacked by the Taliban for daring to speak up about the rights of girls and young women to receive an education, but she refused to be silenced.
The Power of Children gallery, which also includes exhibits on Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges and Ryan White, is recommended for kids ages 8 and over. Admission is $6 if you go to the museum’s next First Thursday discounted day from 4-8 p.m. Oct. 7. General admission to the museum includes all four levels of attractions, plus the outdoor sports exhibits. Visit www.childrensmuseum.org for more.
Greenfield parks hosting art camp
Create a magical, miniature world of castles, kings and queens in a fall break art camp hosted by Greenfield Parks Department. Will it be a spooky, haunted lair or a whimsical princess palace? It’s up to each student in the four-day camp to transform plain, wooden castle dollhouses into their own creation through design and decoration. The camp is open to children in grades kindergarten through sixth Oct. 11-15. Cost is $90 for residents and $95 for nonresidents. For times or to register, visit parks.greenfieldin.org or call (317) 477-4340.
Riley Festival includes favorites
Grab some fresh flowers and bring the kids downtown Friday, Oct. 8 for the Riley Festival Flower Parade. Since school is on fall break, the parade is open to any children that want to pay tribute to the Hoosier poet in the Greenfield tradition of laying flowers at the courthouse statue. For that matter, if you participated in this tradition as a kid yourself, rekindle the memory with your own children. All kids must be accompanied by an adult; meet up at 12:30 p.m. on the Pennsy Trail at State Road 9.
The rest of the festival features plenty of other family-favorites, from vendors to food to a community parade Oct. 9. Visit rileyfestival.com for a schedule.
The James Whitcomb Riley Boyhood Home is also offering extended tours that weekend, plus a cake and punch birthday reception from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10.
Farms offer fall fun
Apple picking may be just about done, but there’s still plenty of pumpkins to choose from as well as tractor rides, playgrounds and more at nearby farms.
Tuttle Orchards, Lark Ranch, Piney Acres and Pleasant View Orchard all offer a little bit of something for every age and ability. From heading out into a pumpkin patch and finding your own future jack-o-lantern, to playing on swings and slides, to simply picking out apples or spiced treats in a store, it’s prime time to visit an agritourism destination.
For times, prices and attractions, visit their websites:
Tuttle Orchards, indianapolisorchard.com
Lark Ranch, larkranch.com
Piney Acres, facebook.com/PineyAcresFarm
Pleasant View Orchard, facebook.com/PleasantViewOrchard
Preschool
options available
Check out hands-on learning activities for preschoolers at the Indiana State Museum. A pumpkin party for kids ages 4-6 will be held Oct. 9 and Messy Monday for kids ages 5 and under is Oct. 11. Visit www.indianamuseum.org and click on “programs” for more.
Comic convention coming to Indy
Kids 12 and under get in free at Indiana Comic Convention Oct. 15-17. Held at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, exhibitors include comic books, magazines, toys, games Star Wars, Star Trek, anime, manga, cosplay and more, as well as comic-related celebrities for attendees to meet and greet. For more details and adult pricing, visit indianacomicconvention.com.
Train rides
concluding Oct. 16
Oct. 16 is the final day of the season to ride Johnson County’s mini train rides called Live Steamers. From noon to 4 p.m., it costs $3 per ride to get on a one-eighth scale train for an 18 minute trip in Johnson County Park. See www.indianalivesteamers.org/ for details.
