Summer is here, school is out and, suddenly, kids have a lot of time on their hands.
Earlier this year, Mirror Indy compiled a searchable list of youth summer camps and programs.
But life is busy and those summer program sign-ups go fast. Plus, some of them only last a couple of weeks. That’s why we’re crowd sourcing this guide of things to do on the fly.
From community mainstays like Indy Parks and the Indianapolis Public Library to youth organizations and neighborhood shops, we found dozens of free and low-cost events kids and teens can drop into — no strings attached.
Is there something we missed? Share your summer activity ideas with us! We might add you to the list. You can search for other summer activities for kids and teens at indysummeryouthprograms.org.
And, if what you are really looking for is a summer job, follow along with reporter Claire Rafford’s The Jobs Line. It’s a free text service that sends out employment opportunities a couple times a week. Text “JOBS” to 317-676-4163.
Catch a free concert
For: All ages
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ Free
From wide open city parks to intimate alley sessions, there’s ample opportunities to catch live performances this summer. Everything from arts & soul music to jazz and kids bops will be on display. The best part? It’s all free. Grab your friends, family and blanket. Mirror Indy has your guide to the free summer concert scene. And, if you’re a southsider, you can find all the details on Beech Grove’s free summer concert series.
Plan a movie night
For: All ages
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ Free to $13
Pack up your blankets and lawn chairs for an outdoor movie night. Lawrence is offering two free movie screenings as part of its Films at the Fort series at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus. White River State Park and Newfields both provide a series of summer movie nights ranging in price from $5 to $13, depending on age and venue. Tickets can go fast, so visit the White River State Park and Newfields websites to reserve your seat.
The Tibbs Drive-In Theater on the west side is another summer movie mainstay. The four-screen outdoor cinema is open Thursdays through Mondays. Tickets range from $6 for kids 4 to 12 years old and $12 for those 13 and up. Visit the Tibbs Drive-In website to see what’s showing.
Don’t want to dodge summer showers? AMC and Regal Cinemas offer discounts for some weekday matinees in June through mid-August. Some showings cost as little as $1. Check AMC and Regal Cinemas’ websites for showtimes.
What’s better than $1? Central Library will show free movies at 1 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays in June and July. The movies will play in the library’s second floor auditorium. No registration is needed. See June and July schedules on the library’s website.
Get your game on
For: All ages
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ Free to $20
From tabletop and card games to PC gaming and pinball, there’s opportunities to join fellow gamers in every corner of the city. Some meetups are free. Others carry a $10-$20 fee to play. Shops like Game Time Indy, Saltire Games and The Game Preserve on the north side organize weekly events. Good Games downtown and Paradigm Games offer more centrally located opportunities. And, Elf ’N Moon and Mage’s Comics are good options on the south side.
Each event carries its own flavor. Some specialize in specific activities, including Pokémon, Dungeons & Dragons or Magic: The Gathering. Others offer open tables for drop-in play. While some locations such as Family Time Games advertise themselves as open to all ages, it’s worth calling ahead to your nearest shop before visiting. Some games may be more advanced and some events may be better suited for older kids or teens.
The PinVault in Fountain Square, for example, hosts all ages pinball events from 1-6 p.m. every third Saturday of the month. A $5 entry gets you all-you-can-play pinball throughout the afternoon. If all else fails, the Indianapolis Public Library offers free kids and teens gaming sessions at branches across the city. Visit their website for a list of upcoming events.
Have a pool day
For: Ages 3 and up
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ Splash pads: Free; Pools: $3 to $6 per visit or $40 season pass;
When the heat climbs, plan a pool day. Indy Parks offer dozens of locations to cool off at a community pool or splash pad. A trip to the pool will generally run you $3 to $6 per person — though, some locations offer free community swim hours. Indy Parks also offers a $40 season pass, if you anticipate returning often. And, splash pads are free! Each park offers its own hours and community swim times, so you’ll want to check online before planning your visit. Find your nearest pool or splash pad.
Hit the gym
For: All ages
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ Free to $5
From basketball and volleyball to futsal and soccer, several Indy Parks locations open up their gyms and fields to kids, teens and adults throughout the summer. Availability and pricing varies by location. Costs range from free to $5. See Indy Parks’ website for open gym hours close to you.
Lace up your skates
For: All ages
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ $8-15
Whether you prefer to hug the wall or bust a move, there’s lots of options for roller skating. Tickets generally cost about $5-10 depending on the day, with another $5 for skate rental. Most popular public skate hours fall on Friday nights and weekends. Some rinks offer family discount nights and themed events. Check out Skateland at 3902 N. Glen Arm Road and Roller City at 6445 W. Washington St. for westside skating. Or, try The Roller Cave at 8734 E. 21st St. on the east side and Fun Factory at 175 Southern Plaza Drive for southside skating.
Go touch grass
For: All ages
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ Free to $7
No, seriously. You can easily forget you’re in the city when visiting one of Indy’s dozens of parks. Most spaces are open from dawn to dusk, and the possibilities are endless. Take a hike through miles of shady trails. Pack a picnic or plan a field day. Meet friends for a pick-up game on an outdoor basketball court. Or, reserve a covered shelter for a cookout.
Most outdoor amenities at Indy Parks are free. Entrance to the larger Eagle Creek Park on the west side is $1 for bikers and hikers and $6 for Marion County residents driving into the park. Entrance to Fort Harrison State Park on the northeast side is $2 for bikes and hikers and $7 for Indiana residents driving in.
Prefer more of a structured activity? Indy Parks’ Bird Buddies club takes kids ages 9-14 years old on guided hikes of Municipal Gardens twice a month. The program is free, but requires advanced registration. The Indiana Audubon Society also leads birding outings for kids and families on the first Friday of the month. Drop in or register online for the events at Eagle Creek Park. The outings are free with park admission.
Roll up your sleeves
For: All ages
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ Free
Volunteering doesn’t have to feel like a chore. There’s tons of ways to give back and have fun doing it. From ideas for the animal lover to the green thumb, Mirror Indy’s guide on where to volunteer with your kids is full of inspiration. Some groups, such as Flanner House on the near northwest side, have regular, weekly volunteer opportunities you can drop into.
Nothing there catching your eye? United Way of Central Indiana recently launched its Volunpair initiative — a new, interactive volunteering hub. You can peruse a calendar of upcoming volunteer activities or take a survey to get recommendations that match your interests. You’ll need to create a free Volunpair account to get started.
Related
Indy nonprofits where you can volunteer with your kid
There are options for kids who want to help take care of their neighbors, gardens, animals, books and more.
Hang out after hours
For: Ages 15-20
🗓️ 7-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, June 5 to Aug. 1
📍 Aspire House, 971 Udell St.
🎟️ Free to $15
Aspire House’s After Hours hangouts provide a space to chill with friends and pick up a new hobby. The Northwest Landing community center is planning activities around four themes: creation station, culinary, environment, and health and wellness. Teens are invited to dance, cook, write poetry, create vision boards, learn about sustainability and train with Black firefighters. There’s even goat yoga.
Teens can come for as many of the Friday and Saturday night sessions as they’d like. They just need to let organizers know when they plan to drop in through Eventbrite. Most activities are free. Some special excursions, such as a White River kayaking trip, carry a fee of $10 to $15.
Kick back with friends
For: Ages 12-17
🗓️ Evenings, June 5, June 13, June 19, June 27, July 10, July 18, July 30
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ Free
Indy nonprofit Let Them Talk is putting on a series of casual kickbacks for kids and teens. Drop in once or come for all seven nights. From glow parties and roller skates to a luau theme and karaoke night, each evening event brings its own twist. The events are free, but you can register in advance online. Food, games and music will be provided and transportation can be arranged upon request. A full list of events is available here.
Take a class
For: All ages
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ Free to $10
There’s dozens of opportunities to learn a new skill or grow a favorite hobby through free and low-cost summer courses. For example, teens can join a monthly line dancing class at Broad Ripple Park for $10 a session. Kids ages 10 and up can learn about fermenting their favorite hot sauces, ketchups and salsas at the Garfield Park Conservatory for $15 a meeting. A full list of Indy Parks programs for kids and teens can be found online.
The Indianapolis Public Library system also offers a wide range of classes for kids and adults. From robotics and Minecraft clubs to field days and movie screenings, the library system takes its summer activity list beyond read-alouds (although, there’s plenty of those, too!). Most activities are free, but some require registration. Visit the library’s website for a list of summer activities offered at each branch.
If you’re more of a self-directed learner, consider signing up for the library’s Summer Reading Program. Library card holders can check out books for free and complete reading challenges to win prizes. Here’s how to get started.
Visit a museum
For: All ages
🗓️ All summer
📍 Multiple locations
🎟️ $5 for Access Pass members
It’s no secret. Planning a museum visit can feel like … an investment. However, some families may be eligible for discounted tickets through The Children’s Museum’s Access Pass program. Families enrolled in one of several programs, such as Medicaid or the Healthy Indiana Plan, can apply for an Access Pass. The pass lowers the admission price of more than a dozen museums and attractions to just $5 per person.
Participating locations include the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, Newfields and the Indiana State Museum among others. You can find registration requirements and a list of participating attractions on The Children’s Museum’s website.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
