39 Indoor Things to Do for Young Kids Near Zionsville
Updated October 26, 2026
From rainy afternoons and cold Indiana winters to hot summer days, this guide features 39 indoor activities for kids ages 0–9 in Zionsville and Northwest Indianapolis, including Whitestown, Carmel, Westfield, Fishers, Brownsburg, Plainfield, Lebanon, and Lafayette. Explore indoor playgrounds, sensory play spaces, sports, music, dance, art, STEM activities, and free library programs, with options for both drop-in visits and scheduled classes.
Age recommendations are based on published guidelines when available. Many locations offer activities for older children, too, making them convenient for families with siblings of different ages.
For more activities that welcome younger children, including pickleball, badminton, batting cages, cat cafés, and Slick City’s indoor slides, see our guide to indoor things to do for older kids and teens.
Indoor Activities at a Glance
Use the filters below to narrow the list.
Drop-In places don’t require signing up for a class. Classes are ongoing programs that need enrollment.
Activities · Choose one or more
39 activities
| What to Expect | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Adamson’s Karate Studio Ages: 4 through adult Karate for young children, plus family classes for parents and children 7 and older | Zionsville | 4 through adult | Karate for young children, plus family classes for parents and children 7 and older |
| Bach to Rock Ages: 1 through adult Parent-child music classes for ages 1–3, private lessons, and bands | Zionsville | 1 through adult | Parent-child music classes for ages 1–3, private lessons, and bands |
| Black Box Theatre Company Ages: 3–18 Youth productions and private lessons in acting, singing, and dance | Lebanon | 3–18 | Youth productions and private lessons in acting, singing, and dance |
| Brightly Art Studio Ages: 18 months–16 years Process art classes, preschool playgroups with parents, and a Drop-In Craft Café | Brownsburg | 18 months–16 years | Process art classes, preschool playgroups with parents, and a Drop-In Craft Café |
| Brownsburg Public Library Ages: All ages Storytimes, crafts and take-home craft kits, LEGO Club, martial arts classes, and reading to therapy dogs | Brownsburg | All ages | Storytimes, crafts and take-home craft kits, LEGO Club, martial arts classes, and reading to therapy dogs |
| Build It Playground Ages: 1–10 Construction playground with real mini excavators, sand play, and building stations | Carmel | 1–10 | Construction playground with real mini excavators, sand play, and building stations |
| Bushido Jiu-Jitsu Ages: 5 through adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu taught through drills and games | Zionsville | 5 through adult | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu taught through drills and games |
| Carmel Clay History Museum Ages: 1–8 $1 play area with history-themed playhouses, plus free storytimes | Carmel | 1–8 | $1 play area with history-themed playhouses, plus free storytimes |
| Carmel Clay Public Library Ages: All ages Storytimes, a children’s play area, art programs, and STEAM kits and lab | Carmel | All ages | Storytimes, a children’s play area, art programs, and STEAM kits and lab |
| Carter’s Play Place Ages: All ages Inclusive indoor playground with a two-story climbing structure, trampoline, zipline, foam pit, and sensory activities | Westfield | All ages | Inclusive indoor playground with a two-story climbing structure, trampoline, zipline, foam pit, and sensory activities |
| Dig Dig for Kids Ages: 2–10 Giant sandbox with toy construction vehicles and kinetic sand, where parents can join in | Fishers | 2–10 | Giant sandbox with toy construction vehicles and kinetic sand, where parents can join in |
| Elevate3 Basketball Ages: 5–18 Small-group basketball fundamentals for young beginners | Indianapolis | 5–18 | Small-group basketball fundamentals for young beginners |
| Gymboree Play & Music Ages: 0–5 Parent-child play, music, and art classes, plus preschool programs and Open Gym | Carmel | 0–5 | Parent-child play, music, and art classes, plus preschool programs and Open Gym |
| Hoosier Heights Ages: 4 through adult Indoor climbing with youth programs for ages 4–14; children 5 and under climb free | Carmel | 4 through adult | Indoor climbing with youth programs for ages 4–14; children 5 and under climb free |
| Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library Ages: All ages Storytimes, play spaces, arts and crafts, STEM kits, and the Zionsville Nature Center | Zionsville · Whitestown | All ages | Storytimes, play spaces, arts and crafts, STEM kits, and the Zionsville Nature Center |
| Kids Empire Ages: 1–12 Multilevel play structures, slides, ball pits, and a toddler area | Plainfield | 1–12 | Multilevel play structures, slides, ball pits, and a toddler area |
| Kids Explore Robotics Ages: 4–18 Build and code robots from motors, sensors, and controllers | Carmel | 4–18 | Build and code robots from motors, sensors, and controllers |
| Lebanon Public Library Ages: All ages Baby & Me lap-sit storytimes, a play area, and after-school STEM and art projects | Lebanon | All ages | Baby & Me lap-sit storytimes, a play area, and after-school STEM and art projects |
| Malibu Jack’s Ages: 3 through adult Indoor amusement park with solo and parent-child go-karts, rides, mini golf, and a bounce-house playground | Lafayette | 3 through adult | Indoor amusement park with solo and parent-child go-karts, rides, mini golf, and a bounce-house playground |
| Master Yoo’s Tae Kwon Do Ages: 4 through adult Tae Kwon Do with a belt system and family classes | Carmel | 4 through adult | Tae Kwon Do with a belt system and family classes |
| Metropolitan Youth Ballet Ages: 18 months through adult Toddler & Me, preschool dance, and ballet training | Indianapolis | 18 months through adult | Toddler & Me, preschool dance, and ballet training |
| Monon Community Center Ages: All ages Indoor playground with climbing structures, interactive STEM exhibits, soft-play area, and family pool with water slides | Carmel | All ages | Indoor playground with climbing structures, interactive STEM exhibits, soft-play area, and family pool with water slides |
| Musicologie Ages: 6 months through adult Parent-and-child music classes and one-on-one lessons | Carmel | 6 months through adult | Parent-and-child music classes and one-on-one lessons |
| My Gym Spring Mill Ages: 3 months–10 years Gymnastics, art, dance, and ninja classes, including parent-child gym and art activities | Westfield | 3 months–10 years | Gymnastics, art, dance, and ninja classes, including parent-child gym and art activities |
| Palette Art Studio Ages: 6–10 Drop-in art sessions, classes, and camps | Zionsville | 6–10 | Drop-in art sessions, classes, and camps |
| Pearson Automotive Tennis Club Ages: 2 through adult Beginner tennis for young children, including Mommy/Daddy & Me classes for ages 3–4 | Zionsville | 2 through adult | Beginner tennis for young children, including Mommy/Daddy & Me classes for ages 3–4 |
| Pinheads Ages: 3 through adult Bowling with bumpers and ramps, duckpin lanes, and arcades | Brownsburg · Fishers | 3 through adult | Bowling with bumpers and ramps, duckpin lanes, and arcades |
| Prana Play Ages: 3–12 Sensory-friendly playground with climbing, slides, swings, and pretend play, plus scheduled art, music, and movement classes | Carmel | 3–12 | Sensory-friendly playground with climbing, slides, swings, and pretend play, plus scheduled art, music, and movement classes |
| School of Rock Ages: 6 through adult Group music lessons for beginners and band programs | Zionsville | 6 through adult | Group music lessons for beginners and band programs |
| Sprouts Cooking School Ages: 4–14 Hands-on cooking classes, including sessions where parents and children cook together | Zionsville · Carmel | 4–14 | Hands-on cooking classes, including sessions where parents and children cook together |
| The Bunny Hive Ages: 0–5 Parent-child classes in music, art, ballet, sensory play, and storytime | Zionsville | 0–5 | Parent-child classes in music, art, ballet, sensory play, and storytime |
| The Busy Bee Play Cafe Ages: 1–8 Indoor playground with a pretend-play town and a café for parents | Indianapolis | 1–8 | Indoor playground with a pretend-play town and a café for parents |
| The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Ages: All ages Dinosaur fossils, space exhibits, family art activities, and Playscape for ages 5 and under | Indianapolis | All ages | Dinosaur fossils, space exhibits, family art activities, and Playscape for ages 5 and under |
| The Hideout Ages: 0–10 Free play space with a climbing structure, toddler area, and game zone | Brownsburg | 0–10 | Free play space with a climbing structure, toddler area, and game zone |
| The Little Gym of Carmel Ages: 4 months–12 years Parent-and-child, gymnastics, and dance classes | Carmel | 4 months–12 years | Parent-and-child, gymnastics, and dance classes |
| The Park at Traders Point Ages: 1–10 Free five-level play structure, zip track, and toddler zone | Whitestown | 1–10 | Free five-level play structure, zip track, and toddler zone |
| Village Dance Studio Ages: 3 through adult Preschool dance and tumbling, plus ballet, tap, jazz, and hip-hop | Whitestown | 3 through adult | Preschool dance and tumbling, plus ballet, tap, jazz, and hip-hop |
| We Rock the Spectrum Ages: 0 through young adults Sensory gym with swings, a trampoline, zip slider, arts and crafts area, and calming room | Carmel | 0 through young adults | Sensory gym with swings, a trampoline, zip slider, arts and crafts area, and calming room |
| Westfield Washington Public Library Ages: All ages Family games and crafts, storytimes, STEAM activities, and therapy-dog reading | Westfield | All ages | Family games and crafts, storytimes, STEAM activities, and therapy-dog reading |
Indoor Playgrounds & Play Spaces
These indoor playgrounds and play spaces are open for drop-in play, though some recommend or require reservations.
Build It Playground
Indoor Playground · Recommended ages 1–10
Location: 1069 3rd Ave. SW, Carmel, IN 46032
Build It Playground is a construction-themed indoor playground with ride-on excavators, mini excavators, remote-controlled equipment, building tables, and an indoor sand table. Most activities are designed for ages 1–10, and babies under 1 have a soft-play area, a padded section for crawling and climbing. Large excavators and remote-controlled equipment use tokens, with additional tokens available for purchase. Grip socks are required for children, and adults must wear socks. Signed waivers are required, and reservations are recommended during busy periods.
Carter’s Play Place
Indoor Playground · All ages
Location: 1021 Kendall Ct., Westfield, IN 46074
Equipment weight limits apply. Most children who play here are ages 1–6.
Carter’s Play Place is an inclusive indoor playground with adaptive equipment, sensory activities, and space for active play. Children can explore a two-story climbing structure, trampoline, zipline, and foam pit. Open play requires no reservation and has no time limit, and adults are admitted free. Some weekday mornings are reserved for children 4 and under. Children wear Carter’s grip socks, which are sold at check-in and can be reused on later visits. Outside snacks are permitted.
Accessibility & sensory note: Calmer Carter’s is a less crowded, lower-stimulation session, available by RSVP. Weekday lunch hours are typically quieter, and staff can adjust the sock requirement for sensory needs or braces.
Dig Dig for Kids
Indoor Playground · Recommended ages 2–10
Location: 12800 Ford Dr., Fishers, IN 46038
Dig Dig for Kids features a giant indoor sandbox where children can dig, build, and play with toy construction vehicles, excavators, shovels, and buckets. Parents can join their children or watch from the sidelines. The Dino Zone, for ages 3 and older, has tables of moldable kinetic sand and custom shapers for creating bricks, dinosaurs, and construction vehicles. The Dino Zone is included with admission, subject to availability. Play is charged by the hour, adults and non-playing infants enter free, and reservations are recommended. A signed waiver is required.
Kids Empire
Indoor Playground · Recommended ages 1–12
Location: 2539 Perry Crossing Way, Ste. 100, Plainfield, IN 46168
Kids Empire is a large indoor playground where children can climb through multilevel play structures, explore tunnels and obstacle courses, race down slides, and jump into ball pits. A separate padded toddler area for ages 1–3 has smaller slides, soft building blocks, and its own ball pit. The play area also includes a dance floor, and parents can join in the play or watch from the seating area. Admission covers unlimited play with same-day reentry, and two adults enter free with each paying child. Socks and signed waivers are required for everyone, and children must be supervised by an adult.
Monon Community Center
Indoor Playground & Pool · All ages
Location: 1235 Central Park Dr. E., Carmel, IN 46032
The Monon Community Center has two indoor recreation areas for families. Monon Station is an indoor playground with a large climbing structure, slides, a giant light-up peg wall, oversized building blocks, and air-powered tubes that show how air pressure moves balls and scarves. Its soft-play area has padded equipment for crawlers and early walkers.
The indoor aquatic center has a family activity pool, water slides, and a slide for toddlers. Swim lessons are grouped by age, starting with parent-child lessons for babies and toddlers.
Both areas are accessible with a day pass or membership. Monon Station has designated Family Hours, and children under 11 require adult supervision. At the aquatic center, children 8 and under require parental supervision, with an adult within arm’s reach for ages 5 and under.
Visit the Indoor Aquatic Center →
Prana Play
Sensory Playground · Recommended ages 3–12
Location: 1019 3rd Ave. SW, Carmel, IN 46032
Prana Play is an indoor play space designed to be sensory-friendly for every child, including neurodivergent children and children with sensory sensitivities. It has a climbing structure with tunnels, slides, and swings, along with pretend-play settings such as a vet clinic and a grocery store. An open-play pass covers the full day. Classes include Zumbini, a music and movement class for children 5 and under with a caregiver, along with pottery painting and slime-making, and camps are also offered.
Accessibility & sensory note: Noise, lighting, and crowd levels are managed throughout the space, and a low-stimulation room is available for breaks. Staff are trained in sensory needs, and the facility offers group occupational therapy, which helps children build everyday motor and sensory skills, along with social-skills programs.
The Busy Bee Play Cafe
Play Cafe · Ages 1–8
Location: 5635 W. 96th St., Ste. 200, Indianapolis, IN 46278
The Busy Bee Play Cafe is an indoor playground with a café for parents. The play space includes a climbing structure with slides, a pretend-play town with miniature storefronts, a mini road for ride-on toys, oversized building blocks, and padded soft-play areas for babies and toddlers. The open layout lets parents see their children from almost anywhere in the space, and the café serves espresso drinks and baked treats. Grip socks are required, and reservations are recommended.
Visit The Busy Bee Play Cafe →
The Hideout
Indoor Playground · Recommended ages 0–10
Location: 554 Pit Rd., Door 2, Brownsburg, IN 46112
The Hideout is a free indoor play space with a multi-level padded climbing structure, two slides, and safety netting. Babies and toddlers have their own area set off by a barrier, with a sensory wall of textures and hands-on pieces, and older children have a game zone with a basketball shooting game, air hockey, and foosball. An open floor area holds ride-on toys, and a free book library is available. Families complete a registration form and waiver before playing, and socks are required. Classes are also offered.
The Park at Traders Point
Indoor Playground · Recommended ages 1–3 (toddler area) · Ages 4–10 (main area)
Location: 6590 S. Indianapolis Rd., Whitestown, IN 46075
The Park at Traders Point Christian Church is a free indoor playground with a five-level play structure featuring tunnels and slides, plus a zip track, which is a low zip line close to the ground. Toddlers have a separate play zone, and picnic tables and free Wi-Fi are available for parents. Children must wear socks, an adult must stay with children at all times, and adults need a government-issued ID to check in. The Park often reaches capacity, and its website posts real-time occupancy.
Visit The Park at Traders Point →
We Rock the Spectrum
Sensory Gym · Ages 0 through young adults
Location: 13644 N. Meridian St., Carmel, IN 46032
Equipment weight limits apply.
We Rock the Spectrum is an indoor sensory gym for all children, both neurodivergent and neurotypical. The main playroom has a padded floor, suspended swings, a trampoline, a large slide, crash mats, and a zip slider, which is a low, padded zip line. Younger children have their own area with tunnels, slides, and toys, and a pretend-play area has dress-up clothes, a kitchen set, and a train track. A padded music room has pianos and drums, and an arts and crafts area has tables for coloring and crafts. Open play is offered throughout the week, and booking online shortens the wait. The gym also hosts classes in a private room.
Accessibility & sensory note: The gym was built with equipment for children with sensory processing needs, and a calming room provides a quieter space. Monthly sessions are set aside for infants and toddlers and for young adults.
Museums & Family Attractions
These destinations include museums with hands-on exhibits, an indoor amusement park, bowling, and indoor climbing.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Museum · All ages
Location: 3000 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46208
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has five floors of interactive exhibits covering dinosaurs, science, history, art, and imaginative play. In Dinosphere, children can see real dinosaur fossils and meet paleontologists working in a fossil lab, while Beyond Spaceship Earth recreates part of the International Space Station. ScienceWorks features a water table, cave, farm activities, and a Discovery Lab for children 5 and under. Other attractions include archaeological digs in Treasures of the Earth, a pretend Peruvian marketplace, and a historic carousel with a mirror maze and playhouses.
Playscape, a gallery exclusively for children 5 and under, has water and sand tables, art and music studios, a climbing structure, and Babyscape for infants and toddlers. Playscape is closed through Nov. 6, 2026, and reopens Nov. 7. Family art activities and workshops give parents and children more opportunities for hands-on creativity.
Accessibility & sensory note: Museum My Way events offer limited-capacity visits for guests with disabilities or sensory sensitivities, with a quiet area, reduced music, and adjusted lighting. Registration is required.
Carmel Clay History Museum
Museum · Recommended ages 1–8
Location: 211 1st St. SW, Carmel, IN 46032
The third floor of the Carmel Clay History Museum is a children’s play area with history-themed playhouses, including a pioneer log cabin, a bank with cash registers and play money, and an ice cream shop modeled on Carmel’s original Dairy Queen. The area also has Lincoln Logs, train tracks, a child-size basketball goal, and storybooks, and historical exhibits fill the rest of the museum. Museum admission is free through 2026, and the museum hosts free storytimes. The children’s play area costs $1 per child for ages 1 and older, and children must be accompanied by an adult.
Visit Carmel Clay History Museum →
Malibu Jack’s
Indoor Amusement Park · Recommended ages 3 through adult
Location: 2415 Sagamore Pkwy. S., Ste. 1980, Lafayette, IN 47905
Malibu Jack’s is a large indoor amusement park at Tippecanoe Mall with go-karts, bumper cars, a spinning roller coaster, miniature golf, duckpin bowling, laser tag, motion theater rides, and more than 100 arcade games. Younger children can enjoy Bounce Beach, an indoor playground with slides, bounce houses, and a toddler area. Bounce Beach is limited to children ages 12 and under who are 52 inches tall or shorter. Park entry is free, with rides and games purchased through prepaid Play Cards or attraction packages, including unlimited-play passes. Separate all-day passes are available for Bounce Beach. Age and height restrictions apply to certain attractions.
Pinheads (Brownsburg & Fishers)
Bowling & Arcades · Recommended ages 3 through adult
Locations:
Pinheads Brownsburg · 18 Whittington Dr., Brownsburg, IN 46112
Pinheads Fishers · 13825 Britton Park Rd., Fishers, IN 46038
Pinheads offers bowling, arcade games, and on-site dining at both locations. Brownsburg has 28 traditional bowling lanes and four duckpin lanes, which feature shorter lanes and smaller balls without finger holes. Fishers has 32 bowling lanes, and both locations offer private bowling suites for group events. Redemption arcades provide additional entertainment, while bumpers and bowling ramps are available upon request. Walk-ins are welcome when lanes are available, and advance reservations are offered.
Hoosier Heights
Climbing · Recommended ages 4 through adult
Location: 9850 Mayflower Park Dr., Carmel, IN 46032
Climbers of all ages are welcome, and children 5 and under climb free.
Hoosier Heights is an indoor climbing gym with bouldering, auto-belay, and top-rope climbing. Bouldering walls are short enough to climb without ropes. Auto-belays are devices that hold the rope and lower the climber gently back to the ground. In top-rope climbing, a partner on the ground manages the rope. Adults who want to belay their child on the top-rope walls can take a free lesson that includes a short video and hands-on practice. The gym uses only Gri-Gri belay devices, which have a built-in brake.
Walk-ins are welcome, and first-time visitors complete a safety orientation that includes an introductory video. Rental equipment is included with a first-time pass, including for children 5 and under. On return visits, children 5 and under still climb free but must bring climbing shoes or rent them for a fee.
Two youth programs give kids structured climbing time with counselors. Sunrise Senders is for ages 4–6. The Youth Climbing Club is for ages 7–14 and includes tips, feedback, and climbing games. Both programs require advance sign-up and include gear, and members pay a lower rate.
Libraries
Public libraries offer free storytimes, play areas, and children’s programs. Access details for nonresidents are noted where the library publishes them.
Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library
Library · All ages
Locations:
250 N. 5th St., Zionsville, IN 46077
6310 Albert S. White Dr., Whitestown, IN 46075
Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library’s children’s play spaces include a train table, model train, play kitchen, puppet theater, puzzles, blocks, and sensory toys. Storytimes at both the Zionsville and Whitestown branches include songs and movement with parents, and children’s craft programs are offered. The Library of Things includes STEM Discovery Kits with Snap Circuits and coding robots. The Zionsville branch houses the Zionsville Nature Center, with live turtles, snakes, and amphibians.
Accessibility & sensory note: Sensory bags with a weighted blanket, noise-canceling headphones, and fidgets are available during visits. The Library of Things includes Special Olympics Young Athletes backpacks with activities for children ages 2–7 of all abilities, including those with diverse learning needs.
Visit Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library →
Brownsburg Public Library
Library · All ages
Location: 450 S. Jefferson St., Brownsburg, IN 46112
Brownsburg Public Library offers storytimes grouped by age, from baby and toddler sessions where parents join in songs and rhymes to preschool storytimes held in the library’s Preschool Room. Toddler and preschool storytimes include simple crafts, while additional craft programs and take-home craft kits provide more creative activities. The library partners with Crouching Tigers, a third-party provider, to offer paid martial arts classes for children ages 2½–8, with a free trial class available. School-age programs include LEGO Club and Story Tails, where children read aloud to therapy dogs. Registration is required for these programs.
Access: Programs are open to nonresidents, and a library card is required only to borrow materials.
Visit Brownsburg Public Library →
Carmel Clay Public Library
Library · All ages
Location: 425 E. Main St., Carmel, IN 46032
Carmel Clay Public Library’s Main Library has a children’s play area with a giant light board and colored pegs, a Ranger Station playhouse with ranger vests, blocks, and a road-map rug. Storytimes are grouped by age from infants through age 6, with baby sessions featuring songs and rhymes that parents join in. The library offers art programs for school-age children and family sessions with board games and puzzles. Children ages 3–6 can check out STEAM Exploration Jr. kits to use in the Kids Area with an adult, while children 7 and older can use the Exploration Lab for hands-on STEAM projects.
Accessibility & sensory note: Sensory bags with noise-canceling headphones and fidgets are available, along with weighted lap pads, and families can preview a visit through online social stories. A Quiet Room is available in the Main Library’s Kids Area.
Visit Carmel Clay Public Library →
Lebanon Public Library
Library · All ages
Location: 104 E. Washington St., Lebanon, IN 46052
Lebanon Public Library’s children’s department has a play area with toys, a craft table, coloring activities, and computers. Storytimes are offered along with programs for specific ages. Baby & Me is a lap-sit storytime with books and rhymes, followed by playtime. Preschool Pals, for ages 4–6, focuses on letters, writing, and listening. A.S.K.: After School Kids, for ages 5–12, has STEM, art, and craft projects.
Access: The children’s area is open to visitors, but residency requirements for children’s programs are not published. Contact the library to confirm program eligibility for nonresidents. A library card is required to borrow materials, and Hussey-Mayfield cardholders can borrow through Evergreen Indiana. Visitors without a library card can obtain a guest pass for computer access.
Visit Lebanon Public Library →
Westfield Washington Public Library
Library · All ages
Location: 17400 Westfield Blvd., Westfield, IN 46074
Westfield Washington Public Library’s children’s services cover infants through elementary-age children, with storytimes grouped by age, STEAM activities, and clubs. The children’s area supports play-based learning with a puppet theater, puzzles, play tables, and early-literacy computer stations. In Paws to Read, children build reading confidence by reading aloud to a registered therapy dog. The Library of Things lends STEAM kits with items such as microscopes and binoculars, and the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge encourages reading with the youngest children.
Access: Nonresidents can register for programs, and a library card is required to borrow materials.
Visit Westfield Washington Public Library →
Classes & Programs
These programs involve scheduled classes or enrollment. Several offer a free first class, a trial class, or a single-class option.
Parent & Child Classes
The Bunny Hive
Parent-Child Classes · Recommended ages 0–5
Location: 3575 Marketplace Ct., Zionsville, IN 46077
The Bunny Hive is a parent-and-child social club for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. In its classes, parents or caregivers take part alongside their children in art, music, ballet, sensory storytime, and exploratory play. Families can book a single class online or buy a class pass or membership.
Gymboree Play & Music
Play & Music · Ages 0–5
Location: 12524 Gray Rd., Carmel, IN 46033
Gymboree Play & Music’s Play & Learn classes are grouped by age and developmental stage, from infants to age 5. Infant classes include movement, sensory play, music, and socialization, and toddler and preschool classes build balance, coordination, and problem-solving. Separate Music and Art classes are also offered. The Carmel location has Open Gym time for free play, with parents staying close by. Drop-off preschool programs prepare older children for a classroom setting.
Gymnastics & Sports
My Gym Spring Mill
Gymnastics & Movement · Ages 3 months–10 years
Location: 16030 Spring Mill Rd., Ste. F, Westfield, IN 46074
My Gym Spring Mill offers classes grouped by age, starting with parent-and-child classes for babies and toddlers. Preschool and school-age children can take gymnastics, ballet and jazz, and art, along with ninja classes that use obstacle courses. A mixed-age class lets siblings take one class together. Membership includes open-gym time, when a teacher helps children practice their class skills.
The Little Gym of Carmel
Gymnastics · Ages 4 months–12 years
Location: 271 Merchants Square Dr., Carmel, IN 46032
The Little Gym of Carmel offers parent-and-child classes for babies and toddlers, where an instructor leads caregivers and children through songs, early gymnastics, problem-solving activities, and free play. Preschool and grade-school children can take gymnastics and dance classes, and a viewing area lets parents watch. Classes require a membership, and the gym also hosts camps and birthday parties.
Visit The Little Gym of Carmel →
Pearson Automotive Tennis Club
Tennis · Ages 2 through adult
Location: 4400 S. 875 E., Zionsville, IN 46077
Pearson Automotive Tennis Club’s youngest players start with red-ball tennis, which uses larger, slower, lower-bouncing balls on a shorter court to make the game easier for beginners. Mommy/Daddy & Me classes for ages 3–4 bring a parent onto the court with the child. Youth programs continue through the junior level, and the club has eight climate-controlled indoor courts. Clinics, lessons, and court rentals are generally for members, with limited options for nonmembers.
Visit Pearson Automotive Tennis Club →
Elevate3 Basketball
Basketball · Ages 5–18
Location: 4265 W. 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46268
Elevate3 Basketball’s Little Dribblers program introduces basketball fundamentals to young children, and the Kids Program provides small-group beginner training for grades 1–4. Training covers ball handling, footwork, body positioning, and shooting form through drills. The first session is free.
Music
Bach to Rock
Music · Ages 1 through adult
Location: 10895 N. Michigan Rd., Ste. 100, Zionsville, IN 46077
Bach to Rock’s early-childhood music classes are grouped by age. Rock n Roll is a parent-and-child class for ages 1–3, followed by Rock City for ages 3–5 and Kids n Keys for ages 5–7. Older children can take private lessons in piano, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, drums, voice, brass, strings, or woodwinds, or join group programs such as bands and Glee Club, with opportunities to perform live.
Musicologie
Music Lessons · Ages 6 months through adult
Location: 271 Merchants Square Dr., A-118, Carmel, IN 46032
Musicologie Junior introduces music to babies, toddlers, and preschoolers starting at 6 months, in a class taken with a parent or caregiver. Private lessons begin at age 5 and cover piano, voice, guitar, drums, violin, ukulele, and other instruments. Musicologie specializes in one-on-one instruction, with each student working with the same teacher every week on a plan built around that child’s goals. Students can also perform at open mics and concerts, and scholarships are available.
School of Rock
Music · Ages 6 through adult
Location: 675 S. Main St., Zionsville, IN 46077
School of Rock’s Rookies program introduces beginners ages 6–7 to music in a weekly group lesson, where children try guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, and vocals while learning chords, rhythm, and how to play together as a band. From age 8, students combine private lessons with band rehearsals, and advanced students perform live shows at local Zionsville venues.
Dance & Theater
Village Dance Studio
Dance · Ages 3 through adult
Location: 6290 Central Blvd., Whitestown, IN 46075
Village Dance Studio’s youngest dancers start in preschool classes that combine dance, movement, and tumbling. As students grow, they can take ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, modern, and musical theater, continuing through advanced and adult levels. The studio has served the Zionsville area since 1977 and offers a non-competitive program with an emphasis on technique.
Metropolitan Youth Ballet
Ballet · Ages 18 months through adult
Location: 6210 Technology Center Dr., Ste. 200, Indianapolis, IN 46278
Metropolitan Youth Ballet’s youngest dancers start in Toddler & Me, a class for ages 18 months–3 taken with a parent. Preschool classes use music and imaginative play to teach basic dance movement, and older students move into ballet levels based on the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum, a step-by-step program from one of the country’s major ballet companies that sets the skills taught at each level. Free trial classes are available.
Visit Metropolitan Youth Ballet →
Black Box Theatre Company
Theater · Ages 3–18
Location: 378 N. Mt. Zion Rd., Lebanon, IN 46052
Black Box Theatre Company stages youth productions for different age groups, from pre-K through high school. Private lessons cover singing, acting, dance, movement, and audition preparation. The company describes its programs as open to children and young adults of all abilities.
Visit Black Box Theatre Company →
Art
Brightly Art Studio
Art · Ages 18 months–16 years
Location: 22 E. Main St., Brownsburg, IN 46112
Brightly Art Studio specializes in process art, an approach in which children explore materials and make their own choices instead of following a guided drawing or copying an example. Projects use paint, clay, collage, and other mixed media. The studio offers preschool art playgroups for ages 2–6, which a parent or caregiver attends with the child, along with workshops and summer camps. Its Drop-In Craft Café is an open space where families can make crafts together without registering.
Palette Art Studio
Art · Ages 6–10
Location: 295 S. Main St., Zionsville, IN 46077
Palette Art Studio offers drop-in art sessions and children’s classes, along with workshops, school-break and summer camps, and art-themed birthday parties. Its owner, an artist and educator, emphasizes the creative process over the finished product.
Martial Arts
Adamson’s Karate Studio
Karate · Ages 4 through adult
Location: 1217 W. Oak St., Zionsville, IN 46077
Adamson’s Karate Studio offers Mighty Mites for ages 4–6, using karate and physical activities to develop focus, coordination, and self-control. Training for older students covers traditional karate, self-defense, and sport karate. The Children & Families program also allows parents and children ages 7 and older to train together.
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Bushido Jiu-Jitsu
Jiu-Jitsu · Ages 5 through adult
Location: 10730 Bennett Pkwy. Ext., Ste. C, Zionsville, IN 46077
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling martial art. Instead of punching or kicking, students learn to hold, pin, and escape, using leverage and technique so a smaller person can control a larger opponent.
Bushido Jiu-Jitsu divides its youth program by age. Little Samurai, for ages 5–7, teaches basic positions, balance, and movement through drills and games. Junior Samurai, for ages 8–13, adds traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals along with elements of wrestling and judo. The first class is free.
Master Yoo’s Tae Kwon Do
Tae Kwon Do · Ages 4 through adult
Location: 2470 Harleston St., Carmel, IN 46032
Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art that emphasizes kicking techniques. Students also learn punches, blocks, and self-defense, along with forms, which are set sequences of movements practiced in a fixed pattern.
Master Yoo’s youngest students start in Little Tigers, for ages 4–5, and move into the children’s program for ages 6–12. Students advance through a belt system, earning a new belt color as they learn each set of skills, so progress is based on ability rather than age. Classes emphasize focus and respect. Family classes, open to ages 6 and up, let parents and children train together. New students can begin with an introductory private lesson and group class.
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Cooking
Sprouts Cooking School
Cooking · Ages 4–14
Locations:
11145 N. Michigan Rd., Zionsville, IN 46077
13190 Hazel Dell Pkwy., Carmel, IN 46033
Sprouts Cooking School offers hands-on cooking classes grouped by age, where children prepare recipes with guided instruction while learning basic kitchen skills. Family classes, open to children as young as 3, bring parents and children into the kitchen to cook together. School-break camps are also offered. Sprouts is a peanut- and tree-nut-free facility, but it is not allergen-free and uses shared cooking equipment.
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STEM
Kids Explore Robotics
Robotics · Ages 4–18
Location: 1742 E. 116th St., Carmel, IN 46032
Kids Explore Robotics offers robotics workshops and a robotics-and-math program for children ages 4–6. Robotics classes begin at age 6. Students build robots from individual parts, including motors, sensors, and controllers, and learn to write code to program them. In the Project-Based Robotics program, students build a new robot each month and take it home.
Common questions
- What are some indoor things to do with young kids near Zionsville?
- Options near Zionsville and Indianapolis include indoor playgrounds such as Build It Playground, Kids Empire, The Busy Bee Play Cafe, and Dig Dig for Kids; sensory play spaces such as Prana Play and We Rock the Spectrum; The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis; bowling at Pinheads; rides and go-karts at Malibu Jack’s; and classes in music, dance, art, gymnastics, cooking, and martial arts.
- Are there free indoor play places for kids near Zionsville?
- Yes. The Hideout in Brownsburg and The Park at Traders Point in Whitestown are free indoor playgrounds. Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library, Carmel Clay Public Library, Westfield Washington Public Library, Lebanon Public Library, and Brownsburg Public Library offer free children’s programs. The Carmel Clay History Museum offers free admission through 2026 and free storytimes, and its children’s play area costs $1 per child. At Hoosier Heights in Carmel, children 5 and under climb free.
- Which indoor play places near Zionsville have areas for babies and toddlers?
- The Busy Bee Play Cafe, Kids Empire, The Hideout, The Park at Traders Point, and the Monon Community Center all have separate areas for babies or toddlers, and Build It Playground has a soft-play area for babies under 1.
- Where can toddlers take classes near Zionsville?
- Parent-and-child classes for babies and toddlers are offered at The Bunny Hive, Gymboree Play & Music, My Gym Spring Mill, The Little Gym of Carmel, Bach to Rock, Musicologie, and Metropolitan Youth Ballet.
- Which places have sensory-friendly options for kids?
- Prana Play and We Rock the Spectrum were designed with sensory needs in mind, and Carter’s Play Place offers a lower-stimulation Calmer Carter’s session by RSVP. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis holds Museum My Way events with lowered music and adjusted lighting, and Carmel Clay Public Library and Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library offer sensory bags.
- Do families need a library card to attend children’s programs?
- Not always. Brownsburg Public Library’s programs are open to nonresidents, and Westfield Washington Public Library lets nonresidents register for programs. Lebanon Public Library does not publish residency requirements for children’s programs, so families should contact the library to confirm. A library card is required to borrow materials.