Critter Tales

Critter Tales is back at Holliday Park Nature Center on Thursday, November 5, from 10 AM to 11 AM. It's a free story-time program run by the park staff and aimed at toddlers and preschoolers, built around captivating stories, lively songs, and a special live critter to spark curiosity about the natural world. After the stories and songs, there's interactive playtime with toys and activities for the kids to keep exploring.

If you've never been, Holliday Park is one of Indianapolis' oldest parks and a year-round family destination. There are more than 3.5 miles of wooded trails to walk, a nature-inspired playground, and river access. The playground was fully reimagined with nature-themed, inclusive play elements, and the park's Ruins—historic limestone sculptures originally part of New York City's St. Paul Building and moved to Indianapolis in the 1950s—remain one of its most unusual sights.

Inside, the free indoor Nature Center houses Habitat Hall, 13,000 square feet of exhibit space devoted to Marion County's natural and environmental history. You'll find hands-on displays like the White River Water Table and the Music of the Wetlands audio station, along with an elevated hardwood forest canopy viewing area. The hall also features live animal ambassadors, including an American bullfrog, bluegill, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, and a painted turtle.

Critter Tales runs on the first Thursday of each month from 10 AM to 11 AM at the Holliday Park Nature Center, 6363 Spring Mill Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46260. It's free.