Playdate at the Park

Playdate at the Park is happening at the Holliday Park Nature Center on Tuesday, October 20, from 10 AM to 11 AM. It's unstructured, kid-led nature play for families, so the kids take the lead and the adults just follow along. If you've got little ones who like to wander, poke at things, and figure out how the outdoors works on their own terms, this is exactly that.

The Nature Center sits inside Holliday Park, one of Indy's oldest and most beloved parks—94 acres of green space about six miles north of downtown. There are more than 3.5 miles of wooded trails to explore, river access, and a nature-inspired playground that was completely reimagined and reopened in November 2025. The park's most unusual landmark is the Ruins, historic limestone sculptures that came from New York City's St. Paul Building in the 1950s and reopened to the public in 2016. The grounds also host the outdoor summer concert series Rock the Ruins, now in its sixth season, and a seasonal outdoor ice rink.

At the heart of the park is the indoor Nature Center, where the 13,000-square-foot Habitat Hall reopened in 2015 with exhibits on Marion County's natural and environmental history. You'll find the White River Water Table, the 'Music of the Wetlands' audio station, and an elevated hardwood forest canopy viewing area. It's a great spot to keep the kids interested in the local landscape even when you're inside.

Playdate at the Park runs from 10 AM to 11 AM on Tuesday, October 20, at the Holliday Park Nature Center, 6363 Spring Mill Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46260. Park admission and Nature Center admission are free.