Stay & Play

Fort Ben Branch is hosting a Stay & Play session on Wednesday, November 18, from 4 PM to 5 PM. It's a drop-in for families, so you don't need to register—just show up with the kids and let them get to work.

The setup is straightforward: children of all ages can spend the hour playing with building and craft materials. LEGO and Magna-tiles are the main draw, the kind of things that keep a group of kids occupied while they build whatever comes to mind. It's a low-pressure afternoon, and because it's open to all ages, it works whether you've got a toddler or a grade-schooler in tow.

If you haven't spent much time there, the branch itself is worth a look. It's a 22,000-square-foot space sitting on land the U.S. military decommissioned and handed over to the city in the 1990s. It was built with community meeting spaces and study rooms, and it runs on a rooftop solar photovoltaic system that provides 80% of the building's electricity. It's also the first library in Indiana to become a Certified Autism Center, an international accreditation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards.

Between the solar panels and the autism certification, it's a thoughtful spot for a mid-week outing. The session runs from 4 PM to 5 PM on Wednesday, November 18, at Fort Ben Branch, 9330 East 56th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46216. No registration required.