Firefly Landing at the Indiana State Museum | Hands-On Learning for Littles

Written by Ashley Dykton and Erin D.

The Firefly Landing gallery, at The Indiana State Museum, is the ultimate creative learning space for children! This gallery was created for kids ages 18 months to 6 years and offers a plethora of hands-on learning opportunities for toddlers and preschoolers alike. Firefly Landing is conveniently located on the second floor, which allows for quick access via the stairs or elevator.

Firefly Landing Programs

The Firefly Landing space is only utilized during scheduled programming, which requires advanced registration and a separate fee not included in museum admission. Current class offerings range from hour-long programs to a 1.5-hour Young Explorers drop-off class for 4-6-year-olds, to 2-hour Stay and Play free play opportunities for all toddlers and preschoolers, and more.

Visit the State Museum’s website for schedules and registration.

Toddler Time

Wednesday & Thursday: 10-11 am
Saturday: 9-10 am
Cost: $13/child, 25% discount for members

This class is intended for toddlers (children aged 18 – 36 months) where they enjoy circle time, stories, station explorations, and movement time.

Small Wonders

Select Days: 10-11 am
Cost: $13/child, 25% discount for members

This is an hour-long program for preschoolers (children ages 3 to 5) to enhance a child’s sense of wonder through storytelling, hands-on activities, music, art, and more.

Young Explorers

Select Days:1-2:30 pm
Cost: $14/child, 25% discount for members

This class is a 90-minute drop-off program intended only for children ages 4 to 6, to attend on their own without parent supervision. This program encourages creativity and exploration in an environment that promotes curiosity and imagination.

Messy Mondays

Select Mondays: 10-11 am
Cost: $11/youth, $5/Access Pass members, 25% discount for members

The Indiana State Museum is typically closed on Mondays, so Messy Mondays is only offered on select occasions including Presidents’ Day, and Mondays during fall and spring breaks. Messy Mondays is a fun hour-long program for children aged 2 to 5 years old to get “messy” while learning about topics in science, technology, engineering, art, and math. 

Stay and Play

Select Days: 10:30 am-12:30 pm, and 1:30-3:30 pm
Cost: $12/child, 25% discount for members

Stay and Play is for children ages 18 months to 6 years of age to have self-led open-ended play with their supervising adult at Firefly Landing. During the two-hour program, there will be activities that include sensory play, STEAM activities, music, and movement.

Early Childhood Space

Firefly Landing is a brightly colored and inviting space reminiscent of a classroom setting. Firefly Landing was developed to create a safe and engaging environment to facilitate learning through themes based on “STEAM” topics and through open-ended play. Like an early childhood class that utilizes different table stations with activities centered around a general theme, inside Firefly Landing you will find the tables are set up each with a different learning experience focused around that day’s theme.

A Cozy Reading Nook

The storytelling area is super cozy filled with a giant carpeted rug for comfort for sitting on the floor, two larger-sized cloth chairs for adults, and for kids, there are two smaller cloth chairs and some rainbow-colored plastic chairs. The adult chairs are cozy and offer plenty of room to share with a child for storytelling. There are so many books to sit down and enjoy. The large rug can also be used as an additional play space for some of the toys that are located in this area. There was a large reading shelf for children to select their own books, as well as a puzzle station with different types of puzzles for all ages.

Engage in Play

Children learn through play, by establishing problem-solving, social-emotional, and communication skills, as well as how to develop their fine and gross motor skills. Whether that is developing literacy through pretend play or using different materials to learn about the world around them. Play is essential in a child’s development and Firefly Landing encourages learning through play with their programs.

There is an art area filled with colored smocks, a rainbow of paints, and other supplies, perfect for every young artist. There are endless materials to use and be creative with; Play-Doh, a large selection of paints, tissue paper, fine motor activities, and so much more. The museum provides lots of different paper sizes, as well as child trays to collect materials for a specific project. You’ll find tweezers and different small items to work on counting and fine motor tasks!

They also have several drying racks for all of your kids’ projects and creations. If you would rather leave all of the mess and fun at the museum when you are done, they have a Firefly Exhibit art display, where your children can proudly display all of their beautiful creations!

Firefly Landing at Home