Avon is a quaint town, located west of the Indianapolis International Airport and downtown Indianapolis in Hendricks County. It has grown exponentially with new families and young professionals in the past decade. With its expansion, there have been a great number of new businesses offering loads of fun for families and kids. Looking for things to do in Avon Indiana with kids? As a parent in the area, I’m always looking out for new and exciting places for my kids to have fun and explore. Below you’ll find a list of places to have fun as a family, and to get those kiddos out and about in the town of Avon.
Things to Do in Avon Indiana: Indoors
The Tie Dye Lab
8100 E. US Highway 36, Suite I, Avon
The Tie Dye Lab offers everyone of all ages the unique experience of getting to make their very own tie-dye gear. They have an assortment of dye-able items to choose from, including shirts, hats, bags, and more. There is something for everyone! Once you make your item selection, you’ll choose the colors you want to use and get started. After your colors are just the way you want them, the staff will assist in the remaining process. This allows you to take your item home the very same day.
The Lab offers preschool days for littles to make their very own masterpieces, and homeschool days for those who want to meet other homeschooling families through a fun activity. The Tie Dye Lab also hosts story times for mom, church, or any other special groups. If your child wants a unique and special birthday, then this is a great place to host a birthday party or any event. Each guest leaves with something they made.
The Virtual Galaxy
291 Shiloh Crossing Drive, Avon
Growing in popularity, there are a number of virtual reality game trucks and stores offering this unique virtual experience. The Virtual Galaxy in Avon offers a wide variety of virtual games, a café, and an arcade. They have great deals and incentives for families wanting to discover a new way to play. Kids who earn an A or B on a report card get more time on the VR. This is a great place to bring older kids and teens for family bonding time. Be aware that reservations are required, so call ahead!
Red Curb Comedy Theater
8403 E. US Highway 36, Avon
Do you have a kid who always seems to make jokes? How about a day at the Red Curb Theater? This improv comedy club allows comedians to come together and perform (without prior rehearsal) on stage for the audience. The theater in Avon is a great space to take kids, and don’t worry — there are kid-friendly days where all content and everything being said is kid-friendly. The shows typically last 90 minutes and each visit will be a new experience with different material. The PG shows have concessions available and start on Saturdays at 7:00 pm.
Hendricks Regional Health YMCA
301 Satori Way, Avon
YMCAs have historically been a beneficial part of any community. The Hendricks Regional Health YMCA is a great place to take kids to burn off some energy indoors. My boys like to play basketball on open gym days. We also enjoy swimming and walking along the outdoor trail.
There is also an indoor play space for kids to have fun. The play space is enclosed in its own large room and has seats and tables for parents or caregivers to sit and watch kids play. There are also wooden cube toys designed for babies and toddlers to play with, making this a great option for families with kids of all ages.
Chuck E. Cheese
9931 E. US Highway 36, Avon
Chuck E Cheese has been a long-time destination where many parents take their kids over the weekend. I remember growing up and going to Chuck E. Cheese for friends’ and cousins’ birthday parties. Today, Chuck E. Cheese has updated its games and overall atmosphere to accommodate the newer generation of kids. Rather than those infamous tokens, there are game cards that can be used for every visit, which can be reloaded online, on the app, or in-store.
During the week, the play space offers a pizza buffet, with a selection of traditional pizza choices and dessert pizza. There are great incentives online for kids to earn free tickets, such as reading each day, cleaning their bedroom, and earning certain grades at school. Our family visits the Avon Chuck E. Cheese, and it’s always a fun time for my boys.
Regal Shiloh Crossing
10400 US Highway 36, Avon
Regal Theater has been a great location to take kids to view new movies. The theater features 12 screens and a Regal Unlimited Program, where you can come in as many times to watch movies through the program and receive a 10% discount on concessions. During the summer they feature kid-friendly days where they play a previously released animated film. Admission to these films is just a few dollars and the theater has a kid concession treat box deal.
Things to Do in Avon Indiana: Outdoors
Murphy Aquatic Park
753 S. County Road 625 E, Avon
This Westside waterpark stands out in Central Indiana for several reasons. Murphy Aquatic Park is a beautiful facility designed with accessibility in mind, so everyone can splash, swim, and play together. Each pool features zero-depth entry. The water play structure is ADA-accessible and the waterpark has water wheelchairs available on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll also find a toddler-friendly area here, as well as one of Indiana’s only wave pools.
Don’t forget to schedule some playtime at the inclusive playground located just outside the waterpark! Check out the gorgeous native plantings, soak in the serenity of the nature pond, and challenge your kids to a race up the grassy hill.
Avon’s Outdoor RC Trak 36
6570 E. US Highway 36, Avon
RC cars are such a huge hit with kids and teens. Kids, parents, and grandparents love getting out with these large powered vehicles to play both indoors and outdoors. Located within the Avon Town Hall Park on the east side, Trak 36 is an incredible R/C race track. It’s currently the only one in Hendricks County and has many fans, both big and small, coming to race their vehicles.
Whenever my family visits the park, we make sure to stop by and check out some of the races going on. My boys have loved seeing these vehicles race on the dirt track, to the point we are considering purchasing one of these vehicles to test out our racing skills. There is plenty of parking space nearby. Part of the sidewalk leading to the outlook of the track is gravel, so it may not be wheelchair friendly. The track is open from dawn to dusk, but when it is wet, the track will be closed until further notice.
Helen Pecar Nature Center
5203 E. County Road 150 N., Avon 4
The Helen Pecar Nature Center is a true gem of the town of Avon. It’s a place that is not crowded and great for getting kids outdoors to explore an array of what nature has to offer. There are ample parking spaces, so no need to worry about that. The first thing you will see from the parking lot is the incredible Nature Center. It is home to tortoises, a bearded dragon, and lots of great geology learning tools. The restrooms are located inside the Nature Center, as well as water fountains and a kitchen area.
Outside the Nature Center is a natural-style treehouse playground, a classroom, and a pigeon rescue area. If you need a natural getaway with your family, there are eight campsites with picnic tables and trash cans to use. To the right of the Nature Center, there is a gravel path that leads to the Raccoon Lagoon, where the park allows approved boats. There are also kayaks that may be rented for the day. It’s a great place to take the entire family for a nature outing or staycation.
Enchanted Fairy Trail
Various locations throughout Avon
Do you have a child that loves going on enchanting adventures? The Enchanted Fairy Trails in Avon are the perfect place to take your little fairy out exploring, checking out all the adorable, tiny fairy-like houses and habitats. At each stop, you can scan a QR code with your smartphone to watch a video from fairies. Each year, there is a fairy festival and kids can also write letters to the Dragonfly Fairy. It’s a wonderful trail to get kids out in a different and unique way to explore the town of Avon.
Avon Gardens
6259 County Road 91, Avon
If you and your kids love exploring beautiful outdoor spaces or you need inspiration for your own backyard, Avon Gardens is an oasis to explore. This five-acre green space is open during warmer months. The garden is open to visitors and offers a lush space, full of a variety of plants, trees, and beautiful flowers. I would recommend visiting each month due to the variety of flowers that bloom within weeks of each other.
The garden has tables, chairs, and benches placed throughout the acres for visitors to relax and take in the beauty while providing ideas for those needing backyard inspiration. This garden displays part of the Enchanted Fairy Trail, and kids love exploring its little fairy oasis. Avon Gardens has been a great place for our family to purchase beautiful spring flowers, and we have absolutely loved escaping to this little garden oasis in the heart of Avon.
Avon Town Hall Park
6570 E US Highway 36, Avon
Avon Town Hall Park is another magnificent park in the heart of Avon, located behind Avon Town Hall. Open from dawn to dusk, the 83-acre park boasts some incredible scenic trails, a large fishing pond, two playgrounds, ping pong tables, shelters, and an Angel of Hope statue that stands proudly in the park. There is a half-mile Story Walk trail connecting the Avon Town Hall Park to the Avon Public Library. During spring and summer, the trail features rotating children’s books chosen and provided by the Avon Public Library.
The playground area of the park features a three-level structure, full of various ways to climb to the top. There is also a long tube slide and several open slides throughout the play structure. The playground does have a wheelchair ramp for wheelchair play and access, but be cautious as the playground area is covered in wood chips. There are restrooms and a large shelter with lots of picnic tables nearby. Everyone can enjoy the ping-pong tables and the 9-hole disc golf course that has become the home for many regional tournaments, as well as league and recreational play.
Washington Township Park
115 McClain Place, Avon
Washington Township Park truly has something for everyone in your family, with its large 160-acre green space. The park has an upper section and a lower section. The upper section has a fun, large play structure for big kids with high-up tube slides, fast open slides, and lots of areas to climb and explore. The playground is not wheelchair friendly due to the rubber chips.
Next to the big kid play space is a smaller playground for toddlers and crawlers. With an almost one-year-old, it’s the perfect place to take her to crawl around without getting hurt by a big kid. There’s a soft, rubber surface perfect for little ones, and it is also wheelchair accessible. There are smaller slides that are just her size, and adorable animal statues that are fun to climb on for all ages. The upper part of the park also has a 24-foot gazebo, basketball court, horseshoe pits, picnic facility, restrooms, and ample parking spaces.
The lower section of the park features lots of beautiful trees and open green spaces. You are also greeted by the historic 1876 Whipple Iron Truss Bridge, which has been a favorite “haunted story” of the town. There is a splash pad and a smaller playground with unique climbing structures and swings for kids to play on. During the summer months, the park hosts summer camps for school-aged kids and concerts in the amphitheater.
Burnett Woods Nature Preserve
Preserve is to the East of Light & Life Church
Parking is at 8264 E. County Road 100 S., Avon
A tranquil oasis in Avon, Burnett Woods is a beautiful place for everyone in the family to explore, hiking through its mature woods all year long. During spring, it’s full of magical wildflowers and new blooms. During the summer, it’s a beautiful green canopy full of mature trees and green grass. In the fall, enjoy its breathtaking yellow and red colors. We love visiting this nature preserve to play nature hide-and-seek.
Penguin Park
753 S. County Road 625 E, Avon
Murphy Aquatic Park transforms into Penguin Park in the winter. Bring your family out to skate on the synthetic rink, and you’ll be shocked at how much it feels like real ice. There’s something just a little bit magical about skating outdoors on a snowy day. Rates here are very reasonable and you’ll find a full concession stand, warming stations, and an option to rent an igloo for your family and friends. Keep an eye out for special events like Sensory Skate and Homeschool Skate days. You can also rent the rink for a private party!
Disc Golf
6570 E US Highway 36, Avon
A new sport that my kids have discovered is disc golf. It’s a flying disc sport where players throw a disc at the target. The rules for the winner are if you have the lowest number of total throws. The disc golf 18-hole course is in Avon Town Hall Park. There are scorecards located in the mailbox attached to the board by the first tee. This has been a great new sport for our family to discover, and we hope you enjoy it, too.
Fishing
Gable Fishing Park
229 S. Gable Drive, Avon
Gable Fishing Park is a 10-acre facility located off Gable Dr. (behind Ashley Furniture). It has a 3-acre fishing pond that’s a great place for catch & release fishing for all ages.
Washington Township Park
115 McClain Place, Avon
Washington Township Park has two half-acre ponds, both of which are stocked by the Department of Natural Resources. This fishing pond is a great place to take kids to learn how to fish, and the park has hosted “Learn to Fish” activities and classes for the whole family.
Avon Town Hall Park
6570 E US Highway 36, Avon
This park boasts a 9-acre fishing lake and three additional fishing areas. There is a small pond to the east of the lake, as well as the 3-acre Sycamore Lake, both of which are great places to teach kids how to fish. The Avon Town Hall Park is a catch-and-release only and requires a state license.
Whether you’re a local looking for a new-to-you place to explore or just visiting Avon for the first time, there are things to do in Avon Indiana for everyone in your crew. From parks packed with amenities to indoor recreation to whimsical fairy flair, this town has lots to offer and space to explore.
Hungry? Here’s where you can grab a bite to eat in Avon.
Venture further west to McCloud Nature Park for the prairie maze or maple syrup season.
