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It’s a familiar holiday tradition for many families, and an exciting new experience for other--Jolly Days Winter Wonderland. From November 21, 2015-January 3, 2016, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis transforms into a gingerbread house filled with holiday sights, sounds, smells (gingerbread and other tasty treats) and special activities that help families create memories to last forever.
Santa Claus, who is so eager to hear the wishes of good little boys and girls, dashes into the museum on Friday, November 27 in grand style. Be outside the museum at 9 a.m. to see Santa’s spectacular arrival in an Indy Racing Experience 2-seater IndyCar chauffeured by Ed Carpenter, driver of the #20 car for CFH Racing.
Moments before Jolly Old Saint Nicholas arrives, look up at the museum roof to see his elves repel down the building to greet their boss. Hot Chocolate will be available outside for Santa’s arrival.
Once inside, enjoy all of these interactive holiday activities:
Yule Slide
- Zip down the two-story Yule Slide lickety-split to see who can make it to the bottom of the 47 foot long slide. Rumor has it the inside track is faster. More than 90,000 people took the trip last year.
Elf in Training!
- Children and families will be greeted by a Galley Facilitator or Guild Member dressed as the “Head Elf.” They will be encouraged to earn their elf ears by gaining experience with the various winter activities in the gallery. Once they complete the interactions together within the gallery, they can return and test their new knowledge with the Head elf to earn a pair of their own elf ears and their Elf name.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily
Led by gallery facilitators
Snowball Fight!
- Gallery Facilitators dressed in referee shirts will lead children and families in a safe snowball fight on the ice skating pond using 3” craft pom-poms. As the game continues, new rules and demands will be placed on the teams, such as: no right hands or kids vs. grown-ups!
10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3p.m. Daily
Led by gallery facilitators
Atrium Snowball Fight!
- Actor Interpreters dressed in referee shirts will lead children and families in a safe snowball fight in the Sunburst Atrium using the snowballs sold in the Museum Store. As the game continues, new rules and demands will be placed on the teams, such as: no right hands or kids vs. grown-ups!
11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Daily
Led by actor interpreters
Winter Characters
- Characters associated with the winter or the holiday season such Mrs. Claus, Zazzles the Elf and Jack Frost will enhance the guest experience with special appearances in Jolly Days and around the Mezzanine.They may engage in casual conversation related to their character’s story or they may perform a short story, song or activity based on visitation levels, space within the gallery and guest interest.
11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily
Led by actor interpreters
Sing-Along Extravaganza!
- The popular up and coming singing duo, Mr. and Mrs. Mistletoe, are hitting the Jolly Days scene to share some of their favorite holiday carols and lead a sing-along in the Sunburst Atrium! Families will join in singing well known holiday tunes and enjoy the sweet sounds of this group as they make a stop on their tour to greet fans right here in Indianapolis.
The Magic Snowman
Nov. 27-Jan. 3, 2016
Free with general admission
1-3p.m. inLilly Theater
45 minutes; ages 4+
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Murray.
A stranger arrives at a village where everyone is grumpy, gloomy, and just plain glum. His arrival marks one of the most magical days of the year-winter’s first snow. But the freshly fallen snow fails to cheer anyone until the stranger makes a magic snowman. The interactive musical, based on the children’s classic tale Stone Soup, offers a delightful message: When everyone makes a contribution, it makes a positive difference in all of their lives.
Jolly Days Winter Wonderland is presented by Meijer and supported by Pepsi and Barnes & Thornburg.
The Dallara IndyCar Factory is an interactive Facility where the public can learn how IndyCars are designed and built! Everyone can have the opportunity to see and take photos with IndyCar Show cars, and even take a ride around town in a street legal two-seater Indycar!
About The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit institution committed to creating extraordinary learning experiences across the arts, sciences, and humanities that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. For more information about The Children's Museum, visit www.childrensmuseum.org, follow us on Twitter @TCMIndy, Facebook.com/childrensmuseum and YouTube.com/IndyTCM
