19 Reasons to Leave the House Over Winter Break

Below freezing temperatures, holiday movies, and hot chocolate are all great reasons to grab your slippers, stay in your pajamas, and snuggle on the couch. But I’m not the kind of person who can stay inside for long. I feel twitchy if we don’t get out of the house every day! With that in mind, here are nineteen reasons to bundle up and leave the house over winter break.

19 Winter Break Activities and Events in Terre Haute and the Wabash Valley

 

These local activities will keep your family occupied throughout winter break!

The Nature Center at Dobbs Park is holding craft time open house from 10:00 am-4:00 pm on December 26-29.  For questions call 812-877-1095. Cost varies depending on craft. Stop by the nature center and make a craft or two. Several crafts will be available to choose from. All materials are supplied.

Take a drive through Deming Park and enjoy the decorated shelters with Christmas in the Park.

Navigate your way through all of the various activities which include experimenting with different recipes for making fake snow, and using playdough to practice your cookie-making skills. Let your kids with “Elf Games” at the Terre Haute Children’s museum from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on December 26-29.  Free with museum admission or membership!

Lace up your skates and join the fun during Winter Break Day Skate at Terre Haute Skate World from December 26-January 4. Admission is $2.50. Skate rental extra.

Visit “Boats on the Ceiling” exhibit at the Swope from local artist Rachel Hellmann through December 30.

Dee’s Christmas Light Show is happening in Brazil through December 25.

Grab your calendar and pencil in the dates of these winter break activities and events!

Fri Dec 21 and Sat Dec 22. FREE showings of A Christmas Story and Elf at the Moon Lite Drive-In Theater!

Fri Dec 21 and Sat Dec 22. eBash lock-in with pizza, drink, Christmas shirt. 

Fri Dec 21. 4:00 p.m. Holiday Karaoke at VCPL West Branch. Celebrate the sounds of the season and sing your heart out at karaoke.

Fri. Dec 21. Downtown Sullivan Christmas with carriage rides and ice skating.

Fri Dec 21. 5:00 p.m.- 10:00 p.m. KIDS’ NIGHT OUT at Vigo County YMCA. Delicious December. Join the YMCA youth team for an evening of holiday kid-friendly baking! Plus – make your own holiday ornament! ages 18 months – 12 years.  Member Rate: $15 first child/$10 additional children. Nonmember Rate: $25 first child/ $15 additional children.

Sat. Dec 22. Christmas Lights Wabashiki Ride. Decorate your bike and maybe yourself for Christmas and ride the Wabashiki trail with the Griffin Bike Park manager.
This will be a 10-mile social ride, with a rest break in the middle and hot chocolate after the ride. This ride is a fundraiser for the Vigo County Parks Department. Cost $5.00. All ages and skill levels. (Children Under 13 require adult supervision).

Sat Dec 22. Kids’ Ornament Workshop at Charm School. Bring your friends and sign up for this festive class. We will paint and decorate our ornaments. We will make 4 ornaments to give to mom, dad and grandparents. Popcorn and have water for the kids. Reserve your spot this week…a fun class to kick off the Holiday Season!

Sat. Dec. 22. Carriage rides at Forest Park in Brazil. $25 per carriage.

Sun Dec. 23. Free Skating at the Wigwam. Skate rental extra.

Wed Dec 26. 6:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.  Skateworld. Extended skate. $2.00 admission, skates extra and a $5.00 all you can eat pizza and drink buffet.

Wed Dec 26-Fri Dec 28. 1:00-3:00 p.m. Skateworld $2.50 admission, skates rental extra.

Thurs Dec 27. 12:00 p.m. Watch This! West Incredibles 1&2 at VCPL West Branch. The Incredibles, a family of superheroes trying to live a quiet suburban life after superheroes are deemed illegal, are forced into action to save the world. Both movies rated PG. Pizza and snacks provided.

Thurs Dec 27. 1:00 p.m. Painting with Nicole at VCPL Main Branch. Ages 5-15: Paint a masterpiece with Nicole. Follow along step by step as she shows you painting techniques.  Each child will take home their own painting. Registration Required.

Fri Dec 28. 10:00 a.m. Mother Goose on the Loose at Fresh Thyme. Interactive storytime with books, songs, rhymes and musical instruments.  You and your child will play together and develop early literacy skills. Children and parents will be provided with a breakfast bar by our host. Breakfast bar is 10:00 – 10:30, storytime starts at 10:30.

Fri Dec 28. 11:00 a.m. Virtual Reality at VCPL Main Branch. Experience the world of virtual reality!  Kids ages 12 and up can speak whale to a passerby in theBlu.  Get a rhythm with BeatSaber! Repair BB-8 and his droid pals in Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay.  Enjoy all of these new places with the HTC Vive VR System at VCPL.

Wed Jan 2. 1:00 p.m. West Gamers’ Alliance VCPL West Branch. Test your gaming skills on West’s game systems. Challenge your friends to Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart, and more. Or, play cooperatively towards a common goal.

Thurs Jan 3. 1:00 p.m. Chill Out with Winter Crafts at VCPL Main branch. Chill out at the library!  Kids will have snow much fun decorating clothespin snowflakes and creating crystallizing ice paintings along with other winter activities.

Thurs Jan 3. 6:00 p.m. Mother Goose on the Loose / Mamá Gansa at VCPL Main branch. Mother Goose now in Spanish and English! Join Mother Goose for an interactive bilingual storytime with books, songs, rhymes and musical instruments.  You and your child will play together and develop early literacy skills.

Thurs- Sun Jan 3-6. Disney On Ice presents Mickey’s Search Party in Indianapolis. A brand-new adventure filled with world-class skating, high-flying acrobatics, and unexpected stunts! Tickets $15-$110.

Fri Jan 4. 3:00 p.m. Make your own Snow Globe at VCPL Main branch. Ages 5-11: Make your own hand-held winter wonderland while escaping the snowy season! Children can use their imagination to create their own shakeable scene to overcome those winter blues in this interactive crafting program.

Fri Jan 4. 4:00 p.m First Friday: Loco for Hot Cocoa at VCPL Main branch. Warm up on this frosty Friday with hot chocolate art projects, games and play with themed play dough. We’ll have free hot cocoa for attendees and provide sweet fixings so you can customize your own.

Sat Jan 5.  10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. WVBS Winter Bridal Showcase.  Our events are carefully designed with the planning couple in mind as we promote locally-provided products and services and make them available for you to ‘shop’ conveniently in one location!

Sat Jan 5.  10:00 a.m. Wabash Valley Coder Dojo at VCPL Main branch. Ages 7-17: Learn to code, build a website, create an app or a game and explore technology in an informal, creative and social environment. Registration Required.

Sat Jan 5. 10:00 a.m. Mother Goose on the Loose / Mamá Gansa at VCPL Main branch. Mother Goose now in Spanish and English! Join Mother Goose for an interactive bilingual storytime with books, songs, rhymes and musical instruments.  You and your child will play together and develop early literacy skills.

Sat Jan 5. 6:00 p.m. Pokemon Tournament at Gam3. Swiss format. $5 Entry Fee 100% of event fees paid out in prize support!

Sun Jan 6. 3:00 p.m. Millikin University Choir at Central Presbyterian Church. They have gained national recognition, due in part to seven invitations to perform conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. Their performances have fostered new conversations in response to their approach to tone, style and programming.

 

 

What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? Click HERE for our top suggestions! 

7 things to do during New Year's Eve in Terre Haute

 

As always, mistakes happen, typos are made, events are overlooked, and details change. If you spot an error, please let us know as soon as possible. (We appreciate your editorial help!) We also recommend that you confirm details with the business hosting the event before you finalize your plans.