25 Best Holiday Light Displays and Christmas Activities Indiana: Speedway and Beyond

Holiday Fun Activities and Light Shows in Indiana

'Tis the season! Are you looking for fun family activities and things to do this holiday season? We've gathered up the 25 best holiday light displays in the greater Indianapolis area and beyond. During the holidays, Indiana is a festive place. Many of the holiday light displays start the weekend before Thanksgiving. Some of these Indiana holiday activities and light shows are free. 

This post contains affiliate links.

You've eaten until your belly feels like it is going to pop. You've unbuttoned the top button of your pants to make room for desserts. What next? You can sit in the chair and watch the same old holiday movies while in a food coma or you can go for a ride and get in the holiday spirit with a festive holiday light show display or an immersive holiday activity that's fun for the whole family. If you start now, you can do them all before New Year's Day!

25 Best Holiday Light Display Shows and Family Friendly Activities in Indiana

Speedway - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Holiday Light Show

2016 was the inaugural light show at the Indianapolis 500 Motor Speedway. Pay per car load and take a ride around the famous track.

See over 2 million lights at the Brickyard: 11/17 - 12/30, $25 per car Monday to Wednesday, $30 Thursday to Saturday, $50 for vehicles with 15+ passengers, speedy passes also available for an additional cost. 


Danville - Ellis Park Drive Thru Light Display

Winterland is open daily starting 11/24 thru 12/30 (Closed Christmas Day)
Sunday to Thursday 6pm to 9pm and Friday & Saturday 6pm to 10pm. $10 per car load.

See Santa in the Train Station on Friday, Saturday and Sunday through December 23rd.

Copy and print this discount coupon to save $5 at the gate.

Carmel -  ChristKindlmarkt

The Carmel Christkindlmarkt offers a  blend of traditional German foods and gifts, surrounding a beautiful outdoor ice skating rink. The whole family will enjoy exploring the market and making cherished memories. Event is located at 10 Center Green - Between The Palladium and The Tarkington Theater 11/18 - 12/24 (Closed Thanksgiving Day) Wednesday thru Thursday 4-9 pm and 1-9 pm weekend days.


Kokomo - We Care Park Light Display

Located on the north side of Kokomo in the 2300 block of North Market Street (just west of the intersection of Gano and Lafountain) this outdoor display has over 1,000,000 lights and animated displays. Drive thru the park or walk the 3 acres to enjoy.


Muncie - Minnetrista Enchanted Luminaria Walk

Kick off the holiday season with this family event. Experience sweet treats, winter games and crafts, carriage rides, and holiday music in celebration of the season. Enjoy rides and food for a small fee. Indoors, Minnetrista also hosts a holiday tree event.


Fishers - Conner Prairie by Candlelight  

As a past Conner Prairie Interpreter and Manager of Music and Theatre programming, I participated in this event many times. Dress warmly. This magical, family friendly 90-minute walking tour transforms you back in time to 1836 Prairietown where it’s the night before Christmas. 12/8-12/23, $16/adult ($14/adult member) $13/youth ages 2-12 ($11/youth member) Groups of 15+ guests $15/adult & $12/youth. Tours begin at 6 PM and run every 12 minutes until 9 PM. Best for ages 7+.


Fishers - Winter Wonderland

Celebrate the magic of the season when Fisher's Nickel Plate District transforms into a Winter Wonderland, complete with a place to leave letters for Santa. Starts 11/30, FREE.

Fishers - Reynolds Farm Christmas Light Show
A million bulbs illuminate a 57' tall abominable snowman and donations benefit a local food bank. 11/21 - 1/1, FREE.

Indianapolis Museum of Art - Newfields - Winterlights 

Winterlights is an outdoor strolling experience in the gardens of IMA. Wear comfortable walking shoes and warm clothes. Enjoy millions of lights that dance to music and beverages and firepits to roast s'mores at Newfields (Art Museum).  11/9 - 1/7, $8 to $20, FREE for children 5 and under, 5 & 7 PM  






Indianapolis - Christmas at the Zoo 

Twinkling lights surround the seals, sea lions, walruses and tigers. 11/24-26, 29-30; 12/1-3, 6-10, 13-23, 26-30, $9.95 for children and $12.95 for adults.


Indianapolis - Circle of Lights 

See the Soldiers and Sailors Monument transformed into a giant Christmas tree made of more than 4,000 lights. Lighting of the tree is 11/24, FREE. 


Indianapolis - Chinese Lantern Festival

Thirty sets of giant Chinese Lanterns light up the Indiana State Fairgrounds. 11/24 - 1/7, $10 to $15, FREE for children 4 and under.



Broad Ripple - Broad Ripple Lights Up!

Broad Ripple lights up for the holidays complete with a Wonderland activity village and twilight parade. 12/3, FREE.


Mooresville - Victorian Christmas Celebration

The annual Victorian Christmas Celebration features a number of fun stops and activities throughout Mooresville. A free shuttle service takes you to each stop so you don't miss a thing! Enjoy carolers, craft fair, carriage rides, performances and Victorian characters 12/2, FREE.

While in Morgan County, hop over to Martinsville and see the candy canes being made at the Martinsville Candy Kitchen.


Santa Claus  - Santa Claus Indiana for the Holidays

The town with Santa's name is packed with holiday activities. Visit Santa, mail a letter and more. Check the website for dates and details.

Columbus - Holiday at the Farm

Bloomington - Canopy of Lights

French Lick - 50 Days of Lights

Indianapolis Indoor Holiday Events

Garfield Park - Conservatory Crossing

See the Conservatory decked with a brilliant display of poinsettias, enjoy model trains and villages, and thousands of twinkling lights. 11/24 – 12/31, Monday-Saturday: 10-5 pm, Sundays: 1-5 pm, Evenings Hours (until 8 pm): December 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23, $4 per person or $10 per family (2 adults max.)

​
Indiana State Museum - Celebration Crossing 

Celebration Crossing comes alive with holiday merriment from the sounds of bands, bell and vocal choirs and of course Santa and Mrs. Claus, who will entertain visitors in their cozy home through 12/24. Take a trip back in time by gazing into the recreated L.S. Ayres store windows rekindling Christmases past. 11/24 - 1/7, included with museum admission. Don't miss the train - it will make cherished memories for years to come.

Photo courtesy of the Indiana State Museum.

Children's Museum of Indianapolis - Jolly Days

Celebrate family traditions and holidays with Jolly Days Winter Wonderland. Enjoy favorites like the two-story Yule Slide, Jingles the Jolly Bear, and visits with Santa. 11/24 - 1/7, included with museum admission.


The Eiteljorg Museum - Jingle Rails  

This popular locomotive wonderland and Indianapolis family tradition opens  11/18 - 1/15, included with museum admission.


Indiana History Center - Festival of Trees

The history center is full of festive activities at the Festival of Trees. Visit the website for a full list of holiday happenings. 11/17 - 1/6, included with museum admission.


Nearby Events - Mason, Ohio - King's Island Winterfest

Ring in the holidays with the return of WinterFest at Kings Island on select nights 11/24 - 12/30. The park transforms into nine enchanting winter wonderlands featuring ice skating on the Royal Fountain, the Eiffel Tower transformed into a magical Christmas tree, up to 17 rides including Mystic Timbers, more than 5 million lights and 14 holiday characters spreading merriment, like Jack Frost and Sugar Plum Fairy. Visit the website for hours and cost.


Recommended:

Things to do in Indiana

Holiday Road: Dress the whole family in festive Christmas pajamas while you tour the light shows from the comfort of your vehicle.

Ring in Ring in the holidays with the return of WinterFest at Kings Island on 
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Indianapolis Firefighter Museum: Things to do in Indy

Firefighters Museum Downtown Indianapolis

As homeschoolers, we're always looking for fun, educational things to do for field trips. Downtown Indianapolis is full of great things to do on a field trip or family vacation. If you're ever on Mass Ave, stop and explore the Firefighters Museum. It's free! Live in Indiana? You can take a staycation to downtown Indy and spend the day or the entire weekend exploring.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

The Fire Fighters Museum is located in downtown Indianapolis at  748 Massachusetts Ave. This museum is newly renovated. In fact, they're still adding exhibits. If you're studying Indiana history, this is an ideal way to immerse yourself. The museum is free and includes a guided tour with open hours from 9 to 5.

If you choose to walk through the space without a guide, you're welcome to do so. Our guide was a retired fireman who knew all about the history of Indianapolis Firefighters - such a great opportunity to learn! On a side note, this museum is very small. You could walk through on your own in 15 minutes. We spent about 20 minutes touring the exhibit and another 15 playing checkers. So, you'll want to pair this with another Mass Ave activity. We suggest the Sub Zero Ice Cream parlor (they serve lunch too.)

Upstairs in the museum, check out this cool display of knots while you try on some fireman's gear. Then, you can peek down the fire pole - it's blocked so you can't slide down it. Bummer.

Plus: Clean Restrooms!

We enjoyed our homeschool field trip to the Indianapolis Firefighter Museum in downtown Indy. It was a nice side trip for our day on Mass Ave. What's your favorite Indianapolis field trip? Tell us about it in the comments.


Recommended:

Things to do in Indiana

Fireman Costume and Accessories



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Veterans Day Lesson Ideas for Elementary and Middle School

Armistice Day or Veterans Day Lesson Ideas

When is Veterans Day? In the United States, we celebrate Veterans Day (also known as Armistice Day) on November 11. You probably know a war veteran:  a school teacher, a principal, a grandparent, a cousin, or a member of your church. Just ask! Often, when we think of Veterans, we think of historical wars and senior citizens, but there are many young war veterans these days. We hope you'll try some of these Veterans Day lesson ideas and then go out into your community and thank a war veteran.

Scroll down for Veterans Day Videos for Middle School and a fun song for preschoolers!

What can you do to teach about and help celebrate Veterans Day? Educate and engage with a history lesson or simply thank a Veteran. You can do both, when you combine a Veterans Day history lesson with a letter writing campaign. We found some awesome, editable letter to soldiers and thank you card templates for elementary at TeacherSherpa.com.

Hop over to TeacherSherpa to find printable Veterans Day games and activities to add to your lesson plans.

Get more Veterans Day Printables or printable Letters to Soldiers that will work for Middle Schoolers too.

**------------------------------------------**

Hey kids, did you know War Veterans are men and women who served in any branch of the military including the National Guard? You may know a veteran who served in one of these wars:

World War 1
World War 2
Vietnam
Korean
Iraq
Afghanistan

Called Armistice Day in 1919 to commemorate the end of World War I, it was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to include American veterans of all wars. On November 11, we honor the wartime service of men and women in all branches of the armed forces.

Here's a quick video that gives a great explanation on the history of Veterans Day.

Brainpop has a nice video about the armed forces.

Check out PBS for Veterans Day Lesson Plans for all ages.

Veterans Day activities for middle school (grade 6-8.)

Veterans Day Videos for Middle School

Middle School Veterans Day video from Scholastics.


War Videos from Crash Course in US HISTORY:

World War 2



Korea and Vietnam



Iraq



Here's another video and activities about Vietnam from Brainpop.


This cute song from Kiboomers is fun for preschoolers.




Fun Fact:

Veterans Day is not Veteran's Day because it is not a day owned by Veterans. If it were a day owned by all Vets, it would be called Veterans' Day. Veterans Day is a day to celebrate Veterans. Yep, I've been messing that up for years, and I know the rule. Childrens' not Children's -  Child's not Childs' - Kids' not Kid's.

In fact, this blog was originally titled 'A Kid's Creative Chaos' then I dropped the 'A' and kept the logo, 'Kid's Creative Chaos.' It took me years to realize my error. Humiliating. In my head, it was still one kid's creative chaos (my son's.) Now, I just incorrectly call it 'Kids Creative Chaos' because it looks better.  Sigh. The more you know, the more you realize you don't know.


Recommended:

Veterans Day Crafts and Decor

Community Service Projects


Follow us on Pinterest for more lesson ideas for homeschoolers and elementary.

Things to do with Kids in Indianapolis: Indy Fun

Looking for Indy Fun Activities to do with Kids?

This sponsored post and giveaway is a partnership with Nakturnal. #ad

Are you looking for things to do with kids in Indianapolis? We're always on the hunt for fun, kid-friendly activities in Indy. (#IndyFun) If your kids like to tinker and build things and are into LEGO® or other building block toys, you'll want to try out a Snapology.com for your next birthday party! Snapology is a play place for kids of all ages. Keep scrolling for information on a kids' business opportunity and a fun giveaway- just in time for the holidays!

To get everyone in the party spirit, we're giving away a LEGO® brick set of the Snapology Mascot Sebastian Gator - recommended for ages 6 & up. Deadline for entry in Wednesday, Nov. 15. To enter the giveaway, just comment on this post! Just comment why you think this is a great idea for a business! #giveaway

Snapology encourages learning through play. It's a great place for after schoolers, preschoolers, homeschoolers, and anyone who is looking for something fun to do with kids in the Indy area. Check out this franchise video to learn more.





Some Fun and Affordable Birthday Party Themes include:

• LEGO®
• Minecraft
• Star Wars
• Angry Birds

When you have a birthday party at Snapology, a certified Snapology party facilitator will set-up, conduct activities and clean up. You can sit back and enjoy your child’s big day. Snapology parties are designed to be fun and affordable for families. 

Snapology is also a great place for scouting events, after school fun, preschool, and special needs programs. Snapology provides interactive, STEM / STEAM programs for children featuring technology and popular building toys such as LEGO® bricks and K’Nex®. 

In Indy West, Snapology is currently serving recreation centers and schools. If you are interested in a Snapology franchise, check it out.

Recommended:

Lego Gifts for Kids

Things to do in Indiana with Kids

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20 Easy DIY Halloween Costume Ideas for Kids

DIY Halloween Costumes

Looking for SUPER EASY homemade Halloween DIY Costume Ideas for Kids? Over the years, we've thrown together a ton of quick Halloween costumes for kids. Pre-teens and Teens love them too. All of our costume ideas are no-sew and most were made by Mayhem! She loves to create something from nothing. All are easy to throw together in an afternoon. So, what will you be for Halloween? 

20 Easy DIY Halloween Costume Ideas for kids and teens.

Do you have Transformer fans like we do? This Optimus Prime costume made from a box is the bomb! It even transforms to a truck when not in use. Way to go, ModernKiddo.

Optimus Prime Homemade Costume from ModernKiddo.

We know your baby is super, so show the world with this fun DIY Clark Kent costume from CostumeWorks. Tip: Works for super Dads too!

Clark Kent DIY Costume from CostumeWorks.

Do you have a teenage boy who needs a Halloween costume? Try this head-in-a-jar costume from ThirtyHandmadeDays. They've got an amazing tutorial!

DIY Jar Head Costume by ThirtyHandmadeDays. 

More Easy Halloween Costume Ideas for Kids from Kids Creative Chaos

• Costumes for Elf on the Shelf
• Make a Paper Chef's Hat
• Day of the Dead Costume Ideas
• Phineas and Ferb Mask
• Perry the Platypus Box Costume
• Make a Chicken Hat Band with Construction Paper
• Counting Sheep Costume 
• Pretty Pirate
• Monster Hunter & Kid Detective Costume Idea
• Bunny Costume from a stuffed animal
• Doctor Costume
• Rock Star Kitty
• Kid Made Pillowcase Ghost
• Native American Dress from Paper Bag
• Ninja Spy with Construction Paper
• Kid Made Nerf Gun Protective Gear
• Mary and Joseph No Sew Costume (Also includes sweatshirt donkey.)

If you try any of these diy Halloween Costume Ideas for kids and teens please share your images on our Facebook page.

Hope you have an amazing Halloween!

Need Cat Food Portion Control?

How do you Control Cat Food Portions?

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MeowMixatMeijer #CollectiveBias

If you have a cat (or several like we do) you probably have a  time controlling portions. We have one fat cat who likes to hog all of the cat food. What is the right serving per cat? Do you base it on age, weight, or both? How do you control the mess? Meow Mix® Simple Servings™ at Meijer has solved your problem! It comes in a simple portion control package, so that part is easy.

How do you keep your fat cat from nudging the other cats out and stealing their portion? Keep reading to find out how we keep every cat eating their own cat food portion. Turns out, the bully isn't who we thought it was.

Tigger chilling after his meal of Simple Servings.

 

Tigger and Buddi love Meow Mix® Simple Servings™ cat food. Their favorite cat food flavor is chicken and turkey. When you shop at Meijer you can use their mPerks offer  and get 30% off from 10/08/17 - 11/04/17. Awesome!

First things first, when we walk into the kitchen fat cat follows. He's always looking for an opportunity to eat. There's always dry food in the dish in case he gets hungry between meals, but he's too finicky for that. If the food has been out for more than an hour, he starts slapping the bowl to to get our attention. When we ignore him, he tips the bowl over and spills the 'stale' food out onto the floor. Grr. We sweep the cat food off the floor several times every day. So, of course, he is first to arrive for Simple Servings. The plastic cups are ideal for portion control.

Now, Buddi smells the cat food, hears the the purring, and comes running. Next comes a paw duel and some growling. Then, one of the cats bows down to the other. To our surprise, the bigger cat stood back. She's that blur running in for the food.

With Simple Servings we can fix this mess! Each cat gets their own serving. You can serve it on a plate or leave it in the cup. So no bullying, right? Wrong.

Aww... What a gentleman. He steps back and lets the lady eat. How sweet. We tried to give him his own plate of Simple Servings, but she kept running back and forth to each plate and crowding him out of the way.

So, what's a poor gentleman kitty to do? With the mess-free, new Meow Mix Simple Servings cat food from your local Meijer store, you can serve him on the counter or at the table... Well, if you're a cat person. If you don't like the idea of your cat on the counter just stick a cup on a chair.

Tigger enjoying Simple Servings on the kitchen counter- no mess!

Meow Mix® Simple Servings™ is a new, single serving of delicious wet cat food in a convenient, mess-free cup. It comes in single-serve portions so there are no leftovers, you can serve right from the cup and pop it in the trash when your cats are finished eating. The cup is easy-to-open and easy-to-serve without forks or spoons.

Tigger loves the pieces of real seafood or poultry in a savory sauce or gravy. His favorite flavor is Chicken And Turkey, but there are plenty of flavors for your picky eaters.

Tuna and Salmon
Seafood Variety
Seafood Variety
Whitefish
Chicken and Turkey
Tuna and Whitefish

Each Simple Servings cup is a single serving so you can feed your cat the wet food they crave, without the hassle of worrying about portioning or what to do with the leftovers. All you have to do is open and serve—it’s that simple.

Yum! Licking his lips and yawning after filling his belly with his fair share.

Join the fun and follow Meow Mix on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. #MeowMixatMeijer #CollectiveBias

Problem solved, bellies full, a peaceful ending to the cat food bully situation.

You can find these in the Wet Cat Food aisle at Meijer.

Recommended: Gifts for Pets

Books for 11 - 14 year old Boys: The Last Kids on Earth

Books for Boys: 11 to 14 years

This post contains affiliate links.

Are you looking for books that your preteen or teen boys will read and enjoy? Whether they are reluctant readers or love to read, once they've read all of the Harry Potter book series, it is difficult to find new books that will keep 11 to 14 year old boys engaged. No need to worry. We've found the cure! The Last Kids on Earth series by Max Brallier is just what you need. Enjoy!

Book Blurb: Life after the zombie apocalypse is pretty good for 13-year-old Jack Sullivan: he lives in a mind-clobberingly cool tree fort with his best friends, speeds through town playing Real-Life Mario Kart, has a crew of monster buddies, battles zombies on the regular, and generally treats life like it’s a videogame! 

But then Jack’s friends make a startling discovery: they may not be the last kids on earth, after all. This is great news for everyone… except Jack. Once they’ve found other humans, his friends won’t stick around for long! Jack’s only hope for keeping things the way they are is to prove that everything here is perfect, life is crazy fun, and nothing else could be any better. 

One problem: it’s hard convincing his friends that everything is great when they’re being hunted by a monstrous Nightmare King and an ancient evil who won’t rest until Earth has been devoured. Crud! Maybe life after the monster apocalypse is more complicated than Jack thought…

Read our review about the first book in the series, The Last Kids on Earth book review. These books are page turners. Jake read this book in less than 24 hrs. When he read the first book from this series he said, "They better make this a series!" This time he says, "They better make this series a movie! I'd love to see it."

Per Jake: In this latest book, Jack is always fighting with himself. He knows they need to fix the radio, but he doesn't want to lose his friends. If they fix the radio, the other kids will go back to their families. He doesn't want that!

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Max Brallier is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books and games, including the first two books in The Last Kids on Earth series. He is the creator and writer of Galactic Hot Dogs, an ongoing middle-grade web serial and book series with Aladdin. He writes for licensed properties including Adventure Time, Regular Show, and Uncle Grandpa. Under the pen name Jack Chabert, he is the creator and author of the Eerie Elementary series for Scholastic Books. In the olden days, he worked in the marketing department at St. Martin's Press. Max lives in New York City with his wife. 

Recommended:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Also by Max Brallier: Galactic Hot Dogs

Percy Jackson

Read Moon Magic Online

Self Help Book for Life: Ordering Your Private World Review

Into Self Help Books?

Handlebar Marketing gave me a copy of this book for review; all opinions are my own.

Are you living in chaos? Do you perpetuate chaos? This blog is titled, Kids Creative Chaos, but several years ago, I was able to squash most of the chaos. I learned to say 'No' and not to overextend myself. I forgave myself for not attending every event or argument that crossed my path.

Amazon Affiliate: I get a small commission if you make a purchase from a link.

Some people need routines to organize the chaos. For me, the routines bred the chaos. Now, I take one day at a time and try to live every day to its fullest potential. Of course, on some days, life's fullest potential is just relaxing and watching a movie on Amazon- not something I felt comfortable doing in the past. How could I sit idle when so much needed done? If you are looking for a self help book for life, Ordering Your Private World is the perfect choice. Enjoy!

 

The first thing you need to know about Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald, is that it is a Christian book written by a pastor. It references scripture. For some that will be a win, but for others it may be a turn off - don't let it be. MacDonald's personal journey may be different from your own, but it is worth the read. Written in a conversational style, this self help book on life is a quick and easy read.

Book Blurb: One of the great battlegrounds is within the private world of the individual. The values of our Western culture would have us believe the busy, publicly active person in ministry is also the most spiritual. Tempted to give imbalanced attention to the public world at the expense of the private, we become involved in more programs, more meetings. Our massive responsibilities at home, work, and church have resulted in many good people on the verge of collapse.

In this updated classic, Ordering Your Private World, Gordon MacDonald equips a new generation to live life from the inside out, cultivating the inner victory necessary for public effectiveness.

The author shares his personal journey of a Pastor spread too thin. He shares a turning point that gave him insight and helped him realize the time had come to organize and take control of his own life. With a study guide to help you on your own organizational journey, in no time, you'll be on your way to a life led by your own spirituality focusing on what's really important and matters most to you.


Keep in touch, follow us on Instagram.



Recommended:

Get my book, Circle Time Handbook (Games and Activities for all ages.)

Corn on the Cob Recipe with Cheese

Easy Recipes: Cheesy Corn on the Cob

This cheesy corn on the cob recipe is so simple, it's ridiculous! Inspired by a menu picture at a steak restaurant, I knew it'd taste yummy. The picture showed corn on the cob with red and black seasoning oozing with what looked like cheese. It turned out to be butter, but I decided to try to recreate what I thought I saw: corn on the cob with cheese. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links.

How to Make Cheesy Corn on the Cob Recipe

Ingredients:

4 fresh ears of corn

1/2 t. salt

Salt, red pepper, and black pepper to taste

4 slices Havarti cheese

2 T butter, divided

Directions:

1. Shuck the corn, and clear away the silks. In a large pot, add enough water to cover the ears. Remove the corn. Add 1/2 t. salt and 1 T butter. Heat the water to boiling. Add the ears of corn. Boil 6 minutes. Remove the ears and let them cool 5 minutes.  

2. Season the corn with salt, red pepper, and black pepper to taste. Melt 1 T butter. Coat the ears with the melted butter. Top with the Havarti cheese slices, tearing each slice so that the entire length of corn is covered in cheese.

3. Broil the ears on high approx. 2 minutes, or until the cheese browns slightly.

Recommended:

Slow Cooker Holiday Pork

Corn by Gail Gibbons

Fresh Corn Muffins

The Popcorn Book by Tomie de Paola

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What is FFA? Future Farmers of America_ Get Involved

Get Involved with National FFA

This is a sponsored post for Mom it Forward. All opinions are my own.

What is FFA? Growing up in the Midwest, I was very familiar with the corduroy navy blue FFA jackets. Not a lot of kids at my school wore them, but attend an event at a rural school and everyone seemed to have one. What did they mean? How was I not a member of this elite club? I felt left out. Flash forward thirty years later, and head to downtown Indianapolis during the National FFA convention and you'll wonder what you're missing too!

FFA Jacket from FFA.org

Every fall, the Indiana Convention Center is filled to the brim with navy jacket wearing youth from all over the country. So, what is FFA? FFA stands for Future Farmers of America. You might already know that, but do you know what they do?

The letters “FFA”  are a part of their heritage that will never change. But FFA is not just for students who want to be production farmers; FFA also welcomes members who aspire to careers as teachers, doctors, scientists, business owners and more. For this reason, the name of the organization was updated in 1988 after a vote of national convention delegates to reflect the growing diversity and new opportunities in the industry of agriculture.

The National FFA Organization remains committed to the individual student, providing a path to achievement in premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. National FFA Convention is held at the Indiana Convention Center.

Farmland, a leading brand of bacon, sausage, and ham, is proud to partner with the National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America, to support the future of agriculture by donating $0.10 to FFA for every Farmland item purchased now through September 30, 2017, up to $75,000.

These donations will help FFA continue to further its mission of making a positive difference in the lives of students and shine a light on the agricultural industry.

In addition to the donation, Farmland will provide grants to select Midwestern FFA chapters later this year, providing financial support to high school students working on animal care projects.

Participating Farmland products include everything from Farmland bacon and breakfast sausage to boneless ham and lunch meats.

FarmlandFoods.com, Facebook.com/FarmlandFoods or @FarmlandFoods on Twitter.

Support the Future Farmers of America by going to Kroger and
purchasing Farmland products now through Sept. 30, 2017.


With every Farmland item purchased now through September 30, Farmland will donate $0.10 to FFA, up to $75,000.

Since 1959, Farmland has been passionate about making high-quality foods, working alongside American farm families to offer the best quality products such as bacon, ham, and sausage. So, it makes sense that they support FFA.

More than 50 years later, Farmland’s unsurpassed passion and pride are stronger than ever, serving retail and foodservice customers across the United States. Farmland’s great tasting products – bacon, sausage, specialty cut ham, and more – are tender, flavorful, and made with quality ingredients. All Farmland products are products of the USA and are free of hormones and MSG.

For more product information or recipe inspiration, visit FarmlandFoods.

As hobby farmers, my kids have been active members of 4H and now, as they move into middle school and high school, they are interested in the FFA. So, we've been looking into options for homeschoolers. Want to join? Find out more here: How to join FFA.



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Indiana 4H

Gardening with Kids

Chickens