Our summer of 2026 was not exactly the summer we intended to have.
At the end of June, I received the dreaded call from daycare that no parent ever wants to get: my four-year-old had fallen off a slide while playing outside, and they believed he had either broken or dislocated his arm.
In a full panic and while my husband was, conveniently, traveling for work, I raced to daycare to pick him up. As soon as I arrived and saw his forearm, it was pretty clear we were dealing with a broken bone.
Fast-forward through a trip to the ER, and it was confirmed that my son had broken both bones in his forearm, the radius and ulna, and needed a closed reduction to reset them. From the moment I picked him up until we finally left the hospital late that night, my brain was completely consumed with comforting him, entertaining my 14-month-old and trying to understand everything the doctors were telling me.
It wasn’t until we got home and settled that the next realization hit me: What in the world were we going to do for the next six weeks?
Our vacation the following week was out. The pool pass we had just purchased? Not looking so useful anymore. And riding his bike, playing roller hockey and many of the other things my very high-energy little guy loved to do were suddenly off the table for the bulk of summer.
Sitting inside the house for six weeks was definitely not going to cut it.
So, naturally, one of the first things I did the next day was start searching for things we could safely do, first while he was still in his temporary splint and later once, he had his hard cast. And surprisingly, I couldn’t find a whole lot.
Hence, this guide!
Whether you’re staring down six weeks of summer in a cast or dealing with a broken bone during another season, here are eight ways we found to keep the fun going around Indianapolis.
Books, Play & a Library Day
The library was our first outing after coming home from the hospital while my son was still in his temporary splint. It had been a little while since our last visit, so we packed up our library cards and headed to Hamilton East Public Library for the morning.
Between the educational computer games, children’s activities, play area and, of course, all the books, there was plenty to keep him entertained without requiring two functioning arms. He had a blast, and we left with a handful of books to take home.
Unfortunately, none of Mom’s picks were available. Cries in romantasy fan.
Take Them Out to the Ball Game… or Any Game!
Since our broken-arm era happened during the summer, we went to an Indianapolis Indians game just a couple of days after the incident. It was the perfect way to get out of the house, enjoy the sunshine, and do something exciting that also accommodated having only one functioning arm.
We ate hot dogs, got ice cream, and lounged in our lawn seats while he even practiced throwing a ball with his non-dominant hand.
The great thing about Indianapolis is that you can make this work almost any time of year. Depending on the season, check out an Indy Fuel hockey game, Butler Bulldogs basketball game, Indianapolis Colts game, or Indiana Pacers game. Pick your family’s favorite team and enjoy an activity where someone else provides the entertainment!
Paint Away the Cast Blues
Painting pottery was one of those activities I don’t think we would have tried if my son hadn’t broken his arm, and it turned out to be such a fun outing.
We headed to Kiln Creations in Noblesville. Since he had broken his dominant arm, I talked to him beforehand about how painting with his left hand might feel a little tricky at first. Once we arrived, we learned how everything worked, browsed all the pottery options, and picked out our projects. He chose a video game controller piggy bank, and I chose a coffee mug because, obviously, you can never have too many.
We picked our paint colors and got to work. He adapted much faster than I expected, and we both had a great time.
One tip from a pottery-painting rookie: you don’t necessarily take your masterpiece home that day because it still needs to be fired in the kiln.
Something I apparently needed explained to me, considering ours were still waiting to be picked up a month later.
Make It a Movie Date
A movie date is another easy, all-season option when you’re trying to entertain a tiny human with a broken limb.
Our timing happened to line up with Toy Story 5 hitting theaters, so we headed to Flix Brewhouse for one of its Flix Jr. showings. The volume isn’t quite as loud, and the lights don’t get as dark, which was perfect for my son, who sometimes isn’t a fan of how loud movie theaters can get.
Check your local theater for kid-friendly showings or whatever new kids’ movie is playing. Or, if you’d rather save some money because taking an entire family to the movies these days is… yikes… recreate the experience at home with popcorn, candy, and special drinks.
And for the record, I’m still not sure who was more excited about Toy Story 5: me or my son.
Museums and Zoos and Aquariums, Oh My!
This one may be an obvious choice, but there’s a reason for it. Museums, zoos, and aquariums are great low-impact options that can work in almost any season.
We’re big fans of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, and the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience is usually one of our favorite places to spend a warm-weather day. With a broken arm, we were a little more limited in what he could safely do outside, so this was definitely an activity we saved until he had his hard cast.
Inside, exhibits such as Dinosphere and Playscape gave us plenty to explore without requiring him to be overly physical. We just had to remind our little cast-wearer that the water areas were off-limits unless his arm was properly covered!
The Indianapolis Zoo is another great option when the weather cooperates, and an aquarium can give you that same walk-around-and-explore experience without needing to climb, jump, or run around.
Bring the Playdate to You
One thing I didn’t expect after my son’s accident was just how sweet his little friends would be.
Because it happened at daycare, his classmates all knew something had happened. The number of times I heard, “Theo broke his arm!” while walking through the hallway at drop-off was… a few too many. Ha!
His class made him a get-well banner and cards with notes and pictures, which absolutely made his day. His best friend, whom he’s known since they were four months old, was especially concerned about how he was doing.
A few days after he got his hard cast, we set up a playdate so they could hang out. His friend’s mom was wonderful about talking with him beforehand and making sure they chose activities that were broken-arm friendly.
We had recently picked up a few age-appropriate board games, and the boys had a blast playing Don’t Wake Daddy and Candy Land. More importantly, it gave my son a little sense of normalcy, and he could still hang out and be silly with his best friend, cast and all.
A Scoop Makes Everything Better
Is there a better cure for a broken arm in the summer than a double scoop of s’mores ice cream? I think not.
Normally, when our family gets ice cream, we’re more of a grab-it-and-go crew. But during our broken-arm era, we were looking for entertainment in places we normally rushed through.
Instead, we’d actually sit in the ice cream shop, hang out, and make an outing out of it. Such a simple thing, but it ended up being really fun, and it works especially well when you have other kiddos who need to get out of the house too.
Plus, I’d argue Mom and Dad deserve a treat for surviving the broken-bone era right alongside them.
If ice cream isn’t exactly calling your name in January, turn it into a “Hot Chocolate Hang” at a local coffee shop. And for a more budget-friendly option, an at-home ice cream sundae or hot chocolate bar can feel just as special.
When in Doubt, Bust the Crafts Out
This is a go-to time filler in our house with or without a broken bone. When it’s rainy, cold, or I can sense everyone getting stir-crazy, that’s usually my cue to pull out the coloring books, craft kits, construction paper, glue sticks, you name it.
Having a cast didn’t change that!
If your child broke their dominant arm as mine did, there may be some frustration at first. But crafts actually gave him a low-pressure way to practice using his other hand, which also helped as he transitioned back to daycare.
You could even turn all those creations into a “Broken Bone Art Gallery” somewhere in your house and display everything they make while recovering.
My son had also been learning to write his letters, so we practiced those and wrote little notes to friends. He was so proud when he realized he could do it with his left hand.
I fully expected a WWIII-level meltdown over this particular challenge. Instead, he surprised me with a great attitude and genuinely enjoyed figuring out what his left hand could do.
The Cast Comes Off…Eventually!
There are, of course, plenty of other ways to keep kids entertained while recovering from a broken bone. Looking back, though, one of the unexpected bright spots of those six weeks was how creative we became with our time.
We tried things we might not have otherwise tried. We slowed down during activities we normally rushed through. And we found ways to make summer still feel like summer, even though it looked completely different than we had planned.
I hope this guide finds another parent who, like me, gets home from the hospital, looks at their energetic child and immediately thinks, “Okay… what on earth are we going to do now?”
Because a broken bone doesn’t have to mean a broken summer or broken fun.
And if there’s one thing those six weeks taught me, it’s just how resilient kids can be. I expected much more complaining and frustration, but my son adapted so quickly and was honestly such a good sport about the whole thing. He handled it much better than I probably would have.
The good news? Those six weeks flew by, and before we knew it, the cast was coming off.
Now our biggest challenge is keeping him from immediately returning to his crazy self so we can, ideally, keep all of his limbs in one piece.
