Carmel and Noblesville, two suburban communities just north of Indianapolis, are the fastest growing cities in Indiana's Hamilton County, the geographic center of the state. In 2008, Hamilton County topped the list of America's best places to raise a family in "Forbes Magazine". "Forbes" focused on the excellent public school systems in Carmel, Noblesville and six other communities in Hamilton County. The magazine also factored in low crime rates and an affordable cost of living. Carmel and Nobelsville also invest heavily in their children. Both communities provide a full slate of activities and organizations for kids.
The Boys and Girls Club of Noblesville (boysandgirlsclubofnoblesville.org) offers an extensive after-school program and summer camp for children aged six and older. The Club's downtown location houses arts programs, computer labs and tutoring rooms. A separate sports complex boasts six courts for basketball and volleyball. Traditional scouting programs have maintained a strong presence in both Noblesville and Carmel, and there are Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops in both cities. The Carmel United Soccer Club (carmelunited.org) and the Noblesville United Soccer Club (noblesvilleunited.com) run youth soccer leagues, and both communities have well-established little leagues, elementary football programs and community lacrosse leagues. The Carmel Ice Skadium (carmeliceskadium.com) offers public skating and children's skating lessons.
Kids in Carmel and Noblesville can audition for the Indianapolis Children's Choir (icchoir.org), a regional choral group for kids in grades four through nine. Stone Soup, a theater program in Noblesville, works with children in grades K through eight to present Broadway-style productions of musicals. Children who want to dance across a stage have a choice of studios and programs. Noblesville's Dancin Place, home of the White River Ballet Company, (thedancinplace.com), and Carmel's Performer's Edge Dance Theatre (performersedgedancetheatre.com) offer classical ballet training, while Carmel's Dance Class Studio (danceclasscarmel.com) provides alternatives for young performers who prefer jazz, modern and hip hop styles of dance. Darren's Ballroom (darrensballroom.com/) is one of several area programs that offer classes where children can learn how to waltz and dance the rumba.
Monart (indydrawingschool.com) is a Hamilton County arts program that offers classes in drawing, painting and other visual arts in both Carmel and Noblesville. The program uses arts as a vehicle to build confidence and self esteem. For kids who lean more towards science and math, Carmel hosts a branch of the Indianapolis 500 Earth Science Club which explores local sites for gemstones and fossils. The Noblesville Public Library is home to the Circle Chess Club for kids. Noblesville's Transportation Museum (itm.org) highlight Indiana's railroad history, and exhibits and specials events cater to kids who love trains. Carmel's Museum of Miniature Houses (museumofminiatures.org) hosts a permanent collection and visiting exhibits of doll houses and tiny furniture.
Dillion Park in Noblesville is a hub for skateboarders who practice their moves on a challenging set of ramps and jumps. Kids craving outdoor adventure can enroll in one of the many week-long summer camps at the Strawtown Koteewi Prairie Park, which has 750 acres of trails for hikers, cyclists and horseback riders and 26 acres of waterfront on the White River for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Carmel teams up with the town of Clay to provide 15 public parks that offer playgrounds, hiking trails, basketball and volleyball courts, access to fishing and boating on the White River, sledding and other activities. The star of the Carmel-Clay park system is the Monon Community Center (carmelclayparks.com), a 161-acre park that features a gym, children's arts and crafts and a water park complete with water slides, an inner-tube river ride, children's wading pools and a six-lane lap pool.
