News for Kids, Teens & Caregivers
Discovery Room: Water & the St. Croix River
September - November 2023: The Discovery Room is ready for imaginative play centered around the theme of water and the St. Croix River. Children can investigate a pretend pool containing stuffie fish and puppet animals that are found in the St. Croix River Valley;...
Book Picks for Starting Kindergarten
It’s hard to think about going back to school when it feels like summer just started. However, if your child is starting school for the first time, they might have some questions or worries about these changes. Will I have friends, are my new teachers nice, will the...
Baby & Toddler Storytime Songs & Tips
Webster and Puppy Pete hope you have a wonderful summer. Click on the links below so you can continue to sing songs and rhymes that they and Miss Kim shared with you at storytime. Each handout has some child development information and "Search-and-Find" fun. April 18,...
Library Card Design Contest Winner
We are so excited to announce the winner of our 2023 youth library card design contest: Audrey Mast! We were impressed and inspired by the creativity and talent of all of our community’s youth, and it was really difficult to choose just one entry from the 70 library...
Introducing a new children’s collection addition – VOX Books
These all-in-one read-alongs capture a child's reading attention while making learning and literacy development fun. Narrators are lively and will keep readers engaged. Educators can use VOX Books to help early or struggling readers learn to pronounce words, hold a...
Early Learning and Library Storytimes
How does a storytime led by a children's librarian bolster early learning and development standards? Children interact with librarians who become familiar adults outside their families, aiding in their social and emotional development. Movement songs and repetitive...
In the Discovery Center: Apples
Calling young farmers, merchants, mathematicians, and aeronauts! Explore and play in our new discovery area located in the Storytime Room on the lower level of the library. The Imagination Station is back and decked out for fall with a theme of apples. Sell...
Explore nature this summer!
Early childhood educators, researchers, youth librarians, parents, and caregivers can all attest to the benefits of being immersed in nature. Young children's brains develop rapidly and the more experiences they have that involve all their senses, the better. Time...
Why is there a scavenger hunt in the children’s library?
It isn't any secret that people of all ages enjoy scavenger hunts. At the library, we use this fun activity in the children's space because it offers: an activity to do whenever the library is open a chance to practice problem-solving and observational skills a social...
Check Out Nature Backpacks
Explore. Discover. Investigate. The library is here to help families discover and learn about nature, whether it be exploring the backyard or hiking a local park. Check out the library’s Nature Backpacks and embark on an adventure with real hands-on tools that kids...
Follow the Words
When children learn that words on a page have a message, their curiosity is piqued and their brains work to decode the meaning. This is an essential early literacy skill - print awareness. Write down the words to their favorite nursery rhyme and sing it with your...
Pick a Song, Any Song
Use this idea the next time you need to fill your day with music! Together with your child, choose your favorite songs to sing. Write the names of the songs on index cards or squares of paper and place them in a box. When your child needs an activity to do, draw out...