As kids take a break from school March 25-29, why not stop into Madison Public Library? The We Read Youth Voices Writing Contest is returning April 1 and we'll be getting inspired during the week of Spring Break with all kinds of programs and activities designed to spark creativity and inspiration.
We'll have writer's notebooks available at each library location for kids to pick up throughout the week, as well as over-sized story dice that can be rolled to generate characters, settings and interesting obstacles. Plus, programs for all ages will encourage different forms of expression:
- For babies and toddlers, there are storytimes led by music therapists and yoga classes geared towards creative movement.
- For school-age kids, build stories with LEGO challenges or practice sharing stories by reading to a dog.
- For teens and tweens, tell your story through movement with cardio drumming at Meadowridge Library or a Dance + Yoga class at Goodman South Madison Library.
- There are also things that you can enjoy at the library anytime, like books, art materials, our play spaces and many other enrichment materials.
- We also know it's not always easy to get the kids into the car and out the door. If you need to stay home, but still want to use your library card, we've got a bunch of things you can do with your kids from home, too!
Spring Break Activities:
Spring Break Activities for Babies + Toddlers
Growing Voices, A Music Story
Growing Voices Music Class is an interactive class where kids ages birth-5 can sing, play instruments, dance and have fun alongside their parents or caregivers. During Spring Break, these classes are taking place in multiple libraries:
- March 26, 10-10:45am | Pinney Library
- March 26, 10:30-11am | Monroe Street Library
- March 28, 10-10:45am | Sequoya Library
- March 28, 10:30-11:30am | Goodman South Madison Library
No registration required
Koga Yoga, A Movement Story
Kids and caregivers yoga. Drop-in to this 50 min yoga session. Each class includes a social emotional awareness and exploration, yoga asana, breathwork and a dance warm up or break. Sessions are led by Keena Atkinson, owner of R'oujie Wellness.
- March 25th, 10:00-11:00am | Central Library
- March 29, 10:30-11:15am | Pinney Library
- March 29, 2-2:50pm | Alicia Ashman Library
Materials/supplies provided. No registration required.
Spring Break Activities for School-Age Kids
Building Stories with LEGOs
Join us for LEGO fun with other kids! Explore the library's LEGO collection at this low key, drop-in program to build amazing contraptions, worlds, vehicles, or scenes that tell a story. Starting a story from scratch is a challenge, but once you start building, you never know where your imagination will take you. This program will take place at multiple locations and times during Spring Break:
- March 25, 3-4pm | Goodman South Madison Library
- March 25, 3-4pm | Hawthorne Library
- March 26, 2-5pm | Alicia Ashman Library
- March 26, 3:30-4:30 | Pinney Library
- March 28, 2-4pm | Lakeview Library
- March 29, 10-12am | Central Library
- March 30, 10am - 12pm | Meadowridge Library
No registration required
Spring Break Crafternoon: Paint Markers
Have you tried paint markers? We have - and we love them! Every day at Monroe Street Library, we'll introduce a new craft involving paint markers. All programs take place from 1:30-3pm, and supplies are provided.
- Monday, March 25: Assemble + decorate a mini birdhouse.
- Tuesday, March 26: Decorate a canvas pouch, then use it to hold your treasures!
- Wednesday, March 27: Decorate a plastic water bottle to help you stay hydrated all summer long.
- Friday, March 29: Decorate a small terracotta flower pot, then use free seeds from Madison Public Library's seed library to grow something wonderful.
Funding for these programs provided by the Monroe Street Library League. No registration required.
We Read to a Dog
Not all kids enjoy reading, or feel comfortable doing it - especially reading aloud. In order to help kids feel more comfortable reading, Madison Public Library partners with Guardian Whiskers and Alliance for Therapy Dogs to host ‘Read to a Dog’ events. Reading aloud to a therapy dog helps to build a lifelong love of reading, and builds important literacy skills in kids. We're hosting multiple Read to a Dog events during Spring Break:
Meadowridge Makes: Watercolors
March 26, 4:30-5:30pm | Meadowridge Library
Children and families, drop in for an evening of arts and crafts at Meadowridge Library! Each week we will feature either an open-ended craft or a project led by a community artist. This program is recommended for ages 3-10. No registration required.
[FULL] We Read Spring Break: Sculpting Stories
March 27, 11:30am - 1:30pm | Goodman South Madison Library
Join us to learn about storytelling in a unique and creative way! Local artist, Jayce Thoyre, will teach the basics of sculpting and kids will be able to tell their own stories through their sculptures. We will be using model magic, and kids can bring home their sculptures at the end of the workshop. This program is open to kids of all ages, but kids ages 7 and under will need the assistance of a caregiver. Registration is limited to 12 kids, so be sure to SIGN UP.
March 27, 4:30-5:30pm | Hawthorne Library
Join other young people and caregivers for a relaxing art workshop. Make a necklace or bracelet using a variety of bead; pony, seed, charm, polymer, letter & more. Tween and teens are highly encouraged to attend! Take your creation with you when you leave.
No registration required and free of cost. Youth 8 and under must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver during the program.
Spring Break Activities for Tweens + Teens
Cardio Drumming with Every Voice Music
Cardio Drumming combines the enjoyable activity of creating music with a workout for your brain and body! Using adaptive drums, participants will learn simple rhythms and participate in an upbeat cardio drumming group. The instructor will provide visual and verbal cues for participants to get their sweat on while being supported by recorded music. All materials supplied; this program will take place at multiple locations and times:
- March 25, 10:30-11:15am | Monroe Street Library
- March 27, 10:30-11:15am | Central Library
- March 28, 2:30-3:15pm | Meadowridge Library
Dance + Yoga Wellness Sessions
Come join-in for a dance and yoga session! Keena Atkinson, Wellness Professional & Founder of R'oujie Wellness will lead you through a dance session to RnB, pop and hip-hop music. You will learn choreography to several songs, 1-2 popular line dances, and body love and awareness. There will be a 10 min break and then we will bust out the yoga mats to do a yoga session. This class is intentionally designed to benefit your wellness as well as give you a boost of confidence and self esteem through discussion, breathe-work, movement, and connection!
- March 26, 2-4pm | Goodman South Madison Library | Theme: Self-Advocacy + Self-Love
- March 27, 1:30-3pm | Hawthorne Library
- March 28, 2-4pm | Goodman South Madison Library | Theme: Conflict Resolution + Assertiveness
No registration required.
Art + Making with Miss Ciara
Explore two different crafts at Goodman South Madison Library alongside local artist Ciara! All materials will be provided and these classes are intended for teens and tweens. During the March 27 sessions, Ciara will guide teens through making their own journals. This quick and easy craft provides a great foundation for 30-60 day challenges, as well as a great starting place for future writers! At the March 29 session, we'll explore a new medium and try making string art.
No registration required; all supplies provided.
Every library location has activities and programs happening for kids, teens, adults and families during Spring Break. Please visit madpl.org/calendar to see all of our events!
Anytime Activities for All
Play Spaces
We believe in the value of play, especially child-led play, to build curiosity, skills, and the confidence needed to navigate the world. Each children’s area within our libraries is designed to encourage the five practices of Every Child Ready to Read—talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing—and are viewed, along with books, as a key part of the early literacy experience for children.
Check out our Play Guide, which describes the play space at each of our libraries and helps you find the best fit for your family.
We Read to Babies & Toddlers
Your librarians have created a book of rhymes and songs for babies and toddlers as part of We Read! You can pick up copies of this booklet at your local library, scan the QR code using your smart phone's camera and access songs on the go. Thanks to the many librarians who contributed their singing talent to creating this fun resource for families! Hear the songs online.
The Bubbler Room at Central Library
The BUBBLER ROOM is a physical space within Central Library, and is a resource for the library community and beyond. It houses our rotating artist-in-residence, provides our community partners a free space to run workshops and collaborate with one another, and offers patrons of all ages a studio space to create art, make a mess, and explore various mediums when visiting Central Madison Public Library.
The Bubbler Room is always open to the public unless it is reserved for a community partner program. Any closed times will be posted on the public calendar.
Enjoy from Home
Online Storytimes: Browse a digital catalog of stories and fun that can be enjoyed anytime from home. These videos include storytime snippets, which are just 10 minutes or less, bilingual and Spanish storytimes, and some books told through rap and song with Mr. Alexis. TIME TO READ
Kanopy Kids: Kanopy is a video streaming service available for FREE with your Madison Public Library card. Kanopy Kids is a carefully curated collection of the best children’s programming available today. Kids' selections are curated to support early literacy, STEM education, and even foreign language learning. Using favorite children’s characters from Sesame Street, PBS Kids, Weston Woods, and more, the collection of kids films inspire empathy, critical thinking, and self-esteem in young viewers. TRY KANOPY KIDS
eBooks and Audiobooks: Check out eBooks or listen to Audiobooks for free from home using the Libby App to access the Wisconsin Digital Library. There are thousands of titles in Wisconsin’s Digital Library, including books, magazines and more for kids. LEARN MORE
Art with Amy: Check out our Art with Amy webpage, which includes supply lists and videos of local artist Amy making things like Treasure Maps, Flipbooks, and mini books. You can gather the supplies yourself and then follow along to do your own craft at home! GET CRAFTING
Cooking with Chef Lily: Learn healthy cooking tips and tricks at home with our online videos featuring Chef Lily, "The Kids Chef". She'll show you how to make Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins, Quesadillas, Pepperoni Pizza Zucchini Bites and more. You can download printable ingredient lists and recipes and then follow along as Chef Lily shows you how to put it all together. GET COOKING
App Picks for Kids: High-quality apps you can feel good about using with your child. Most are free or low-cost! SCROLL AWAY
We have even MORE events happening for kids, teens, adults and families during this time. Please visit madpl.org/calendar to see all of our events and actvities.