Youth Services

Welcome to Youth Services! The Youth Department is dedicated to providing programming for children of all ages. 
 
Throughout the year, we have programs including storytime, crafts, performers, and other events for you and your family to enjoy. Please see the schedule below for specific program details, dates, and times. 
 
 Storytimes
*Due to concerns of COVID-19 and to help limit the spread, all in-person library storytimes will be canceled until further notice. However, the Youth Department is providing "Storytime On the Go" kits for pickup during specified days & times.
 
 
Storytime Age Groups:
  • Baby Lapsit: Learning and a love for literacy is important at any age. Young minds will learn through language, stories, rhymes, and more. A parent must accompany children during these sessions. Baby Lapsit is geared for children ages birth to 23 months.
  • Preschool Storytime: Come aboard the Storytime Express for an experience filled with fun, stories, songs, and much more! All sessions include 20 minutes of storytime and 15 minutes of crafts. Preschool storytime is for ages 3 to 5.
  • Toddler Time: Little minds will learn, play, and explore with stories, fingerplays, and songs. Activities such as games, crafts, and freeplay will follow storytime. Toddler Time is for children ages 18 months to 3 years old.
  • Parachute Play: A storytime geared just for active toddlers (ages 18 months-3 years)! Toddlers can learn through parachute play to stories and songs. Thank you to Brisingamen Intelligence for our 20 handle parachute!

We will be taking a break from our Storytimes On the Go for the rest of the summer. We will be working hard prepping Storytimes On the Go for our fall session. Please see the dates below for Fall Storytime on the Go pick ups.
 
September Schedule:
  • Tuesday, Sept. 8 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Back to School)
  • Wednesday, Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Back to School)
  • Thursday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: Back to School)
  • Monday, Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Parachute Play
  • Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Beep Beep!)
  • Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Beep Beep!)
  • Thursday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: Beep Beep!)
  • Monday, Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Baby Lapsit
  • Tuesday, Sept. 22 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Jump Around)
  • Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Jump Around)
  • Thursday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: Jump Around)
  • Monday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Parachute Play
  • Tuesday, Sept. 29 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Buttons & Pockets)
  • Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Buttons & Pockets)
October Schedule:
  • Thursday, Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Buttons & Pockets)
  • Monday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Baby Lapsit
  • Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Fire Trucks)
  • Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Fire Trucks)
  • Thursday, Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: Fire Trucks)
  • Monday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Parachute Play
  • Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Fall Leaves)
  • Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Fall Leaves)
  • Thursday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: Fall Leaves)
  • Monday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Baby Lapsit
  • Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: On the Farm)
  • Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: On the Farm)
  • Thursday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (On the Farm)
  • Monday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Parachute Play
  • Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Orange & Black)
  • Wednesday, Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Orange & Black)
  • Thursday, Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: Orange & Black)
November Schedule:
  • Monday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Baby Lapsit
  • Tuesday, Nov. 3 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: I Voted)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: I Voted)
  • Thursday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: I Voted)
  • Monday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Parachute Play
  • Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Messy & Clean)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Messy & Clean)
  • Thursday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: Messy & Clean)
  • Monday, Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Baby Lapsit
  • Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Baking)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Baking)
  • Thursday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (I Am Thankful)
  • Monday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Parachute Play
  • Tuesday, Nov. 24 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: I Am Thankful)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: I Am Thankful)
  • Thursday, Nov. 26---LIBRARY CLOSED--NO KIT PICK UP
  • Monday, Nov. 30 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Baby Lapsit
December Schedule:
  • Tuesday, Dec. 1 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Gingerbread Men)
  • Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Gingerbread Men)
  • Thursday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: Gingerbread Men)
  • Monday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Parachute Play
  • Tuesday, Dec. 8 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Ho Ho Ho)
  • Wednesday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Preschool Storytime (Theme: Ho Ho Ho)
  • Thursday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Toddler Time (Theme: Ho Ho Ho)

Upcoming Events:
*Due to concerns of COVID-19 and to help limit the spread of it, all in-person library programming will be canceled until further notice. However, we are providing Children's "Activity Kits on the Go" for pickup during specified days & times. Please see the schedule below.
 
  • Surprise Crafts On the Go (Wednesday, Aug. 12--Pick up from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.): Inside will be 3 surprise crafts for children. Each kit will not be the same, making for a fun surprise! The crafts are geared toward children ages 2-11.

  • S.T.E.A.M. Club on the Go (2nd-5th Grade) (Wednesday, Sept. 16--Pick up from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.): Children will be challenged with science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities. In this kit, their goal will be to build a hat that carry an apple.

  • Fall Crafts on the Go Kits (Wednesday, Sept. 30--Pick Up from10 a.m. to 7 p.m.): Inside the bag will be 3 fall crafts children can take home and complete. This is a great kit to get children in the fall spirit!

  • Beading for Kids (Wednesday, Oct.14--Pick Up from  10 a.m. to 7 p.m.): Inside the kit, children will get two strings for their beads and a small bag of beads. Kids can make a bracelet, necklace, or another beading invention! *Please note, we recommend younger children being supervised while doing this activity as there are small beads in the kit.

  • Halloween Crafts On the Go (Wednesday, Oct. 28--Pick up from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.): Inside the bag will be 3 Halloween crafts children can take home and complete. This kit is great for making some cool decorations just in time for Halloween!

  • Disguise a Gingerbread Man (2-18 years) (Nov. 2-21--Pick up & Drop off at the Youth Desk any time we are open): Children and teens can stop by to pick up a gingerbread man outline. They will then take it home and come up with a “disguise” for the gingerbread man. When they are done, they can drop it off in the "Gingerbread Man Drop Off Box" located on the Youth Desk. The gingerbread men and their cool disguises will be hung around the library during the month of December.

  • Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids (Wednesday, Nov. 18--Pick up from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.): Children can get in the Thanksgiving spirit by picking up one of these kits! Inside the kit will be 3 Thanksgiving crafts with instructions for kids to make.


 
School Quarantine Resources

Free online learning resources for teaching your students virtually: https://www.weareteachers.com/free-online-learning-resources/

Live Events from Authors: https://bit.ly/38R9kOh

GoNoodle is a free app that has games that gets kids up and moving (https://bit.ly/2TVMAZd). In addition, visit GoNoodle’s online video page at https://family.gonoodle.com/ to find additional content.

Lunch Doodles with author Mo Willems (creator or Elephant & Piggie books): ttps://bit.ly/2TVAXkS

Check out author Oliver Jeffers’ Facebook page. He is livestreaming himself reading one of his books every week day and talking about what went behind making it.

Author Doreen Cronin has worksheets and activities on her website. Visit clickclackbooks.com to check out these awesome resources.

Author Grace Lin has how to draw tutorials and readings from some of her books: https://bit.ly/38WPbGy

Science Mom has a variety of YouTube videos all about science! During the school quarantine, she is making videos called, “Quarantime” with additional science lessons, math activities, interactive games, and more. Visit https://bit.ly/2wbZKrU to get started.

Visit https://bit.ly/2TVkihf to see the projects and activities Scholastic is providing online for free. Students can choose their grade level to gain access to content that is just right for them!

Virtual visits at the New England Aquarium: https://bit.ly/33rnO6g

Stream Movies for Teens & Tweens (includes Anime like Sailor Moon and Inuyasha): https://bit.ly/2QoysoU

1000 Books Before Kindergarten
The Jack Russell Memorial Library is pleased to offer this Early Literacy Program as part of a state-wide program called Growing Wisconsin Readers. Our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is open to any child beginning at birth until the start kindergarten.
How it works:
We are currently reworking our program due to COVID-19 concerns. More details will be coming soon!
 
If you are currently enrolled in the program, please do not bring your folders in to log anything. We ask that you hold on to them and keep tracking your reading. Once we have the details of our restructed program worked out, we will be glad to help you log any reading you have!