Special Programs

Make It Take It is a weekly program that features a 15 minute storytime followed by a unique and fun craft. Activities are geared towards 3-5 year olds. This craft is specifically inspired by Alexander Calder's wire sculptures.

Art: Drawing with Scissors
“There are wonderful things in real jazz, the talent for improvisation, the liveliness, the being at one with the audience,” Matisse wrote. That spirit will be cultivated and celebrated during this library program in which children create their own unique works of art based on the French Modern Artist, Henri Matisse. Matisse's cutouts specifically will be the focus of this fun and engaging program for children in grades 1-3.

 Halloween Storytime for Large Groups
When we present our Halloween Storytime on the Riverwalk in Downtown Naperville, we have typically have nearly 400 children and their caretakers attend. This Halloween storytime outline is to give suggestions of books you can turn into prop stories and also songs that get kids moving


This is a program aimed at preschoolers and kindergarteners (ages 3-6). The emphasis is on encouraging dramatic play and sensory exploration! I wanted children to feel like they stepped into another world when they entered the room. It is by far one of my most favorite programs I've ever done! 


My intention with this storytime is to educate children on jazz music and to also introduce them to the colorful picture books on this subject. Through this program, children will gain appreciation for jazz music and will learn about talented African Americans who made a huge impact in the music world. This storytime will also reinforce early literacy skills as I also connect the storytime to the letter of the week (the letter J).

This is a very fun special program centered around a camping theme! I describe the ways in which you can decorate a library program room to be camp inspired from making pretend campfires to using Christmas lights to make a starry backdrop. This program also includes a cute binoculars craft and unique storytelling ideas centered around a camp theme. This is a great family-friendly program idea and young children are sure to love it.

Sensory Playtime is a program for babies that consists of several stations that caregivers and their babies interact with based on the 5 senses. Each station has board books that parents can check out to read during the program or at home with their baby. Babies must dress for a mess at this program! :) 

“Build anything you can dream,” is the motto behind the Cardboard Challenge.  In addition to instilling creativity within children, the Cardboard Box Challenge inspires children to become engineers for a day.  Playing with cardboard boxes and other building materials develops math and science skills too, helping children learn about gravity, balance, shapes, and problem solving. Watch the short film, "Caine's Arcade" and learn about how this Day of Play began! 


Children had a blast today at Reading Adventure Club! After reading the book, The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton, we made neon glow-in-the-dark lava lamps and glow-in-the-dark bracelets. What fun we had experimenting with oil, water, alka-seltzer, and neon paint!



This program consists of a short storytime followed by interaction with several superhero themed stations such as "mighty muscles", shield, cuff, and mask decorating, and a "vaporize the villain" activity that involves spraying villains down with silly string. This program is aimed at toddlers and preschoolers, ages 2-5.