Children's Department
The Children's Services Department offers a variety of materials and programming for children and their families.
Check out this short introductory video to meet the Children's Librarians at the Fargo Public Library.
If you need any accommodation in order to participate, we are happy to help to the best of our ability. Please contact us at accessibility@fargolibrary.org or call 701.241.1495 with at least 3 business days advance notice.
Upcoming Events for Kids and Families
17th Annual Design a Bookmark Contest
The Fargo Public Library is commemorating creativity with the 17th Annual Design a Bookmark Contest! Stop by any Fargo Public Library location beginning Sept. 1 and pick up an entry form. Forms are also available online. Fill the space with your most brilliant creation and return it to any library location before close on Sept. 30. The top designs (as voted on by library staff) will be made into full color bookmarks that will be printed and distributed throughout the following year at library branches and events. Winners will be announced Oct. 7. The contest is open to all ages. For more information, contact Children’s Services at 701.241.1495.
Fall Storytime
The Fargo Public Library has several storytime sessions available this fall from Sept. 14-Dec. 2 Families with children ages 2 to 6 years-old are invited to spend quality time sharing stories, learning school-readiness skills, and preparing children for a lifetime of reading. Through the use of age-appropriate stories, songs, and fingerplays in a group setting, staff help parents and caregivers learn how to foster early literacy skills that prepare their children to learn to read. No pre-registration is required.
Baby Rhyme Time
Babies ages birth to 24 months are invited to join us for the next sessions of lapsit storytimes at the Dr. James Carlson Library. Baby Rhyme Time is an opportunity for parents to share songs, fingerplays, short books, rhythms and rhymes with baby while introducing books and the library! Each session concludes with open play time. No pre-registration required. One child per grown-up lap please.
Oct. 1 & 15 @ 10 a.m.
Nov. 5 & 19 @ 10 a.m.
Dec. 3 & 17 @ 10 a.m.
Tumble Time with Fargo All-Stars
Kids ages 2-6 are invited to join in the fun at Toddler/Preschool Tumble Time with Fargo All-Stars. Learn some great tumbling moves and get some wiggles out at the Main Library! We will start with a short storytime and end with some jumping and tumbling. Wear clothes that you can move and groove in! No pre-registration is required.
Oct. 1 @ 11 a.m.
Nov. 5 @ 11 a.m.
Dec. 3 @ 11 a.m.
Rubber Duck Costume Contest: Duck-oration Drop-In
Waddle into any Fargo Public Library location beginning Oct. 1 to adopt a rubber duck (while supplies last). Decorate it with whatever supplies you have at home or attend one of our all-ages Duck-oration Drop-in events to decorate your adopted rubber duck using craft supplies provided by the library. Return your duck to any Fargo Public Library location by Oct. 23 to be included in the competition. Ducks will be on display for public voting from Oct. 28 to Nov. 6.
Duck-oration Drop-in Events:
Oct. 1: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. - Main Library
Oct. 10: 2 to 4 p.m. - Dr. James Carlson Library
Kindergarten Success! Storytime
Get your child ready for Kindergarten by exploring literacy and STEAM topics through music, stories, songs, and play at the Main Library. Library staff will share tips you can use to instill a love of reading in your child. Activities follow each storytime and all children receive a FREE book! These events are appropriate for children ages 3-5. No pre-registration is required.
Oct. 3 @ 10 a.m.
Nov. 7 @ 10 a.m.
Dec. 5 @ 10 a.m.
Mind Mysteries LIVE
Stop by the third Saturday of the month between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and join Dr. Ben Balas from NDSU Psychology for Mind Mysteries LIVE! We'll have an all-new experiment to help us learn how kids' brains help them understand what they see. Join us to make your mark for science! Mind Mysteries LIVE is for school-age kids.
Main Library:
Oct. 3
Nov. 7
Dec. 5
Dr. James Carlson Library:
Oct. 17
Nov. 21
Dec. 19
Crafternoons
Makers ages 15 and younger are welcome to stop by the Dr. James Carlson Library on Mondays or the Northport Branch on Tuesdays twice a month between 3 and 4:30 p.m. to get their craft on! The same project will be done at both locations each week. Please note: Crafternoons has a new schedule this fall! No pre-registration is required.
Oct. 5 & 6: Pumpkin Tea Lights
Oct. 19 & 20: Paper Cauldrons
Adventure Awaits Book Club
Go on a new adventure each month, whether fantasy, mystery, true stories, or beyond! The Adventure Awaits Book Club experiences books through themed activities, crafts, snacks and discussion, and is geared for kids in grades 3-7. We meet the first Tuesday of the month, at the Main Library at 4 p.m. Pick up your book and register for the current month at the Main Library, or call Children's Services at 701.241.1495
Oct. 6: Life on the Moon by Matthew Swanson
Nov. 3: Found Sound by Meg Wolitzer
Dec. 1: Bad Badger by Maryrose Wood
Namaste Toddler/Preschool Yoga
Introducing Toddler/Pre-School Yoga by Mojo Fit! It's never too soon to learn how to relax, breathe, pose, and find your center, all while having fun at the Main Library with a certified yoga instructor from Mojo Fit. Come dressed to stretch and move. We have a few mats available for kiddos to use, but if you have your own, bring it along! This class is best suited for ages 2-6. No pre-registration required.
Oct. 8 @ 10 a.m.
Nov. 12 @ 10 a.m.
Dec. 10 @ 10 a.m.
Paws for Reading
Snuggle up with a furry friend to practice your reading skills! On the second Saturday of each month during the school year, Reading Therapy Dogs will visit to provide a listening ear in a relaxed, informal setting. Kids in Kindergarten through 6th grade are invited to register for a 15-minute session between 10 and 11 a.m. with one of our four-legged friends. Bring your own books to read or choose from a selection of library books. Call 701.241.1495 to register for the current month.
Oct. 10
Nov. 14
Dec. 12
Spanish Storytime
Join us at the Main Library for this special storytime where Educator Mónica Olivares will share stories, songs, and activities in Spanish that celebrate the rich cultures of Latin America. Children will build vocabulary, develop early literacy skills, and explore traditions from Spanish-speaking countries. Perfect for bilingual families and learners alike! No pre-registration is required.
Oct. 10 @ 10 a.m.
Dec. 12 @ 10 a.m.
Explore Fossils!
Just in time for National Fossil Day, kids and teens ages 9 and older are invited to join us at the Dr. James Carlson Library on Oct. 12 at 11 a.m. to learn about the geologic history of North Dakota when staff from the FM Science Museum visit the library! Participants will examine and touch real fossils from across North Dakota's past, then uncover their own fossils in a hands-on mini fossil excavation. Pre-registration is required.
Pokemon Club
Calling all Pokémon Trainers! Join us to learn and play the Pokémon Trading Card Game, create a Pokémon-themed craft, watch an episode of the show, play a Pokémon video game, or simply hang out with fellow Pokémon fans. Cards are provided for gameplay, and no experience is necessary. Pokémon Club meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 3:30–4:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the Dr. James Carlson Library.
While this program is geared toward kids and teens, Pokémon fans of all ages are welcome! Pokémon Club is free and registration is not required. Adults must accompany children under 10 years old.
Oct. 13 & 27
Nov. 10 & 24
Dec. 8 & 22
Wondery Art Adventures
Come to the Main Library and stretch those creativity muscles at this program for children 3-5, with an accompanying adult, that introduces fine art concepts like color, shapes, and composition. Kiddos will use various mediums to help develop fine motor skills and patience. All materials will be provided. Pre-registration is required and begins two weeks prior to the program date.
Oct. 15 @ 11 a.m.
Nov. 19 @ 11 a.m.
Sensory Storytime
Join us at the Dr. James Carlson Library at 10 a.m. for an inclusive, sensory-friendly storytime presented by Anne Carlson Early Intervention designed specifically for young children who benefit from a gentle, supportive environment. We'll explore stories, songs, and movement activities using visuals, repetition, and hands-on sensory elements. Families can expect a calm, flexible space where children are free to move, make noise, and participate in the ways that feel comfortable for them. Sensory storytime is appropriate for ages 0 to 5 (siblings welcome).
Oct. 22: Woodland Animals
Read to Comet
Comet the mini-horse is returning to the Dr. James Carlson Library to lend a listening ear! Kids in Kindergarten through 6th grade are invited to sharpen their reading skills by reading to Comet in a 15-minute session. Reading times begin at 10:30 a.m. and last through 11:30 a.m. Bring your own books to read or choose from a selection of library books. Call the Children’s Services desk at 701.241.1495 to register, beginning two weeks in advance of the program.
Nov. 7
Library Program Evaluation
Attended one of our programs? Tell us about your experience! This is a post-program survey to help us bring more events to our patrons. Your feedback means a great deal to us; thank you for your time in filling out this form.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Children's Services Department. We'll be happy to help!