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
Battle of the Books Tournament (All About Animals Edition)
March Madness isn’t the only battle going on this spring! Join us for our annual Battle of the Books. Stop by the Main Library every two weeks beginning March 2 and vote to make sure that your favorite advances to the next round. You can also cast your vote online. For more information about the Battle of the Books, contact Children’s Services at 701.241.1495.
March 2 – March 14: Round 1 voting
March 16 – March 28: Round 2 voting
March 30 – April 11: Round 3 voting
April 13 – April 25: Round 4 voting
Winner announced Monday, April 27
Crafternoons
This Fall, Crafternoons has a new schedule! 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 to get their craft on! Crafts will be available the 2nd and 4th weeks of the month between 3 and 4:30 p.m. Note that the same weekly project will be done at both locations. No pre-registration is required.
April 13 & 14: Plastic Spoon Tulips
April 27 & 28: Butterfly Puppets
Libraries Dance!
F-M Ballet and Gasper's School of Dance will be at the Main Library at 6:30 p.m. for movement and fun! Kids ages 3 and up are invited to join us for an interactive storytime and brief dance lesson followed by snacks, so wear clothes/costumes you can move in! No pre-registration is required.
April 15: Snow White Preview
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.
April 16 @ 10 a.m.
May 7 & 21 @ 10 a.m.
Wondery Art and Adventure
Step into a world of creativity and exploration at the library! Kids ages 3-5 (with an accompanying adult) are invited to join us each month at the Main Library to explore fine art concepts like color, shapes and composition through hands-on activities. Pre-registration is required and opens two weeks in advance of each session.
April 16 @ 11 a.m. - Grassy Gremlins
Science Saturday
Students from NDSU's Physics Dept. are teaming up with the FM Science Museum at the Main Library for Science Saturday on April 18! This open house pop-up science event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Through a variety of demonstrations and hands-on activities, kids can experience soapy science, liquid nitrogen, magic magnets and so much more! This program is open to all ages. No pre-registration is required.
Mind Mysteries LIVE
School-age kids in grades 1-6 can join Dr. Ben Balas from NDSU Psychology. We'll have all-new experiments to learn how kids' brains understand what they see. Join us to make your mark for science!
Dr. James Carlson Library, 10 a.m. to noon
April 18
May 16
Main Library, 10 a.m. to noon
May 2
Earth Day Crafts
Celebrate Earth Day at the Dr. James Carlson Library on April 22 at 5:30 p.m. with sustainability crafts! Make a beeswax food wrap to pack your lunches with or a pine-cone bird feeder to hang outside. All ages are invited to this event. No pre-registration is required.
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).
April 23
May 28
Family Reading Rumpus
Let the rumpus begin! Designed for families to enjoy together, these interactive events invite children and parents to dive into the world of books through storytelling and hands-on activities at the Main Library at 6 p.m. Create lasting memories and bond over stories - all before bedtime! Storytime/activities are geared towards ages 2-6, but children of all ages are welcome to attend. No pre-registration is required.
April 28: Rainy Days
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.
May 2 @ 10 a.m.
Paws for Reading
Reading therapy pets from Pet Partners of the Red River Valley are available for one last time this season on May 9 to listen to children practice their reading in a relaxed, informal setting. Kids in Kindergarten to 6th grade are invited to register for a 15-minute session with one of our non-judgmental listeners. Sessions begin at 10 a.m. at the Main Library. 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.
May 9
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.
May 14 @ 10 a.m.
Dial-A-Story
If you’ve ever wished you could listen to a story, a poem, or even a joke at any time, day or night, now you can! Call the Library’s Dial-A-Story phone line at 701.298.6927 anytime and choose the children’s option; new recordings are available every Monday. Selections are recorded by Children’s Library staff and are up to 5 minutes in length. Dial-A-Story recordings can be accessed by any phone.
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!