Summer Library Program:
June 5 through July 29, 2023!
Join us for another fun summer full of performers, crafts, scavenger hunts, special programming, and, of course, reading! Pre-registration for our Summer Library Program will be available beginning in mid-May. However, reading logged before June 5th does not count. You can register by calling or emailing the youth desk or through Beanstack.
Who can sign up for the Youth Summer Library Program? Children ages birth through 6th grade. If you are going into 7th grade, you can participate in our Teen Summer Library Program. There is also an Adult Summer Program available for anyone over the age of 18.
How does it work? We challenge you to read 15-20 minutes a day. Log the days you read on Beanstack or on our paper log. For every 15 days you read, you earn one free book. You can log your minutes either through our paper >Summer Reading Log 2023 or virtually through Beanstack. Also, you can complete activities to earn virtual badges.
What events/programs will there be this summer? Here is our >Youth Summer Calendar and here are our >Youth Summer Programs at a Glance. Also, keep scrolling to find more information about our performers and programs.
How does Beanstack work?
First, you need to create a Beanstack account. Parents can also create accounts for their children. Beanstack will automatically direct you to the appropriate challenges for which you can register based on your age. There are challenges for kids, teens, and adults. If you wish to be contacted about prizes and drawings, please include an email address as part of your Beanstack profile. The Beanstack app is available for iOS and Android. If you experience technical problems with the app, please contact Beanstack at usersupport@zoobean.com.
Getting Started
- Go to cedarfalls.beanstack.org
- Click on the blue “Register an Individual or Family” button.
- Fill in the information! If you are a parent registering a child, be sure to enter
your information in under “Adult Information.” Beanstack allows families to
be linked together, so that all family members can be accessed with one login. - Once you are registered, you will be taken to your account page. This is where
you will log your minutes and activities and track the badges you earn!
How to log days/activities
- Go to cedarfalls.beanstack.org or download the Beanstack Tracker app for Android
and iPhone! - Click on the blue “Log Reading and Activities” button in the upper left
corner or on the blue plus sign in the app. - Follow the prompts on the screen to log whatever you’ve accomplished.
- When you hit a reading landmark, you will receive a badge and may be
eligible for a prize!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAAg_SqiRe0]
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Performers
Ocean Odyssey Outreach Program | Thursday, June 15th | 9:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. | Community Center
The Mississippi River traveling touch tank brings live ocean animals to you! Break down common misconceptions surrounding sharks and rays, as we highlight the unique adaptations these animals have to survive. The program will also allow participants to explore the important roles sharks and rays play in the ecosystem, learn how the actions of people in the landlocked Tri-State area impact sharks and rays that live thousands of miles away, and discover how people can help protect them. Afterward, participants may get their hands wet and touch some of these animals. For ages 0-109--Everyone is welcome!
MUSH! with Noggin, the Sled Dog (and her human) | Saturday, June 17th | 2:00 p.m. | Meeting Room
Have you ever wondered…
What does it feel like to ride the runners behind a team of dogs, steering a loaded sled
through mountainous terrain, crossing the vast Alaskan tundra, hugging the shoreline of the
great Bering Sea? What does it take to care for a team of Alaskan huskies? Could my dog be a
sled dog, too?
Musher, Karen Land, will answer these questions and more when she and Noggin, the
Alaskan husky, visit (your library name, date, time). Land is a writer, public speaker, and three-time participant in the 1000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race as well as many other sprint and endurance races in Alaska, Canada, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Maine. Since 2000, Land has traveled to nearly every state with
her Iditarod dog sled, mushing gear, Arctic clothing, and beloved dogs, giving over a thousand
school and public library presentations. For ages 0-109, Everyone is welcome!
“Tethered to my string of dogs, trusty leaders find the trail, together we are free…”
—from “Into the Northern Lights,” lyrics by Karen Land
Mikayla Oz | Thursday, June 22nd | 10:00 a.m. , 1:30 p.m. , and 3:30 p.m.| Meeting Room
Mikayla Oz is back this year for another performance! Direct from the Cornfields of Iowa comes a rising star in magic, Mikayla Oz! Mikayla doesn’t do your grandfather's old tricks, instead, she combines amazing magic with her engaging personality to make for an unforgettable show. During the show, you might see things appear, vanish, teleport, and even float! In addition to performing magic, Mikayla also teaches children around the country how to be magicians with her program called The Magician School. Mikayla has recently been featured on the Travel Channel's Magic Caught on Camera Show and Penn & Tellers: Try This at Home TV Special. Come be a part of the show and watch some amazing magic at the Cedar Falls Public Library!
Writing a Story Song with Chad Wilderman | Thursday, July 6th | 10:00 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. | Meeting Room
Participants in this workshop learn hands-on about writing a song. Wilderman's author and International award-winning songwriter Chad Elliott begins the workshop with a mini-concert. Participants talk through the songwriting process with Chad. Then, they get a chance help Chad write a song. Sometimes the songs are pretty wild! This workshop is full of imagination and engagement through music and words. For ages 5-12.
From the Journal to the Stage workshop with Chad Wilderman | Thursday, July 6th | 2:00 p.m. | Meeting Room
This workshop is a backstage pass into the world of songwriting. Many teenagers play instruments or write poetry, but have a hard time transferring those skills into songwriting. In this workshop, international award-winning songwriter Chad Elliott will demystify the art of songwriting and performance using techniques and examples to break down walls and gain confidence. The participants will also learn the basics of song structure. At the end of the session, the participants will contribute to a “class song” and bring that song to life in a mini-concert. For 10+
Create Your Own M.E.S.S. with Will Stuck | Thursday, July 20th | 10:00 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. | Meeting Room.
A unique and one-of-a-kind performance! This show will have everyone sharing their voices and working together to help Will create his usual high-energy and hilarious M.E.S.S. (Music, Education, Stories and Science) experience.
Imaginarium: Mad Mix! | Thursday, July 27th | 10:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. | Meeting Room
Description to come.
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Weekly Crafts in the Youth Department
Week 1:
Week 2:
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Scavenger Hunts
Library Scavenger Hunt | June- July| Youth Department
Find 20 friends hidden throughout the youth department to earn a prize!
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Programs
Summer Storytimes
June 2–July 29, 10:30 a.m
Mondays: Sprout/ Baby Storytime (0–23 months)
Tuesdays: Sapling/ Preschool Storytime (3–5 year-olds)
Wednesdays: Seedling/ Toddler Storytime (2–3 year-olds)
Fridays: Music and Movement (2-5 year-olds)
Saturdays: Sapling/Preschool Storytime (3–5 year-olds)
This summer, we will have one special guest for storytime: On Friday, July 28th, Music Together will be leading our Music & Movement Storytime.
Music and Movement Storytime in the Park | 1st & 3rd Fridays during June and July | 10:30 a.m. | Various City Parks
Geared toward toddlers and preschoolers. Get ready to dance and be silly! We'll read books that encourage movement, sing songs, and shake our sillies out!
- 6/2: Overman Park
- 6/16: Washington Park
- 7/7: Gateway Park
- 7/21: Pfeiffer Park;
Elementary-aged programming
Creation Stations: Find Your Voice Through Art & Writing | June 21st | 3:00 p.m.
Drop in and explore a variety of creative mediums to discover new and interesting ways to express yourself.
Let your imagination take the wheel with Kid Flicks One. Whether dreaming up the fantastical, like a cat the size of a house, or the practical, like finding a beloved teacher a summer romance, these shorts are sure to surprise and delight. (Runtime: 49 min. | Recommended Ages: 5 to 10)
Kid Flicks Two is full of journeys big and small, from a young artist’s river-bound trek to school and a passerby’s neighborhood stroll to the search for a loving home and or the path to understanding between friends. (Runtime: 68 min., Recommended Ages 8-13)
Little Engineers | Tuesday, July 11th | 2:00 p.m.| Youth Department
Come to the library to build, create, and have fun. The library provides the materials (LEGOs®, Picasso Tiles, Wooden Blocks, etc.), and you provide the know-how! Ages 5-12
Talent Show | July 13th | 3:30 p.m. | Youth Department
First 45 min: Ages 0-12
Second 45 min: Ages 13-18
More info to come.
Zine Program | July 19th | 3:00 p.m. | Youth Department
More info to come.
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Please note: According to our safe child policy, all children under 11-years-old must be accompanied by and be within sight of a responsible adult caregiver at all times while in the library.
Funding for the summer library program is provided by the Cedar Falls Community Foundation, Robert & Shirley Berg Fund for use by the Library.
Questions? Email: youth@cedarfallslibrary.org or call the youth desk at 319-859-3282.
