Your Story Starts Early
Features & Highlights
What's Going on at cfpl for YOUTH
During storytime, we read fun stories, utilize fingerplays, rhyme, and sing songs that will help your child begin the journey of being a lifelong reader as well as develop pre-literacy skills. Pre-literacy skills are the things children know about reading and words before they can read, such as letter shapes and sounds. Scholastic explains it well in this article. We also have crafts!
Are you an educator looking for resources? Look no further than our Youth Services for Educators page.
Iowa Chamber Music Concert & Instrument Petting Zoo
Sunday, May 5th at 3:00 p.m. at the Community Center
Have you ever wanted to learn how to play a stringed instrument? Join us at the Community Center for a Chamber Music Concert followed by an instrument petting zoo and a Q&A
Summer Reading Program
Monday, June 3 to Saturday, August 3rd
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 3rd 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 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 2024 or virtually through Beanstack. Also, you can complete activities to earn virtual badges.
Learn more here!
Book Bundles
Don’t know what to read next? We’ve got you covered.
Step One
FILL OUR OUR “BOOK BUNDLE REQUEST” FORM BELOW.
Step Two
We’ll let you know when your curated selection of books is ready to pick up.
Step Three
Enjoy a selection of books chosen with you in mind.
Upcoming Programs & Events
Youth Department
Calendar of Events
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Sapling Storytime
Sapling Storytime
Youth Department. Join us for Preschool Storytime as we read, sing, dance, and play. Parents are encouraged to embrace their inner child and dance and sing along with their child/ren. […]
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Seedling Storytime
Seedling Storytime
Youth Department. Join us for Toddler Storytime as we read, sing, dance, rhyme, and get silly. Storytime is a great way to introduce your toddler to the joy of reading […]
Seedling Storytime for Toddlers
Seedling Storytime for Toddlers
Youth Department. Join us for Toddler Storytime as we read, sing, dance, rhyme, and get silly. Storytime is a great way to introduce your toddler to the joy of reading […]
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Music & Movement Storytime with Kindermusik!
Music & Movement Storytime with Kindermusik!
Youth Department.Geared toward toddlers and preschoolers. Join us as a special guest Michelle from Little Light Studio leads a Kindermusik-themed Music & Movement! Get ready to dance and be silly! […]
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Iowa Chamber Music Concert & Instrument Petting Zoo
Iowa Chamber Music Concert & Instrument Petting Zoo
Community Center. Have you ever wanted to learn how to play a stringed instrument? Join us at the Community Center for a Chamber Music Concert followed by an instrument petting […]
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1 event,
Reading Pals
Reading Pals
Reading Pals is a program that allows primary-grade students (grades 1st-3rd grade) the opportunity to develop reading fluency by practicing reading to a dog from the Cedar Valley Pet Pals […]
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Chess Club
Chess Club
Meeting Room.Checkmate boredom and join the Cedar Fall Public Library for Chess Club! Open to all ages, but a firm grasp of chess is expected from all players as there […]
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5th/6th Grade Book Club
5th/6th Grade Book Club
Youth DepartmentFifth and sixth graders are invited to join us for a discussion and activity on this month’s book, The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. To register and arrange […]
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3rd/4th Grade Book Club
3rd/4th Grade Book Club
Youth DepartmentJoin our book discussion! We’ll go through some questions and have an activity based on this month’s book, Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka. Please register by calling the Youth Desk at 319-859-3282 or dropping […]
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Reading Pals
Reading Pals is a program that allows primary-grade students (grades 1st-3rd grade) the opportunity to develop reading fluency by practicing reading to a dog from the Cedar Valley Pet Pals […]
Chess Club
Meeting Room.Checkmate boredom and join the Cedar Fall Public Library for Chess Club! Open to all ages, but a firm grasp of chess is expected from all players as there […]
5th/6th Grade Book Club
Youth DepartmentFifth and sixth graders are invited to join us for a discussion and activity on this month’s book, The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. To register and arrange […]
3rd/4th Grade Book Club
Youth DepartmentJoin our book discussion! We’ll go through some questions and have an activity based on this month’s book, Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka. Please register by calling the Youth Desk at 319-859-3282 or dropping […]
Storytime with K9 Mary and Deputy Karla
Youth Department. Join us for a special storytime with K9 Mary and her partner Deputy Karla. We'll read books, sing songs, and learn about different jobs dogs can do. For […]
Fan Works for Fable! begins
We'd love to see your fan works of Fable! Send us your artwork and stories of our new mascot, Fable the Fox. We'll feature them on our website and social […]
Summer Reading Begins
Funded by the Cedar Falls Community Foundation: Robert and Shirley Berg Fund for use by the Library.
Sprout Storytime for Babies
Youth Department. Join us for baby storytime as we sing, read, bounce, and rhyme! It's a great time to cuddle your baby close and have fun while introducing them to […]
Sapling Storytime for Preschoolers
Youth Department. Join us for Preschool Storytime as we read, sing, dance, and play. Parents are encouraged to embrace their inner child and dance and sing along with their child/ren. […]
Seedling Storytime for Toddlers
Youth Department. Join us for Toddler Storytime as we read, sing, dance, rhyme, and get silly. Storytime is a great way to introduce your toddler to the joy of reading […]
Animals! with Dr. Bechdel
Meeting Room. Crikey!! Animals!? Get exotic with us and Dr. Bechtel (Bec) as we travel deep into the Amazonian region! Bec will share with us some Peruvian artifacts from the indigenous Maijuna […]
Animals! with Dr. Bechdel
Meeting Room. Crikey!! Animals!? Get exotic with us and Dr. Bechtel (Bec) as we travel deep into the Amazonian region! Bec will share with us some Peruvian artifacts from the indigenous Maijuna […]
Resources for Parents
Youth Department
Tumblebooks
TumbleBooks are animated, talking picture books which teach kids the joy of reading in a format they'll love.
Resources for Parents/Guardians
A list of educational and library-related resources for parents and gaurdians.
Adventure Pass
Have you heard of our Adventure Pass system? Check out passes to fun places, such as the Blank Park Zoo, The Science Center of Iowa, and the Grout Museum District.
Big Woods Lake StoryWalk®
Spend time with family/friends, enjoy nature, and read the more recent storybook installation.
Spooky Story Contest Winners
Check out the annual spooky story contest winners along with links to their stories!
Youth Book Recommendations
A list of CFPL librarian-curated youth book recommendations.
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
This program is part of a national literacy initiative to encourage parents and caregivers to read often to their children before they begin school.
Kids Links
Fun, educational links for kids to enjoy!
Kids' Homework Help
Recommended websites and databases for homework help!
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, quality books to children from birth until age five.
The Importance of Early Childhood Literacy
A collection of stats in keys areas in child literacy to help prepare you to make a difference in the lives of your children.