Programs and Services for Children and Youth
We are committed to helping our community grow readers. See below for our offerings to support the reading and learning journey.
To find youth events, visit our calendar of events page.
Click here to see teen materials recently added to our collection. Click here to see children’s materials recently added to our collection.
Early Literacy Story Times
Our library offers story time on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. for four sessions each year. We also offer virtual stories year round through our Facebook and YouTube. Story Time includes rhymes, songs, baby bounces, musical instruments, puppets, movement, and, of course, stories! Families are encouraged to stay after story time for social play and hands-on activities. Our fall 2022 session for story time will run from September 21 – November 30.
In addition to story time, we encourage families to sign up for our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program which provides encouragement for reading aloud at home to create both loving and learning bonds with your child. It also helps build your child’s home library because they earn free books along the journey. You can do the program with paper logs by stopping by the library and picking up our 1KBK packet.
You can also participate in the program electronically through Beanstack.
Seasonal Learning Quests and Reading Challenges
Making connections is an important part of developing curiosity and deepening the learning experience. To help encourage this we provide seasonal learning quests 4 times each year. In the summer we offer multiple quests where children can earn book bucks to “buy” books at the end of the summer.
Our 2023 Winter Learning Quest will be an exploration of snow and symmetry.
This learning quest can be completed with a paper log OR with Beanstack. Activity bags will be available beginning in January 2023 for the quest.
We also create other reading challenges for all ages throughout the year. Visit our library Beanstack site antigopl.beanstack.org or download the app for more information about the challenges currently available.
Hands-On Learning Activities
The library has hands-on activities available during all open hours. These activities include arts and crafts, building blocks, puzzles, games and educational computers.
Most of the activities stay out in the public area, but we do have some floor puzzles, KEVA Planks and assorted games that stay in the youth services office and are available upon request.
We also offer scavenger hunts throughout the year that are available during all open hours during a given month.
For fun and learning at home, we offer Take and Make art and science activities.
Story Walks
Story Walks are picture books that are taken apart and displayed on signs along a trail allowing for reading, movement and enjoyment of nature.
We have two story walks on the Spring Brook Trail. The first begins at Hudson Street and continues to the Butterfly Garden. The second walk is along the chain link fence near the fairground and begins at the North Avenue entrance. These walks are changed seasonally.
The library provides activities that connect to these walks through our Seasonal Learning Quests as a way to extend the learning at home.
Tail Waggin’ Tutors
We are excited to welcome Jack and his human partner Dodi to our library program offerings. Tail Waggin’ Tutors is Therapy Dog International’s reading program. They have a volunteer group organized to provide qualified handlers and their Therapy dogs for visitation in a variety of facilities and settings. Libraries and schools schedule times for readers to practice reading aloud to therapy dogs.
Children ages 6 and older can sign up for a 20-minute time slot to read to Jack. These sessions will be held in one of the small conference rooms. It you would like to sign your child up to read, call the library or ask at the front desk when you are in the library. There is a consent form you must sign before your child reads with Jack for the first times.
Upcoming dates are listed on our calendar.
Reading Challenges for Tweens and Teens
Antigo Public Library subscribes to Beanstack which allows us to create reading challenges for all ages. Here are the current challenges for ages 10 and older. To register for these challenges download the Beanstack App on your mobile device or visit antigopl.beanstack.org.
Read Down Your Fines
If you are under 18 you can read down your library fines!
Every 15 minutes you read inside the library within sight of the desk you will read $1.00 off your library find.
Ask at the front desk for details BEFORE you start!
617 Clermont St.
Antigo, WI 54409
Phone: 715-623-3724
Fax: 715-627-2317