Make the Most of Spring Break at the Des Moines Public Library

Spring break is almost here! Get the kids out of the house and have fun at the library with fun and engaging programs for all ages. Below we have rounded up some of the highlights of the events happening at all Des Moines Public Library (DMPL) locations. Some programs do require registration due to limited space and materials.

Central Library

Birdfeeder Craft

• Monday, March 11 | 4 – 5 p.m.
• Celebrate the return of spring by making your very own birdfeeder.

Game On! Mario Kart Tournament

• Tuesday, March 12 | 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
• Tweens and Teens are invited to enjoy some snacks and challenge friends to a race. Make a button with your favorite Mario Kart character, and we'll see how they rank at the end.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the Foy Irish Dancers

• Saturday, March 16 | 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
• Stop by the Central Library after the Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade for some hot chocolate and a performance from the Foy School of Traditional Irish Dance. Note: Performance will begin at the conclusion of the parade, so the scheduled time may vary depending on length of parade.

East Side Library

STEAM Cart Challenge Rosie Robotics

• Monday, March 11 | 2 – 3 p.m.
• Help create a Rosie Robot that wiggles and moves using parts from our STEAM cart! We will use our Rosie Robots to complete different challenges around the library. Note: Registration required.

Design Your Own Pencil Pouch

• Tuesday, March 12 | 3 – 4 p.m.
• Express yourself by creating a new pencil pouch to end the school year with! Note: Registration required.

Drop-In: Obstacle Course

• Wednesday, March 13 | 1 – 7:30 p.m.
• Drop into the East Side Library Children's Area and try out our fun obstacle course. Travel around the library by hopping like a frog, walking like a monkey, waddling like a duck and lots more!

Teen Tiny Art

• Thursday, March 14 | 5 – 7 p.m.
• Create a small-scale art piece! Teens will be provided with a small canvas and materials to create an original piece of artwork. Note: Registration required.

Crystal Wire-Wrapped Necklaces

• Friday, March 15 | 2 – 3 p.m.
• Learn about different crystals, how they are used and create a wire-wrapped crystal necklace for yourself to take home! Note: Registration required.

Forest Avenue Library

Movie Watch Party: Barbie

• Monday, March 11 | 4 – 6 p.m.
• Eat popcorn and do a craft while watching the new Barbie (2023) movie.

Pajama Storytime

• Thursday, March 14 | 6 – 7 p.m.
• Get your coziest pajamas ready and bring your favorite stuffie to Pajama StoryTime! We will read books about bedtime, sing songs, dance our sillies out, drink hot chocolate and make a snuggly pillow from an old t-shirt.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Party

• Friday, March 15 | 2 – 3 p.m.
• Cowabunga Dude! Enjoy a showing of the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem while we make green slime and eat a pizza themed snack.

Franklin Avenue Library

LEGO Boat Race Challenge

• Wednesday, March 13 | 3 – 4 p.m.
• Anchors Away and Batten down the hatches! We are hosting a LEGO boat challenge for ages 6 to 12 in the meeting room. Note: Registration required.

Pokémon Bingo

• Thursday, March 14 | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
• Join us for another round of everyone's favorite game, BINGO! This time your BINGO card will be filled with Pokémon! Can you catch them all in a row to win a prize? Whether you are an expert level trainer or a Pokémon novice, this game will be fun for the whole family.

Family STEM Challenge: Build a Bridge

• Saturday, March 16 | 10 a.m. – Noon
• Bring the whole family to the library, and work as a team to see if you can make a bridge out of paper!

North Side Library

Furry Tales

• Monday, March 11 | 4 – 5 p.m.
• Visit the North Side Library and read to a furry friend from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa's TheraPets program!

Drop-In Crafternoon: Egg Carton Flowers

• Wednesday, March 13 | 2 – 7 p.m.
• Drop-in to the North Side Library to paint egg cartons and turn them into flowers!

South Side Library

Giant Board Games

• Tuesday, March 12 | 3:30 – 5 p.m.
• Celebrate Spring Break with giant board games and delicious snacks at South Side Library!

Nano Tape Air Squishies

• Thursday, March 14 | 3:30 – 5 p.m.
• Discover how to make adorable air squishies using nano tape! Design a squishy, then learn how to inflate it for an awesome squishy creation as unique as you!

Take the Library Home With You

Keep having fun at home and around the city with additional library resources:

Iowa Adventure Pass

Use your library card to check out an Iowa Adventure Pass to the Blank Park Zoo, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden and the Science Center of Iowa. When you reserve an Adventure Pass with your library card, you book yourself and your family and friends a full day of fun. Each pass allows entrance for up to two adults and two children.

Launchpads

Launchpads are durable tablets made for kids now available to check out from DMPL. Preloaded with educational content, they will keep your kids busy and learning for hours, and they don’t need to be connected to Wi-Fi. Each of our 30+ Launchpads has a different theme or learning objective from reading comprehension to nature, space and more.

Board Games

The library now has 50+ board games including classics like Codenames, Settlers of Catan and 7 Wonders, as well as great two-player games, including Hive and Japiur. This board game collection is great for get-togethers and game nights, and we even have a family-friendly section on our catalog for younger kids.

Library of Things

Our Library of Things has lots of fun for the whole family from kitchen tools to lawn games and more! Some of those outdoor games are even safe to use in a big space inside!

Kanopy Kids

Make extra screen time extra educational with Kanopy Kids, a video streaming service that’s free with your DMPL card. Kanopy Kids includes hundreds of movies, TV shows and read along books you’re your kids will love. The app is appropriate for children ages two and up, with an emphasis on programming for ages 2 – 8.

The Greater Des Moines Partnership calendar of events is a one-stop resource for activities taking place throughout the region. Find networking information for Greater Des Moines (DSM) businesses, including Chamber luncheons, roundtables and ribbon cuttings. You can also find live music happening each week thanks to the “Live Music This Week in DSM” blog series.