Programs, Events, Book Recommendations, Reading Challenges and Learning Activities for Kids

# Reading, Learning, and Fun

Jacksonville Public Library has everything kids* and their families need to make learning fun: from storytimes filled with music and movement to interactive programs featuring Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (S.T.E.A.M.) concepts and other high-interest topics.

Early Literacy & Learning (birth - 5)

Want your children to enjoy reading and have all the tools they need to start school? Little Readers Storytime is the toolbox! We start with a story they'll love then add music, movement, and other fun to make it all stick. Have children with sensory sensitivities? Try Sensory Friendly Storytime.

School Age Children (ages 5-12)

Is your child into Science, Technology, Engineering or Math? Your little Einsteins (ages 5-8) can explore S.T.E.M.-based books and hands-on activities with our Junior Scientists or become the next Picasso with Junior Artists. Or, you can bring the whole family for Turn Up for Tech (ages 5+) where you'll see everything robots to circuits and animation to coding.

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*Looking for programs and services for youth, ages 12-18? Check out our Teens page.

24/7 Access to Educational Materials

With their library card, kids have access to educational games, databases, and homework help resources online, anytime! Tumblebooks has e-books that are just for kids (grades K-6)!

Or find tons of kid-friendly and age-appropriate content like e-books, movies, music and TV shows on popular Digital Library apps like Libby, Hoopla and Kanopy. Many even offer a "Kids Mode" or other content filters or parental controls for worry-free browsing.

Explore the digital library Find educational games

Upcoming Events and Programs

#Find More Books for Kids

NoveList K-8 is a fun and interactive way for kids and teens to uncover their next great read. It can also help parents, teachers, and librarians improve literacy, connect reading across curricular areas, teach reading and writing concepts, and engage young readers. If the library is closed or your favorite library staffer is busy, you can still get book recs from NoveList K-8! It’s available 24/7 on your library’s website, and because it’s connected to the catalog you can place holds right away.

Try Novelist K-8

The contents of a Traveling Tales art kit — Place a hold on the library’s website and pick it up at your branch.

Take Home Book Bundles and Themed Activity Kits

Make family time learning time when you bring the library home!

Traveling Tales Book bundles and activity kits Traveling Tales are a collection of convenient book bundles and themed activity kits for parents of preschoolers, ages two to five, that you can take home! It's a library storytime, any time you want it!

To get a Traveling Tales Kit, you'll first need to pick a theme and place a hold. Materials for each theme are contained in a sturdy bag and can be picked up (and returned) at any library location.

Choose a theme

Let's Get Duval Reading!

Mayor Deegan's River City Readers: Read 20 minutes per day. Join the Challenge. Mayor Deegan’s River City Readers is a citywide literacy challenge for students of all ages. Participants are asked to read 20 minutes a day and to log their reading in Beanstack, a reading challenge app. Readers are rewarded with digital badges for logging multiple days in a row and for completing other reading-related activities. At the end of the year, the city’s top young readers are given prizes! Click below to learn more:

Download Beanstack

#A Literacy Challenge On Wheels

River City Readers Bookmobile with customers waiting in line

As Mayor Donna Deegan’s River City Readers citywide, all-ages literacy challenge continues into its second year (and beyond), Mayor Deegan, Kids Hope Alliance, Jacksonville Public Library and literacy advocates from across the Duval County are driving this message of literacy and a love of reading into every neighborhood in Duval County.

Look for the new River City Readers Bookmobile at library and community events near you for book giveaways, literacy resources, and more. Sign up for a library card on the Bookmobile and let the librarians help you choose the perfect book!

Learn more about the Bookmobile