Welcome to the Youth Services Department
Welcome to the youth area of the Matheson Memorial Library. We offer a wide variety of materials for circulation, a community space for families to gather, and programming for all ages.
What can you do in the library?
Browse and check out books, audiovisual materials, toys, maker kits, and STEAM labs. Many of our games and hands-on activities are now available for circulation.
Sign up for summer reading June 1st and pick up take home activities and stickers every week.
Attend in-person programs in June – registration is required and opens May 15th. Registration for Family Storytime with Pattie Woods will be on a weekly basis, starting June 7th.
What can you do outside the library?
Visit the library garden; stop by to play, have a picnic, and enjoy the sunshine or register for one of our outdoor programs in the garden or at Tasch Park.
What can you do virtually or at home?
How can you support the youth services department?
If you shop on Amazon, you can contribute to the library by selecting Friends of Matheson Memorial Library Corp and shopping through smile.amazon.com
If you would like to contribute directly, you can shop our wishlists for crafts and supplies and for books.
Jennifer Wharton, Youth Services Librarian, jwharton@elkhorn.lib.wi.us
Reading Colors Your World
A monthly collection of the best writing and art of Elkhorn students from preschool to middle school. Available to the public in the library each month, located above the early readers.
Submission guidelines
Who can submit?
– Kids in preschool through middle school.
What can they submit?
– Art, including photographs, and writing, both fiction and nonfiction. All submissions should fit
on an 8×11 sheet of paper and be no more than 10 pages long.
How do you choose what is included?
– Library staff will review submissions for quality, appropriate content, and space.
Don’t forget to proofread, edit, and turn in your best work!
We cannot return your submissions, so make sure you submit a photo of your art or a copy of your writing.
Bookaneers
Thursday, October 7, November 4, & December 2 at 4:30pm in the Story Room
Arr mateys, here be a treasure trove of books! If you are in first, second, or third grade you are invited to join Bookaneers; Whether you can read alone or need a little help, this club is for you. Join us for crafts, talking about our favorite books, and picking out exciting new books to read for the next month.
Aquanauts
Tuesday, October 5, November 2, & November 30 at 5:30pm in the Story Room
You’ve started your journey with the Bookaneers, now dive deeper with the Aquanauts! Kids ages 9-12 are invited to a book club full of hands-on activities, discussion, and diving into chapter books of all genres, from fantasy to nonfiction.
Read and Grow & Reading Explorer will be
coming back in the Fall of 2021!
Paws to Read
Mondays at 4:15pm in the Story Room
Join some special furry friends and volunteers from the Lakeland Animal Shelter and take a Paws to Read some stories. All ages are welcome to interact and play, listen to stories, and read to the animals. Live animals will be present and confined to the Storyroom. This program is sponsored by the Lakeland Animal Shelter.
Pokemon Club
Tuesday, Sep 14, Oct 12, Nov 9, & Dec 14 from 4-5pm in the Community Room
Are you a fan of Pokemon? Bring your friends for an hour of crafts, cards, and movies in the Community Room. We’ll spend the first half playing and crafting and then watch some classic Pokemon shows for the second half. Kids are welcome to bring their own cards to play or share, but staff cannot supervise trading.
Family Storytime with Ms. Pattie
Wednesdays at 10am Sep. 22, 29, October 6, 13, 27, November 3, 10, December 1, 8, 15 in the Story Room
Join Pattie Woods from the EASD, library staff, and occasional special guests for weekly storytime. We’ll have half an hour of stories, songs and movement, followed by an activity.
Winter Wigglers
Wednesday, October 20 and Wednesday, November 17 at 10am in the Story Room
No 4k today? Keep your mind – and your muscles – jumping! Join Ms. Terri in getting your winter wiggles out with movement, interactive stories, and more. Families with children of all ages are invited to this active storytime.
Lapsit
Thursdays at 10am, Sep. 23, 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28, Nov 4, 11, 18, Dec 2, 9, 16 in the Story Room
Join Pattie Woods from the EASD and library staff for half an hour of stories, songs, and discoveries followed by open playtime.
Wisconsin Science Fest
A Garden To Save The Birds
Thursday, October 21st at 4pm
Do you love birds? Learn how we can help the birds in our gardens and homes. Explore the library garden, listen to a story, and try out hands-on activities that will help the birds in your backyard this winter and into the spring.
Food Science with Chetney Dudzik
Friday October 22, 10am in the Community room
Have you ever wondered how a microwave heats food or what causes bread to rise? In this class at Matheson Memorial Library, kids and their grownups will team up to discover the mystery behind the foods we eat. Learn about emulsions by making butter and microwaving popcorn.Co-sponsored by EASD Parent Connections.
STEM Building Challenge
Friday, October 22, 3-4:30pm in the Community Room
What will you build? Drop by the library with your friends and family and see what you can create with cardboard, duct tape, recyclables, and imagination!
An evening with the stars
Friday, October 22, 5:30-7:30pm
What can you see in the night sky? Join GLAS at the Matheson Memorial Library for an evening of stargazing and planet spotting. Please note this event will be held in the community room and parking lot of the library; The library itself closes at 6pm.
Meet an insect ambassador
Saturday, October 23, 10:30-11:30 in the Community Room
Explore the science of bugs with an insect ambassador from UW-Madison. You’ll learn about what insects do in the winter, see specimens of local bugs and insects from far away, and maybe even get to meet some real, live insects!
Monstrous Mess
Friday, October 29, at 10-11am and 2-3pm
It’s slime time! No school? Head to the library for fun with slime, goo, and all things monstrously messy. Ingredients will include glue, borax, liquid starch, and art materials. Food grade plastic gloves provided.
Resources for home learning and educational activities
For free ebooks, audiobooks, and streaming video, visit Hoopla, Kanopy, and Overdrive.
Looking for Books
Pinterest
Novelist
Caregivers Collection: Books to help in tough times
Activity Calendars
Early Literacy Activity Calendar (May/ June 2021)
STEAM Activity Calendar (May/ June 2021)
Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math projects for kids to do at home, school, or the library. Click here to access the calendar!!
Reading levels
Lexile Lists Browse
Browse Early Readers by Level
