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Wichita Public Library Spring Break Activities for Kids and Teens

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Are you looking for affordable things to do over Spring Break in Wichita? Once again, the Wichita Public Library provides plenty of fun and FREE spring break activities for kids in Wichita. This list includes events for both kids and teens.

All of these events are totally FREE, but some do require advance registration, so please use the library events calendar to register for those.

Check out the Evolve Summer Guide, which includes the combined activities guide from Wichita Park and Recreation, Wichita Public Library, and CityArts! 

Remember also that the library has an extensive collection of movies you can check out for free! This is a great option if we have a rainy day during spring break. 

Spring Break at Wichita Public Libraries

Wichita Public Library Spring Break Activities for Kids and Teens:

Some of these events require pre-registration. Please double-check so you don’t miss out!

Monday, March 11, 2024

Family Storytime

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Alford Branch

Share a love of stories and learning with children in these storytime sessions aimed at engaging the broad range of developmental stages between ages 0-6.

Ready, Set, Eclipse!

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Advanced Learning Library

Join us for an out-of-this-world storytime and simple shadow craft as we prepare for the upcoming total solar eclipse. Each family that attends will get a pair of free eclipse glasses! For ages 3-8.

Teens Create: Eclipse Chalk Art

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Advanced Learning Library

Are you ready to join the dark side? Come hear what an expert has to say about the upcoming total solar eclipse and stick around afterwards to create some fun chalk art of your own! Each teen will get a pair of eclipse glasses to save for the big event. For ages 12-18.

WPL Book Bus Stop: League 42 Leslie Rudd Learning Center

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

The Wichita Public Library is hitting the road and bringing library services directly to children and caregivers! The Book Bus is an outreach initiative to bring library services to areas of Wichita that don’t have quick access to a physical library location. The recycled bus from Wichita Transit is outfitted with shelves of books residents can borrow from the bus. While the majority of the books are geared towards children, there is a limited collection of popular books for adults. 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

WPL Book Bus Stop: Pawnee Prairie Park

9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

The Wichita Public Library is hitting the road and bringing library services directly to children and caregivers! The Book Bus is an outreach initiative to bring library services to areas of Wichita that don’t have quick access to a physical library location. The recycled bus from Wichita Transit is outfitted with shelves of books residents can borrow from the bus. While the majority of the books are geared towards children, there is a limited collection of popular books for adults. 

Nursery Rhyme Time

10:30 AM – 10:50 AM | Rockwell Branch

Children ages 2 and under will develop a love of learning as they sing, dance, and enjoy simple stories. Caregivers will learn tips to encourage their child’s early learning development. 

Preschool Storytime

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Advanced Learning Library

Children ages 3-6 will develop literacy skills through active listening, singing, movement, and sharing a love of stories in a group setting. 

Family Storytime

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Walters Branch

Share a love of stories and learning with children in these storytime sessions aimed at engaging the broad range of developmental stages between ages 0-6.

Baby’s First Storytime

10:40 AM – 11:00 AM | Advanced Learning Library

It’s never too early to start your child’s love of learning! Music, rhymes, activities, and stories for caregivers and babies aged birth to 18 months.

Solar Eclipse with KAO NASA Observers

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Rockwell Branch

Are you curious about the upcoming solar eclipse? Learn more from the Eclipse Ambassadors, a NASA sponsored volunteer partnership of students and amateur astronomers! This program will provide information and activities for children ages 5-12, and each family attending will receive a free pair of eclipse glasses.

Marshmallow Madness

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Alford Branch

Do more than eat this sweet, puffy treat! Enjoy marshmallow themed activities and crafts. For ages 6-12.

WPL Book Bus Stop: Orchard Park

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

The Wichita Public Library is hitting the road and bringing library services directly to children and caregivers! The Book Bus is an outreach initiative to bring library services to areas of Wichita that don’t have quick access to a physical library location. The recycled bus from Wichita Transit is outfitted with shelves of books residents can borrow from the bus. While the majority of the books are geared towards children, there is a limited collection of popular books for adults. 

Understanding Voter ID Laws

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Advanced Learning Library

Confused about voter ID laws? Interested in voting early or by mail but concerned you may not have the necessary documentation? According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Kansas has some of the strictest voter ID laws in the nation. Join Leslie Butsh, Field Director, and Yusef Presley, Field Organizer from the ACLU of Kansas to learn about your rights in the polling booth, common voting misconceptions, and recent changes to voter ID laws.

Wichita library location

 

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Preschool Storytime

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Rockwell Branch

Children 3-6 will develop literacy skills through active listening, singing, movement, and sharing a love of stories in a group setting. 

Tweens Switch It Up: Mario Kart!

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Advanced Learning Library

Ready. Set. Drive! Join area tweens and test your Nintendo Switch driving skills. No experience required! Tickets will be available at the children’s desk starting 30 minutes before the program starts. For ages 9 – 12.

Teen Peep Dioramas!

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Evergreen Branch

Come and create festive dioramas with one of springtime’s most iconic treats for our second annual Peep Dioramas program! Teens grade 6-12 will use small boxes to design humorous scenes with Peeps. Bring your creativity and cleverness as we mimic the Washington Post’s annual competition. Space and supplies are limited; registration not required but program tickets will be available 30 minutes before the program at the circulation desk.

Intro to Google Docs

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM | Walters Branch

Learn to create, style, format organize and share documents online in Google Docs. Access Docs from any device connected to the internet with your Gmail account. A Gmail account and basic keyboard and mouse skills are required. Registration is required; call 261-8500, or register online.

Solar Eclipse with KAO NASA Observers

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Alford Branch

Are you curious about the upcoming solar eclipse? Learn more from the Eclipse Ambassadors, a NASA sponsored volunteer partnership of students and amateur astronomers! This program will provide information and activities for teens and adults, ages 12 and up. Each person attending will receive a free pair of eclipse glasses.

Candid Conversations: Education Access and Equality in Wichita

6:30 PM – 8:00 PM | Advanced Learning Library

How can art that depicts our past help us change our future? This season of Wichita Public Library’s Candid Conversations series explores social justice through the lens of art and discussion. This session will be a guided conversation about education access and equality in Wichita and its lasting impact in the community. Panelists working in the field of education will discuss where we are now as a community. Registration is required; call 261-8500 or register online.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Cuentos Bilingües/Preschool Storytime

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Evergreen Branch

Whether you want to expose your children to another language or they already hear it in the home, enjoy a unique storytime presented in both English & Spanish for children ages 3-5.

Family Storytime

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Rockwell Branch

Share a love of stories and learning with children in storytime sessions that will engage the broad range of developmental stages between ages 0-6.

Teen Breakout Box – Cold Case: Poe’s Tell Tale Heart

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Advanced Learning Library

Hello there, Poeville Police Department Detectives! Join us as we investigate an unsolved homicide that occurred over 150 years ago and was documented in Edgar Allen Poe’s classic short story “The Tell Tale Heart.” Bring a friend or two and put your sleuthing skills to the test! For ages 13-18.

News Connect: High School Journalism

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Advanced Learning Library

Visit News Connect, a pop-up newsroom brought to you by the Wichita Journalism Collaborative. A collection of 11 media outlets and community partners will gather to offer a unique opportunity for members of the public to interact with local journalists. Have a story idea? Curious how journalists cover the news in our community? Visit this casual, come-and-go event to converse with local media. This is a special session of News Connect geared toward high school students.

Tween Advanced Jewelry Design

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Advanced Learning Library

Join us as we take friendship bracelets to the next level. Design and create your own bracelet, necklace, or small art sculpture. You bring the vision, and we’ll bring the materials. Tickets are needed for this program. Tickets will be available starting 30 minutes before the program starts at the Children’s Pavilion desk. For ages 9 – 12.

STEM Circuits

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Rockwell Branch

Can you make the connection? Learn what comes between the battery and the bulb in this basic exploration of simple circuits. Best for ages 7-11.

Teen Action Figure Terrariums

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Angelou Northeast Branch

Kick! Boom Pow! your favorite action star into a miniature portable garden. Space and supplies are limited; registration not required but program tickets will be available 30 minutes before the program at the circulation desk. 

WPL Book Bus Stop: Northwest YMCA

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

The Wichita Public Library is hitting the road and bringing library services directly to children and caregivers! The Book Bus is an outreach initiative to bring library services to areas of Wichita that don’t have quick access to a physical library location. The recycled bus from Wichita Transit is outfitted with shelves of books residents can borrow from the bus. While the majority of the books are geared towards children, there is a limited collection of popular books for adults. 

Solar Eclipse with KAO NASA Observers

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM | Walters Branch

Are you curious about the upcoming solar eclipse? Learn more from the Eclipse Ambassadors, a NASA sponsored volunteer partnership of students and amateur astronomers! This program will provide information and activities and attendees will receive a free pair of eclipse glasses. This program is for all ages, including adults.

Chess, and its variations

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Alford Branch

Chess and its variations: learn about the classical game of strategy and its variations through the years. Each session starts with a brief lecture on the topic, with the rest of the time dedicated for playing. Some chess sets, regular and specialized, available for playing. Patrons welcome to bring their own. Program aimed at adults, but teens welcome. All skill levels welcome, beginner to experts. Sept. 08: Intro to Chess Sept. 22: Multi-player chess Oct. 06: Chess around the world Oct. 20: 3-Dimensional chess

Friday, March 15, 2024

Nursery Rhyme Time

10:30 AM – 10:50 AM | Advanced Learning Library

Children ages 2 and under will develop a love of learning as they sing, dance, and enjoy simple stories. Caregivers will learn tips to encourage their child’s early learning development. 

Play with Poetry

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Walters Branch

Explore the world of poetry together and to get your creativity flowing! Play with words using games and crafts. For ages 6-12. 

Big Idea: Beyond Brown: Mexican Struggles for Equality Before and After Brown v. Board

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Advanced Learning Library

Historian Valerie Mendoza will look at the ways the Latino communities banded together to fight discrimination and demand equal protection under the law, focusing special attention on Kansas examples.

The Big Idea is a series featuring insights from historical and current events from Kansas scholars that provide a starting point for conversations about ideas that shape our world presented by Humanities Kansas. This program is a live stream of the event in Topeka.

More information about the Big Idea can be found at humanitieskansas.org.

Drop-In Teen Volunteering

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Rockwell Branch

Do you need just a couple of hours of volunteering before school ends? Teens 12-17 are invited to drop in at the Rockwell Branch Library to help us get ready for summer with a variety of tasks. Parental permission will be required on a written form that can requested from the Rockwell Branch beginning April 1st or downloaded from wichitalibrary.org/volunteer. 

Solar Eclipse with KAO NASA Observers – Bilingual

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Evergreen Branch

Are you curious about the upcoming solar eclipse? Learn more from the Eclipse Ambassadors, a NASA sponsored volunteer partnership of students and amateur astronomers! This program will provide information and activities for children ages 5-12, and each family attending will receive a free pair of eclipse glasses.

¿Tiene curiosidad acerca del próximo eclipse solar? ¡Obtenga más información de los embajadores de eclipse, una asociación voluntaria de estudiantes y astrónomos aficionados patrocinada por la NASA!  Este programa proporcionará información y actividades para niños de 5 a 12 años, y cada familia que asista recibirá un par de anteojos eclipse gratis.

Teen Dungeons & Dragons

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Alford Branch

Join in a classic high fantasy Dungeons and Dragons campaign! New participants are welcome, but this campaign is designed for experienced players. Ages 13 to 18. Call 350-3261 or visit wichitalibrary.org/events to register.

 

 

Click HERE for the FULL list of Wichita Spring Break events, camps, and activities 

Please note that these are not ALL of the March library events for kids and teens. (That’s a much longer list!) These are just things kids can do at the library during spring break. 

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