Baby Time is a language enrichment program just for babies. It is an enjoyable time for you and your child full of rhymes, short books, bounces, and much more!

Toddler Time

(18 months-3 years)

Tuesdays & Fridays at 10:00 a.m. (20 minutes)

Toddler Time is a great way to build early literacy skills and a love of reading from an early age! We do lots of songs, rhymes, fingerplays, and books that will keep even the wiggliest toddlers engaged and learning!

*See themes below.

Preschool Story Time

(3-5 years)

Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 10:45 a.m. (30 minutes)

We have lots of great stories to share with your preschoolers! On top of the books we have fun songs, rhymes, and activities for you and your kiddos!

*See themes below.

February Themes:

4-7 Happy, Sad, Mad and Glad

11-14 I Love Art!

18-21 Book It to the Library

25-28 Going to the Dogs

25 @ 10:45 am Doodlebugs (Look, No Hands!)

Doodlebugs: Look, No Hands!

Tuesday, February 25 at 10:45 a.m.

We're teaming up with the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art to bring you Doodlebugs--stories and art for preschoolers once a month.

This month we will learn about French artist Auguste Renoir who had terrible arthritis later in his life. But that didn't stop him from creating art. Try sculpting and painting in surprising ways!

Upcoming:

3/2 Read Across America

3/15 Lego Club

3/17 St. Patrick's Day

Doodlebugs

READ Dogs

Winter Reading Program is winding down, but let's finish strong! The last day to collect prizes and be entered to win the grand prizes is Saturday, February 15th. Kids will celebrate all the fun they had at our Winter Reading Final Party on Sunday, February 16th from 3:00-4:30. We hope to see you there!

-MPL Staff

P.S. Grown ups, need a night out? Want to support a good cause? Our annual wine (and chocolate) tasting fundraiser, Grape Expectations, is going to be bigger and better than ever this year! There's still time to get your tickets for February 7th. Check out all the details by clicking here!

Winter Reading Final Party

Sunday, February 16th 3:00-4:30 p.m.

Join us for our final Kids Create event! We will have a create-your-own-snack table, art and craft stations, a huge mural that everyone will have a chance to work on, and we will announce our Grand Prize Winners!

Family Time

Mondays at 6:30 p.m.

Got the Monday blahs? Start your week off right by coming to Family Time! Each week will feature a different activity appropriate for all ages and open to everyone! We'll have crafts, movies, games, fun presenters, and seasonal activities to get the whole family geared up for the week.

February Themes:

3rd Let's Make a Snowman

10th Thumbprint Art

17th PJ Night: LEGO Movie: Adventures of Clutch Powers

24th Blow Paint Monsters

Art Games with Miss Erin

Thursday, February 6 at 3:30 p.m.

Miss Erin from the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art will be here to teach us some super fun games including "Making Faces," a portrait-drawing game; "Artistical Chairs," a crazy drawing game inspired by Musical Chairs; and "Color Wheel Relay." Work off some cooped-up energy at this fun and artistic event!

Lego Club

Thursday, February 13

from 3:00-5:00 p.m.

Get creative with everyone's favorite building blocks! Build with our stash of Legos once per month on the second Thursday.

Thanks to all the generous people who donated Legos! Would you like to donate? We'd be glad to take them and share the Lego love!

Movie Tuesday

Tuesday, February 4 & 11 at 3:30

We're showing our last two Winter Reading Program movies Tuesday, 2/4 & 2/11 after school. Feel free to bring snacks, blankets, your 1D t-shirts, etc!

February 4 - Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters (PG)

February 11 - One Direction: This is Us (PG)

R.E.A.D. Dogs

Sunday, February 23rd between 2:30 and 4:00 p.m.

Bring your kids to read to our Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) to grow their skills, confidence, and love of reading!

The dogs are all registered therapy dogs who are patient, friendly, and good listeners. Dogs don't care about a reader's abilities, help kids relax, and offer a new setting for practicing reading aloud. Research and anecdotal evidence show that children can improve their reading skills and confidence by reading to a dog. And, it's fun!