Youth Programs
The McIntosh Memorial Library Children’s Department is a fun and safe place for children and families to gather and explore. Inside the Department we offer a Comfort Room, a Family Restroom, Program Room, and Play Area. All of the new children’s items are located just across from the Seating Area on the New Arrivals Wall. Please enjoy our growing collection of books, AV materials, magazines and Launchpad tablets. Special programming is offered for children of all ages. Please call Youth Services Director, Laci Sheldon, for more information about disability services. (608) 637-7151 x.5.
Register online for youth programs: Click Here
Youth Summer Program Kick Off & Book Giveaway!
Let summer begin! McIntosh Memorial Library invites children and their families to come to the library’s program room on May 28th and 29th from 10:00am to 2:00pm to kick off the library’s Youth Summer Program! Attendees can choose free books, DVDs, and CD Audio Books to keep! Plus, pick up summer reading logs and summer program schedules. Enjoy snacks and boba tea too!
Snake Discovery
Chess Club 65
On Wednesdays: January 3rd through May 15th from 4:00 – 6:00pm.
All ages and all levels of experience are welcome. Coaching is provided by Chess Coach Tim Jenkins and other experienced chess players. Please bring your own board and materials if you can.
Registration for players age 12 and younger is required and ongoing. Register anytime between now and April 17th to play! To register, click the link at the top of this page, or register in person when you come to play!
Children may be dropped off for this program once registered and with parental permission to sign themselves in and out.
Toddler Storytimes
Toddler Storytimes are every Wednesday from 10:30 – 11:00am in the Library’s Aviary Seating Area for youth ages 0-5.
Participants enjoy group stretches, rhymes, sing-a- longs, and stories read by Ms. Laci, Youth Services Director.
Youth Drawing Club
On Thursdays: January 4th – May 16th
from 3:45-4:45pm in the Library’s Conference Room
The Youth Drawing Club is an open-format club meeting for youth ages 9-12 to share their love of drawing with one another. This Club is youth-led with a adult-guidance. Supplies are provided, or, bring their own!
Children may be dropped off for this program once their registration is confirmed and with parental permission to sign themselves in and out.
Thursday Toddler Play Groups
Hosted in collaboration with The Parenting Place
Every Thursday from 9:30 – 11:00am in the Library’s Aviary Seating Area and Program Room.
No registration is required. There is no cost to participate.
Youth ages 0-5, especially tailored to ages 0-3.
Parents, legal guardians, care providers, and older siblings are welcome!
Parent Educator, Amber Brantner, and Occupational Therapist, Taylor Nelson, of The Parenting Place in La Crosse (additional offices in Sparta and Tomah) lead a toddler-aged play group every Thursday from 9:30-11:00am.
Parents/care providers and their children, ages 0-5, are welcome to enjoy a morning of activities, a special Storytime, and snacks! Activities include free-play, clay molding, coloring, and much more! Older siblings are welcome, although the activities are especially tailored for children ages 0-3.
Friday Resource Sessions
On Fridays: November 4th, 2023 – May 10th, 2024
Be a Superhero!
Viroqua Parks and Recreation Department and McIntosh Memorial Library join forces to offer children ages 4-7 imaginative and playful classes called “Be a Superhero!”. The classes will be offered on Tuesday mornings from 8:30-9:15am at the Bigley Park Shelter in the Park Bowl. The dates are June 4th, 11th, and 18th. And, July 9th, 16th, and 23rd. Classes will include Superhero Story Times, activities, and crafts. There is no cost and no registration in needed. Drop ins are welcome!
Rain delays/cancellations for programs held outdoors: Announcements will be made up to 30-minutes before the program. Check Viroqua Library Facebook and/or call the library at (608) 637-7151 x. 6.
Berry Fairy Garden Tales
McIntosh Memorial Library and Viroqua Parks and Rec Department will host imaginative and playful classes called “Berry Fairy Tales” for children ages 4-7 on Thursday mornings from 8:30-9:15am on June 6th, 13th, and 20th and July 11th, 18th and 23rd in the library’s garden behind the historic pool bathouse. Classes will include Fairy Story Times, activities and crafts. There is no cost and no registration is needed. Drop ins are welcome!
Rain delays/cancellations for programs held outdoors: Announcements will be made up to 30-minutes before the program. Check Viroqua Library Facebook and/or call the library at (608) 637-7151 x. 6.
Tuesday Presentations
McIntosh Memorial Library will host presentations for youth and their families on Tuesdays in June and July. All presentations are in the library’s lobby from 3:45-4:45pm unless otherwise noted. Best for ages 6+.
June 4th: To celebrate Wisconsin June Dairy Month, we will be playing “Dairy Games” at Eckhart Park. Early start time of 3:30 until 4:45pm. Local royalty courts will be joining us to get a little messy as we play Cheese Ball Head, Smash Cones, and Milk Jug Toss!
June 11th: Professional storyteller, Tracy Chipman, will present her marvelous and enriching renditions of adventurers on harrowing journeys through space and time!
June 18th: Friends from the Driftless Humane Society will present about the purpose and mission of their organization. They will talk about what they do and why they do it! Plus, we can hear about some special animals that they have helped.
July 9th: A Treasure Hunt with Valley Stewardship Network will happen at Eckhart Park with an early start time of 3:30 until 4:45pm. Ben Johnston will introduce us to key concepts about maps. How to look at them and how to use them. Then, each child will receive their own map to locate a special treasure chest in the park that they can keep.
July 16th: Friends from Bluedog Cycles will teach us how to take care of bicycles, give tips on how to ride bicycles and tell us about local bicycle sports! They will let us pass around some items they’re bringing from their bicycle shop!
July 23rd: The library’s lobby will be transformed into an indoor campsite by the After School Program Staff. Expect to see tents, blanket forts, fishing pond and camp fire ring. We will tell stories around the campfire, fish in the pond, explore the tents, and take home work sheets to identify local plants, tracks, and animals!
There is no cost and no registration is needed. Drop ins welcome!
Storytimes with Gordon the Dog
McIntosh Memorial Library invites children ages 6 plus, and their families, to a special Story Time with Gordon the Dog. Gordon is a certified Good Canine Citizen and is very patient listener as children take turns reading to him. Gordon’s Story Times will be on Wednesdays: June 5th, 12th, and 19th from 3:45-4:30pm in the library’s aviary seating area. Library staff provide book selections and are on hand to support all levels of reading ability. No registration is needed. Drop ins are welcome to cool off, build a summer reading habit, and enjoy the very friendly dog, Gordon!
Summer Open Chess
On Wednesdays in June, July and August “Summer Open Chess Game Playing Time” will happen at McIntosh Memorial Library from 4:00-6:00pm. Players ages 7 through adult are welcome to check out chess boards from the library’s front desk and organize in the Adult Library for game playing. Coaches will be present per their availability. Registration is not required as library staff will not be directly supervising the game playing. Open Chess is player-driven, community-oriented time to independently organize to play chess!
Thursday TLC Meet Ups
McIntosh Memorial Library will host “Tween Leadership Committee Thursday Meetups” in June & July from 3:30-5:00pm in the Library’s Lobby for tweens and teens ages 11 plus.
The activities have been planned by tweens for tweens! Each meet up will have a different activity including:
June 6: a movie, root beer floats, and pizza party (gluten free and vegan options available)
June 13: a boba tea and jewelry making activity
June 20: faux candy sushi rolling with crispy treat cereal and candy fish
July 11: an adventure themed escape room done in small groups in the Conference Room
July 18: mixing Japanese Kracie Popin’ Cookin’ kits in pairs
July 25: a chips & salsa competition- mild, medium, and hot!
All materials are provided for attendees. Items which are made can be kept. There is no registration & no cost. Drop ins are welcome. Please, no children age 10 and younger. The meet ups are for youth aged 11 and older.
In addition, tweens are welcome to hang out, chat, draw/color, listen to music and relax in the lobby and tween space during TLC Meet Ups.
Please call Christopher Olson, Youth Services Associate, with questions. (608) 637-7151 x. 9. Or, email at [email protected]
Nintendo Switch Gaming Tournaments
Register to have your name added to the tournament bracket! You can bring your own Switch consoles, but only the library’s consoles will be used for tournament-play. You can use your own Switch console while you wait your turn to play. Matches are 3-minutes long, but depends on the amount of people that sign up.
All games are rated E for Everyone.
Library’s After School Program
To learn more about the Library’s After School Program, please locate the “After School Program” tab in the top Menu options.
