Educational Camps, Clubs & Events

Mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish have one major thing in common – they all have backbones! Meet our back-boned animals and discover the unique traits that have allowed vertebrates to thrive in a wide range of environments.

Hear ye, hear ye! Calling all princes and princesses to attend a royal party at the library. Please reserve your spot ahead of time and wear your finest.

Get your creative juices flowing, because it’s time to put the “Y” in DIY! You’ll be surprised with what you can do as we explore the world of making things. Join us to try out a variety of crafts and trades ranging from origami to blacksmithing. Can you give us a hand?

Looking for a fun and exciting way to spend your afternoon? Join Girl Scout Stacey Niesman for fun, inspiring stories about s’mores, the Girl scout founder, and space! This series is sponsored by the Girl Scouts of Eastern and Western Illinois. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

All ages can explore the science and engineering behind a pipe organ with an Orgelkids instrument by assembling and playing it. RSVP is recommended but drop-ins are welcome to come watch the set up!

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! Stop by the library to meet some adoptable animals and enjoy hands-on activities for the whole family. This event is free and open to the public; please consider donating an item or two to the Dubuque Regional Humane Society to support animals in need.

Mix up some witchy potions, spooky slime, and other ooey-gooey concoctions just in time for Halloween. Registration is required.

Do aliens exist? Is there life on other planets? Are there other galaxies? Join us for an investigation into whether or not ET life is out there.

Gear up for Halloween by finding the hidden pictures of candy in the children’s department.

Turn your beloved pet (or any animal) into a mixed media masterpiece! Create an eye-catching portrait using variety of paints on a picture frame. Registration is required.

Spend your morning celebrating dinosaurs and literacy at the library with stories, songs, and hands-on activities. No registration is required.

Meet adorable furry friends! The Dubuque Regional Humane Society is bringing dogs to the library for the ultimate Dog DAY! Learn about the mission of the Humane Society and meet some of their adoptable pups! Drop in any time during the open house.

The Dubuque Chess club will have Opening Knight, where we look at what to do in the beginning of a chess game. Beginners and kids are welcome every week, but especially on Opening Knight!

Conference Dates: Saturday, October 26th Thursday, October 31st Thursday, November 7th

In honor of National Novel Writing Month, join us for an exciting writer’s workshop at the library, where teens and adults can dive into the world of flash fiction and explore different writing styles. Nov. 4th and 18th at 4:30 pm.

Visit the library to see if you can guess the number of dinosaur ducks in the tank! The closest guesses will be entered in a drawing to win a special dinosaur-themed prize at the end of the month.

Read a new title each month and meet up for a discussion and an activity related to the book. Register and pick up books at the Children’s Help Desk.

Meet other Pokémon trainers at Pokémon Club! Trading Card Game, Nintendo Switch, and Pokémon Go gamers are all welcome.

Grab your kiddos and head to the library for a morning of moving and grooving! We will listen to songs and stories, play with scarves and shakers, and have so much silly fun together. Best for ages 2 through 6, though all are welcome to attend. No registration is required.

Read a new title each month and then meet up for book discussion and a unique activity related to the book. Please register and pick up books at the Children’s Help Desk. Oct. 10 “A Perfect Mistake” Nov. 14 “Eagle Drums” Dec. 12 “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane"

Read or listen to a story with some furry friends in the first-floor Program Room. Do not bring your own pet; we provide kid-friendly dogs each month. Registration is not required.

The L.&M.O.P. concert series is for preschool children and their families. Children will leave each concert with a greater appreciation of music and a lollipop to enjoy! The Northeast Iowa School of Music sponsors this series. An adult must accompany children. No registration required.

Come learn to sew on a sewing machine! You will create projects perfect for beginners; No previous sewing experience necessary. Registration is required.

Calling all LEGO® fans! Come to the library to build, create, and have fun. The library provides the LEGOs®, and you provide the know-how! Donations of LEGOs® are appreciated. LEGO® creations will be exhibited in the library. The program will be held in the Aigler Auditorium on the 3rd floor.

Grab your family and head on down to try your luck at Book Bingo! We have great hardcover and paperback books for prizes. Registration is not required.

From ringing in the New Year with polka dots & coins in the Philippines, to celebrating the end of winter with exploding snowmen in Switzerland, we'll learn about holiday celebrations from around the world. *Passports not required!

Become an astronaut for the day as we uncover the mysteries of the night sky as we explore our position in the universe, & discover what stars, moons, and planets really are. We'll also look at the day in the life of an astronaut and what it's like living on the International Space Station.

Chemistry experiments are awesome, but cold chemistry is really awesome! Join us at the River Museum for a fun-filled afternoon of hand-on science experiments that will chill you to the bone. Dry ice, wet ice, cool air, & freezing treats are just a small piece of this amazing day.

If you have visited the River Museum before, you may remember our Creature Feature with our education animals. Come be junior keepers with us as we discover who our animal ambassadors are & what it takes to care for them. We'll get to make some fun enrichment for them & meet some animals up close!

Friendship is important in our lives. For animals, it is the same. Some even need others to survive and thrive. From sea anemones and clown fish to sloths and moths, come join us in learning the importance of friendship within two different species.

What has the bill of a duck, the tail of a beaver, and the body of an otter? The platypus is not alone in its strange appearance. Match form to function in some of the world’s strangest creatures and learn the benefits of being different.

Are you ready for an egg-citing day? Join us as we learn about egg-laying animals, like the platypus, and why they are all so different. We’ll also go on an egg hunt and conduct egg experiments!

Bees, bats, and butterflies all have something in common – they’re pollinators! But they aren’t the only way a plant or flower transforms their pollen. We’ll examine the world of pollinators by planting our own pollinator garden!

Have you ever wondered what carbon emissions are? Join us as we learn the importance of environmental science. As a team, we will learn about the release of carbon dioxide by blowing up a balloon with yeast, and create recycled crafts that will inspire you to reduce your carbon footprint!

This homework program is designed to provide a space for teens to get needed help on homework and build their studying and organizational skills for free.

All of our teen programming is free. We offer homework help to grades 6-12 on Mondays-Thursdays. High school hangout is on Tues and Thurs, high school teen nights are on Thursdays with dinner provided. Middleschool hangout is on Mon and Wed, middle school teen nights are on Wednesdays with dinner

Scheduled reading club that meets to discuss books with other interested teens in a supportive environment