Youth Services

Library's children's area featuring labelled shelves, comfy seating, play tower, and wall play stations

Youth Services

Children’s Events

This event is in the "Children" group.

Thanksgiving Turkey Craft

4:00pm - 4:30pm
Children
Registration
Library Branch: Thomas Ford Memorial Library
Room: Program Room
Age Group: Children
Program Type: Arts & Crafts
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 1
Event Details:

Gobble Gobble!  Participants will be turning their handprints into turkeys!  We provide the supplies, you make the art, and we will clean up the mess while you leave with your creation.   

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Families" group.

Paddington Visits the Library

10:30am - 12:00pm
Children, Families
Library Branch: Thomas Ford Memorial Library
Room: Program Room
Age Group: Children, Families
Program Type: Hands On, Performers, Storytimes
Event Details:

Drop-in Event, No Registration Required.

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Families" group.

Let It Snow Show!

4:30pm - 5:15pm
Children, Families
Registration
Library Branch: Thomas Ford Memorial Library
Room: Program Room
Age Group: Children, Families
Program Type: Music, Performers
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 18
Event Details:

One registration per family, please include the total number of people attending.

This event is in the "Children" group.
Registration
Library Branch: Thomas Ford Memorial Library
Room: Program Room
Age Group: Children
Program Type: Arts & Crafts, Hands On, Storytimes
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 16
Event Details:

Come and listen to Adam Wallace’s How to Catch a Gingerbread Man and then make a craft. 

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Families" group.

NOON Year's Eve Celebration

11:30am - 12:15pm
Children, Families
Registration
Library Branch: Thomas Ford Memorial Library
Room: Program Room
Age Group: Children, Families
Program Type: Arts & Crafts, Hands On, Storytimes
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 15
Event Details:

5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Happy NOON Years!  Come and celebrate New Years Eve with TFML for a NOON Years Eve party.  We will read the book, The Night before New Years, by Natasha Wing, followed by a craft and countdown celebration.

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Families" group.

Nature Storytime with the Morton Arboretum

10:00am - 10:30am
Children, Families
Registration
Library Branch: Thomas Ford Memorial Library
Room: Program Room
Age Group: Children, Families
Program Type: Performers, STEAM, Storytimes
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 15
Event Details:

A guest presenter from The Morton Arboretum will join us to share fun nature stories that help us notice how weather, trees, and animals change with the season!

Please register for each month individually.

Disclaimer(s)

Storytime Accompanying Adults

This storytime works best if there is one child to one adult. Participation of caregivers with their child is important in order to help them learn while they are having fun.

Children’s Spaces

Welcome to the Youth Services Department!  Here at the Thomas Ford Memorial Library, we welcome children of all ages, parents, caretakers, and educators to utilize our gathering spaces while we share resources and facilitate the connection between your child and a lifetime love of reading. Our bright and colorful department has its own floor on the lower level of the Library, creating a welcoming environment of safety, comfort, and freedom for all who join our space.  The tactile nature of our child sized furniture and play structures, along with building tables and a rotating selection of toys, provide a space of limitless entertainment for children to explore.

Reading Train

Reading Train

All aboard the Reading Railroad! On your way down to the Youth Services Department, you will be greeted by our iconic 35-foot long Reading Train.  It is a beloved space for both play and cozy reading on its kid-sized benches lined with bookshelves. The train was built and designed by Western Springs resident Scott Morrow in 2007.  It rests upon a platform built by Mortimer construction and was refurbished in 2020. 

Tower Play Space

Tower Play Space

Further into the department you will find a replica of the most historic symbol of Western Springs: the Water Tower!  It is 7 feet and 4 inches tall, created by Western Springs resident Vinny Donnelly in 2007.  A child-sized arched doorway allows children to enter and play imaginatively. The Water Tower was replicated with close attention to detail of the original, including specific elements such as arched openings and triangular support beams.

Storytime Room with orange chairs and blue walls

Storytime Room

Bright colors and bright lights welcome you into our Storytime Room.  When we are not using this space to sing songs and read stories to little ones, we are able to open it as an additional play space in between storytime seasons.  The room was renovated in 2019 and has unique ceiling length door panels which open the entire span of the room, creating a large and wide open place to play.

AWE Computers

Each of our four AWE computers, also known as Early Literacy Stations, contain over 85 preloaded educational games and activities in multiple subject areas: Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Math. The award-winning software of the AWE computers does not require an internet connection and offers a safe environment for children to browse digital media.  The computers are sound-equipped with headphones and can be operated by a touch-screen, keyboard, or mouse. Sessions for usage are timed at 20 minutes, do not require a library card, and are geared towards ages 2-8. 

Comfort Room

The Library offers a Family Comfort Room on the lower level. This sensory-friendly space allows patrons a private, light and sound controlled space for visitors who may need a break or a quiet, comfortable space.

Download & Stream for Kids

Homework Help

Biography in Context

Biography in Context logo

Biography in Context includes nearly a million biographical entries spanning history and geography. Great for biography reports.

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Britannica Library (Away from Library)

Britannica Library logo

Britannica Library is a respected general purpose encyclopedia. Adult, teen, and children’s versions of the encyclopedia are available on this site.

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Literary Reference Center Plus

Literary Reference Center logo

Novels, short stories, poems, plot summaries and synopses, and literary criticism. Research guides, lesson plans, and citation tools support student learning.

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Middle Search Plus

Middle Search Plus logo

Resources to support middle school students, including biographies, magazines, primary source documents, photos, maps, and flags. Includes Sports Illustrated Kids, Scholastic News, National Geographic and dozens more.

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Points of View Reference Center

Points of View Reference Center logo

Resources for students to understand issues, develop critical thinking skills, and develop persuasive arguments.

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Science Reference Center

Science Reference Center logo

If you’re researching scientific topics, try the Science Reference Center.

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Picks for Children