Summer Program
Adventure Begins at Your Library
Join us for our 2024 Summer Program: Adventure Begins at Your Library! We'll be offering a variety of programs for all ages throughout the summer in addition to our Summer Reading Challenge, which begins June 1. Stop in the library starting in mid-May for a summer brochure or download one below.
SUMMER BROCHURE
Summer Kickoff
Saturday, June 8
10 am-12 pm
All ages. Join us for a community party to kick off our 2024 Summer Program: Adventure Begins at Your Library! Enjoy indoor and outdoor activities, arts & crafts, gardening projects, an inflatable obstacle course, and more. Sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge and learn about this summer’s lineup of events. A&W will be providing free hot dogs and root beer floats, while supplies last.
Summer Reading Challenge
June 1-August 17
All ages are invited to join our reading challenge this summer, from babies to adults. Earn prizes and enter drawings by reading and completing activities all summer long. Starting June 1, participate with a paper reading log (ages birth-18), available at the Youth Services desk, or use the Beanstack app or website. 
Need help with Beanstack? Check our our Beanstack FAQ, app tutorial, website tutorial, or contact Youth Services at the library.
Summer Event Highlights
DTDL is offering a variety of programs this summer. Check out our event calendar for a full schedule and see some of the highlights below.
Lugnuts Eaton County Library Day 
Friday, June 14
7:05 p.m. (gates open at 6:05 p.m.)
All ages. Join DTDL for a summer adventure at Jackson Field! Enjoy a Lansing Lugnuts game and fireworks with a discounted price and special seating section right behind home plate for Eaton County Libraries. Tickets can be purchased here. Play ball!
Youth Talent Show
Entries accepted: June 8-July 20
Auditions: July 17 & 20
Talent Show: Thursday, August 8 (6:30 p.m.)
Children and teens, ages 6-18 are welcome to showcase an act, ranging from singing or playing an instrument to magic and juggling. Registration is open June 8-July 20 and entry forms will be available at the Youth Services desk and online. Participants must come to an audition session on July 17 or 20. Audience members of all ages are welcome at the talent showcase on August 8 at 6:30 p.m.
Adventures in the Garden
Saturdays, June 29, July 20, August 24
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
All ages. Stop by the library this summer to see what we have growing in our patio gardens! Learn all about pollinators and how you can help these ecosystem superstars with monthly self-led outdoor activities. (June: Flower Power, July: Birds, August: Fall Gardening)
MellyPop! Puppet Show: The Goose is Loose 
Monday, June 17
2 p.m.
All ages. Enjoy a fairy tale told by two genuine fairies, Pickles and PepperPot, as they tell the hilarious story of Georgie, the wise-cracking goose with the golden feathers. Presented by MellyPop! Productions, which tours the Midwest with fun and engaging puppet performances.
Outside Adventures
Monday, June 24
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
All ages. Explore the outdoors around the library! Go on a story hike, participate in a treasure hunt, be a wildlife detective, and make art inspired by nature. In the event of bad weather, activities may be adapted and moved inside.
Musical Storytime
Tuesday, June 25
6 p.m.
All ages. Join Miss Maggie of Let’s Play Music for a lively storytime with nursery rhymes, finger plays, stories, and lots of music and movement.
LEGO® Creation Challenge
Monday, July 1
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
All ages. Use your imagination and construction skills to build a Lego creation inspired by our summer theme of adventure. Sound easy? Here’s the catch: each builder (or team of builders) will work with a mystery set of Legos provided by the library. Space is limited and registration is required. Register here starting June 1.
Big Playdate: Safari
Monday, July 8
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
All ages. Go on an imaginary safari with a variety of stations designed for dramatic play, creativity, and movement. What wild animals will you meet during your expedition?
Teddy Bear Sleepover
Wednesday, July 10
6 p.m.
All ages. Wear your pajamas and bring a stuffed animal to this special evening storytime! Enjoy stories, songs, and rhymes all about favorite stuffed toys and make a picture frame craft. Then your stuffed animal will get to spend the night in the library! The next day, pick up your stuffie along with a photo for your frame.
Cirque Amongus 
Monday, July 15
2 p.m.
All ages. Join us for a Cirque Amongus show, a surprising combination of comedy, circus skills, and audience participation, guaranteed to amaze and delight all ages!
Family Campout
Friday, July 19
5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
All ages. Beat the heat by camping inside! Bring the family to listen to stories, sing camp songs, and enjoy s’mores around a “campfire.” After the library closes at 6 p.m., build a blanket tent for cozy family reading! Some blankets will be available at the library, please bring your own pillows, flashlights, or other indoor camping supplies. Register here starting June 1.
Potter Park Zoo 
Monday, July 22
2 p.m.
All ages. Water is an essential resource for all living things and can be utilized in many different ways! During this presentation by Potter Park Zoo, the audience will participate in fun activities to help them learn about frogs and other animals that rely on water to survive. No live animals at this event.
Growing Readers Storytime
Tuesday, July 23
6 p.m.
All ages. Join us for a storytime that models ways for parents and caregivers to talk, sing, read, write, and play with their young children to build early literacy skills. Enjoy stories, songs, and hands-on activity stations.
Tunes n Tales 
Monday, July 29
2 p.m.
All ages. Join storyteller and musician Tricia and her frog puppet named Hopscotch for a camp singalong program filled with interactive stories, movement, and music!
Kids Olympics
Monday, August 5
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
All ages. Celebrate your summer reading success and the Paris Olympic Games with an end-of-summer field day. Join us for an afternoon of outdoor activities on the library’s lawn, including an obstacle course, races, and group games. In the event of bad weather, activities may be adapted and moved inside.
Adult Program Highlights
Culinary Connections: Adult Recipe Club
Tuesdays, June 4, July 2, August 20
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Each month, we’ll gather to discuss and exchange recipes, cooking tips, and favorite dishes, all centered around unique monthly themes. From appetizers to desserts, there’s something for everyone in Culinary Connections. Share your favorite recipes, learn new techniques, and embark on a delicious adventure with us. (June: Adventurous Appetizers, July: Childhood Favorites, August: Delightful Desserts.) Register at dtdl.org/events.
Summer Book Crawl
June 25, July 25, August 17
Ages 18+. Meet up with other adults in the community this summer with the DTDL Summer Book Crawl. (June: Books and Games at Frank’s Pressbox (6:30 p.m.), July: Mocktails (TBD), August: Reading Party at The Brew (12-2 p.m.)) Register at dtdl.org/events.
Tiny Steps Today: Home Edition
Thursdays, June 27, July 25, August 22
6:30 p.m.
A program series designed for mid-stage adults who want to take a proactive approach to decluttering, organizing, and potentially downsizing their homes. (June: Amanda Liford:Downsizing On Your Own Terms in a Manageable Way, July: Mike Ivanovich: Your Children Don’t Want It. What Can You Do?, August: Maggie Gerich: Navigating the Home Selling Journey.) Register at dtdl.org/events.
Adult BookMatch Raffle
June 1-August 31
Participate in DTDL’s Adult BookMatch service this summer and you will be entered to win a $200 Meijer gift card. Each Adult BookMatch request from June 1 – August 31 earns an entry into the drawing. Up to two entries per person. Try out BookMatch here!
Ongoing Activities
We have additional activities for all ages that can be enjoyed anytime throughout the summer.
Adventure Passport
June 1 – August 17
All ages. Summer is the perfect time to explore and try something new! Pick up an Adventure Passport from DTDL starting June 1. Check off the activities as you complete them and turn in your card by August 17 to earn an adventure prize pack.
Summer Scavenger Hunts
June 8-August 17
All ages. Each week this summer we’ll debut a new library scavenger hunt. The final hunt (August 12-17) is a library quest for the whole family that will put your seeking and puzzle solving skills to the test!
Take It & Make It
All ages. DTDL offers free monthly Take It & Make It kits for kids and adults, with activities appropriate for different ages and skill levels (5 & under, 5-8, 9-18, and 18+). Kits may include arts & crafts, STEM, and/or literacy activities and each kit contains instructions and supplies for one or more projects. New kits are available each month while supplies last. Kits may be picked up at the library’s Youth Services desk. Learn more here.
Grab & Go Meal Kits
Tuesdays, June 4-August 27, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Fridays, June 21-August 2, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
DTDL partners with the Greater Lansing Food Bank to offer Grab and Go Meal Kits. Kits include a variety of food and anyone under 18 is eligible with no registration. Pick up a meal kit in the library lobby during the scheduled times. Kits may also be requested at the Youth Services desk or for carside pickup anytime.
MiLibraryQuest
June 19-July 31
Grades 6-12. Myths, monsters, and a virtual summer adventure! Pack your bags for a summer camp unlike any other. Decipher puzzles in a digital escape room to complete this quest and enter to win an Amazon gift card! Get started here.