Story times are a great FREE or inexpensive activity. Especially during the winter months, a good story time is just enough to get you out of the house and fend off cabin fever. Hosted at public libraries, bookstores, museums and other fun places, add in a fun craft activity, and a story hour can turn into a whole morning or afternoon of fun.
Find even more winter events and activities in our Winter Fun Guide and take a look at our calendar to find a story time happening each day of the week!
2020 winter story times for kids in Des Moines:
Some story times require registration others don’t. Please verify information before heading to a story time, since information may change.
Story Times at Des Moines Area Public Libraries
Altoona Public Library
The Altoona Public Library offers multiple story times each week.
Toddler Time: Mondays and Thursdays at 10:00 am
Storytime: Wednesdays at 10:00 and 10:30 am
Pipsqueak Playdate: Fridays at 11:00 am
Clive Public Library
Clive Public library offers several drop-in story times, as well as, story times that require advanced registration.
Baby Bear Laptime: Mondays at 10:30 am
Teddy Toddler Storytime: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 9:30 and 10:00 am
Big Bear Storytime: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 am
Saturday Stories: Saturdays, January 18, February 22 at 10:30 am
Des Moines Public Library
Story times and reading adventures abound at Des Moines’ six branch libraries.
Central Library
Evening Family Storytime: Tuesdays at 6:30 pm
Mother Goose on the Loose: Wednesdays at 9:30 am
Baby Rhyme Time: Wednesdays at 10:15 am
Preschool Storytime: Thursdays at 10:15 am
Toddler Storytime: Fridays at 10:15 am
East Side Library
Mother Goose on the Loose: Tuesdays at 10:30 am
Bilingual Storytime: Los martes (Tuesdays), a las 6:00 pm
Preschool Storytime: Thursdays at 10:30 am
Play, Grow, Learn!: Fridays at 10:30 am
Forest Avenue Library
Play, Grow, Learn!: Mondays and Thursdays at 10:15 am
Storytime: Wednesdays at 10:15 am
Franklin Avenue
Preschool Storytime: Mondays at 10:15 am
Baby Rhyme Time: Tuesdays at 10:15 am
Evening Family Storytime: Tuesdays at 6:15 pm
Creative Readers: Tuesdays at 4:00 pm
Toddler Storytime: Wednesdays at 10:15 am and 11:00 am
Play, Grow, Learn!: Thursdays at 1:00 pm
Saturday Family Storytime: 2nd Saturday of the month at 10:30 am
North Side
Mother Goose on the Loose: Tuesdays at 10:30 am
Evening Family Storytime: Wednesdays at 6:30 pm
Storytime: Thursdays at 10:30 am
South Side
Evening Family Storytime: Mondays at 6:30 pm
Toddler Storytime: Wednesdays at 10:00 am
Preschool Storytime: Thursdays at 10:00 am
Grimes Public Library
Storytimes are offered Tuesday through Friday for little ones ages 0 to 5 at the Grimes Public Library.
Toddler Time: Tuesdays at 9:30 and 10:00 am
Preschool Storytime: Wednesdays at 9:30 and 10:00 am
Storytime: Thursdays at 6:30 pm and Fridays at 10:00 am
Baby Lapsit: Fridays at 9:00 am
Indianola Public Library
The Indianola Public Library will be open limited hours January 6-18, 2020. After that, toddlers and preschoolers can enjoy story time.
Toddlers Wiggle: Tuesdays at 10:30 am
Preschoolers Jump: Thursdays at 10:30 am
Saturday Stories: 4th Saturday of the month at 10:30 am
Johnston Public Library
The Johnston Public Library offers story times for kids starting as young as newborns.
Storytime Together: Mondays at 9:30 and 10:00 am and Wednesdays at 10:00 am
Press Play!: Tuesdays at 9:30 am
Bouncing Babies: Thursdays at 9:15 am
Pleasant Hill Public Library
The Pleasant Hill public library offers story times to toddlers and preschoolers.
Toddler Time: Tuesdays at 10:30 am
Preschool Storytime: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 am
Urbandale Public Library
The Urbandale Public Library has plenty of regularly scheduled story time options.
Baby Bounce: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9:00 am
Toddler Time: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:00 am
Family Story Time: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:45 am; 1st & 3rd Tuesdays at 6:00 pm
Rise and Shine: Thursdays at 10:00 am
Waukee Public Library
The Waukee Public Library has a number of story times scheduled for young kids.
Books and Babies: Mondays at 10:00 am and Tuesdays at 9:15 am
Toddler Time: Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:00 am and Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11:00 am
Preschool Storytime: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:00 am; Tuesdays at 1:30 pm and Wednesdays at 11:00 am
Stories & Stretches: Thursdays at 6:15 pm
West Des Moines Public Library
In addition to the story times listed below, the West Des Moines Library has several story times that you can register for. Visit their website for times and to sign-up.
Drop-In Mother Goose: Mondays at 9:30, 10:00 and 10:30 am
Drop-In Family Storytime: Mondays at 6:15 pm; Wednesdays at 9:15 and 10:30 am
Drop-In Lapsit Lambs: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 and 10:30 am
Drop-In Oliver’s Puppy Tales: Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 am
West Des Moines Parks and Recreation
Join West Des Moines Parks and Recreation at the West Des Moines Public Library for a little story time fun January 7 – February 18, 2020.
Fun Time Story Time: Tuesdays at 10:30 am
Storytimes at Des Moines Area Book Stores
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
With two locations in West Des Moines it shouldn’t be too hard to find a story time this fall at a Barnes & Noble. Activities and crafts follow the events.
The Shoppes at Three Fountains
Storytime: Saturdays at 11:00 am
Jordan Creek
Storytime: Saturdays at 11:00 am
Storytimes at Des Moines Area Attractions, Museums & Other Spots
ARL
ARL hosts a monthly story time followed by a craft and special time with an animal. Visit their website to RSVP
Tales with Tails: 1st Tuesday of every month at 11:00 am
Des Moines Art Center
Gaze into a painting and listen to child-friendly stories during the Des Moines Art Center’s storytime.
Books + Blankets: 1st Thursday of each month at 11:00 am
Des Moines Children’s Museum
Enjoy a book with friends and then make a craft after hearing the story at the Des Moines Children’s Museum. January 2 – 30, 2020.
Storytimes: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:00 am.
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
Join the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden this winter February 7 thru April 24, 2020 for storytime under the dome.
Story Sprouts: Fridays at 10:30 am
Jester Park Nature Center
Let your imagination run wild with this fun, nature-themed story time hosted by Polk County Conservation.
Toddler Tales: 1st Thursday of the month at 10:00 am
State Historical Museum of Iowa
Look, listen and have fun while enjoying a short story at the Museum. Following storytime, there is a brief program exploring exhibits or objects. You must join Goldie’s Kids Club to attend storytime.
Goldie’s Kids Club: Storytime: 3rd Wednesday of the month at 10:00 am
Reiman Gardens
Reiman Gardens hosts a weekly nature-based storytime along with creative activities.
Caterpillar Club: Thursdays at 10:00 am
Did we miss one of your favorite Des Moines area winter story times? Let us know, so we can add it to the list.