38 things to do with little ones this fall

It’s a beautiful season! From playful family adventures to creative fun, fall is for connection and new ways to learn and grow. Take a peek at all the exciting happenings for families—curated by your public library and the Collaboration for Early Childhood—and we’ll see you around the neighborhood!

Activities

1. New year, new transitions: Caregivers, find books and videos to help smooth the way for new routines and schedules.
2. Is your child asking to reread the same book for the 100th time? Try these tips from a local parent and seasoned storytime pro on how to survive the endless re-read.
3. Get ready for fall with new and fun Early Bird Learning videos! Also, check out our new section for caregivers to learn about early learning. Right now, explore using nature to build literacy and science skills, and find tips on setting up reading times for success.
4. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) with your little ones through diverse books, engaging events, and fun videos!
5. Two fall essentials for families with new babies are a Baby Bundle and a library card!
6. Every month is a good month to share stories from Native authors.
7. Does your child have a disability or a new disabled classmate? Disabilities are a normal, neutral part of life, and this video shares one way and one book to start a conversation. You can learn how to find disability-affirming books in this video and find resources for children with disabilities on the Collaboration for Early Childhood’s website. 
8. Need to get rid of or find a new costume? Drop off old costumes between September 24 and November 5, and “shop the swap” at the Children’s Halloween Costume Swap on October 1 and October 3 from 10 am to 12 pm and 3:30 to 5:30 pm.
9. Join us for monthly supported Stories and Play at the Oak Park Public Library with local therapists! CAYR Connections will join us on September 25 and Kids Unlimited on October 23. 
10. The Oak Park Public Library is working together with Beyond Hunger to build home libraries in our community! We need your donations of children’s books in good condition (baby board books through young adult) to distribute to pantry clients. Donate to the Boo-ktober! Children’s Book Donation Drive October 1-12.

Storytimes

11. Storytimes in the Park continue through October 9! 
12. Supported Storytimes for kids with disabilities or support needs are now on Tuesdays at 4 pm.
13. Bewitched Storytime and Craft on October 24 will be filled with bewitching stories, songs, and potions!
14. Haunted Trails Tales in the Dark will be filled with light-fright fun stories. Come early and make Creepy Crawly Jars at Craft Corner, our intergenerational craft series, which will light the night beautifully! The fun starts at 5 pm on October 28, with stories at 6 pm.
15. Cuenta Cuentos con Kathy/Spanish Storytime With Kathy is held most Friday mornings at the Main Library. 
16. Bilingual Spanish Storytimes are available at the Oak Park Conservatory on the first Wednesday of each month.
17. And English Language Storytimes are at the conservatory the remaining Wednesdays each month.

Places

18. Harvest herbs at Maze’s Community Sensory Garden! Disabled kids and adults have been tending the garden all summer, and it’s flourishing.
19. Visit the Oak Park Conservatory for Toddler Exploration Times through November 21. 
20. Drop in on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for fun and free nature activities at Austin Gardens.
21. Brookfield Zoo hosts fun events like BOO! at the Zoo. Check if a zoo pass to admit two is available through the Museum Adventure Pass with your Oak Park library card.

Events

22. September 21: Fall Fest at Rehm Park and the Conservatory is fun for the whole family with carnival rides, music, games, and food vendors. Plus, stop by and see the bats and skunks at the conservatory! 
23. September 27: Head over to the Kids’ Root Beer Garden at Oaktoberfest to race a zucchini. Then take a ride on the Early Childhood Express, a trackless train hosted by the Collaboration for Early Childhood! 
24. October 3: Join us for rainbow stories and songs, along with nature-based science play, perfect for babies, toddlers, and their siblings, at Baby/Toddler Rainbow Nature Exploration.
25. October 4: The Tour de Proviso Bike Ride and Community Fair at Village Hall features a seven-mile family ride that kicks off at 8:30 am.
26. October 4: Are you expecting and feeling curious, excited, or maybe a little anxious about breastfeeding? Attend the Lactation 101 Workshop, a nurturing space designed to support both your physical and emotional well-being as you prepare for breastfeeding.
27. October 3: Kick off the weekend in Oak Park’s Pleasant District at First Friday!
28. October 15: Come prepared to dance and sing at the “Being Bilingual Rocks!” Kids Music Concert.
29. October 20-November 9: Check out the library’s Día de Muertos ofrenda.
30. October 25: Celebrate Fall Family Fun with a costume parade, treats in Hemingway District shops, and the Early Childhood Resource Fair at the Main Library.
31. October 25: Ring in the end of the Oak Park Farmer’s Market’s 50th season with the annual reading and sharing of Stone Soup.
32. October 25: New and expecting caregivers are invited to a workshop all about managing stress and building healthy coping skills during those exciting early days of parenting! 
33. November 1: Save the date for a Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead celebration in Scoville Park.
34. November 8: The Caregiver Collective workshop series kicks off with a session on active listening skills to transform relationships, and you are invited. 
35. November 9: This Sibshop for Kids 4-7 is an opportunity for kids who have a disabled sibling to come together, talk about their experiences, and play games! Caregivers are welcome to stay. 
36. November 12: Want to learn more about autism, ADHD, accommodations at home and on the go, and how to explain them to family members you don’t often see? Register to attend in person, via Zoom, and/or get a link to the slides and recording if you can’t make it. 
37. November 22: Enjoy photos with Santa, workshops, gifts, and a candy cane walk while you hunt for Cece in the local businesses at Toddlin’ Around Town and Santa Saturday in the Oak Park Arts District.
38. November 29: Get in the holiday spirit with a variety of family-friendly holiday activities during the Hemingway District Shop Small Celebration and Tree Lighting.