Events

Join OPL at different parks and places for storytime, featuring stories, creative movement, music and more. Storytime is geared toward preschoolers, but all ages are welcome.  In January, learn about winter animals and hibernation.

Be a geologist! Be a paleontologist! Find out what these scientists have in common and the tools they use. Learn how different rocks were formed, observe some real fossils, and make your own. This is a free event for ages 6-12.

Lil Rosies Teaching Artist, Chloe Hug, from The Rose Theater will be visiting to lead an interactive storytime based on the book "Little Penguins" by Cynthia Rylant. Children and families will get to enjoy the story, participate in fun theater activities, and get excited as we prepare for our next show at The Rose Theater, "Mr. Popper's Penguins." Don’t miss this lively evening of imagination, singing, dancing, and storytelling—all inspired by penguins and the magic of live theater! All are welcome!

Join us as we travel around the globe exploring music and dance! This session will feature the story "Ten Oni Drummers" by Matthew Gollub, a delightful tale about silly ogres from Japan. We'll sing, dance, drum, and more! After storytime, children will be able to explore the props and instruments featured with representatives from Circle Theatre.

Fun crafts at The Learning Express.  Make a Bird Feeder.

A hilarious group of Big Canvas improvisers brings short-form improv for the whole family to the Blackstone district every 2nd Friday. Each show is a new adventure you don’t want to miss!

Visit participating locations and vote for your favorite Reuben dish! Voting will be open from January 10th-January 24th!

Because many of our resident raptors came in as adults, we don’t know their true hatchday. Come celebrate our chosen New Year’s Day hatchday with us on January 10th from 10AM-11AM in the Great Hall at Fontenelle Forest’s Nature Center.

Join for a guided hike to start the New Year and warm up with a cup of hot cocoa.

Calling all gamers! Have a blast learning how to code while building robotic games to test your code. You will learn about sequencing commands, value and sensor inputs, and loops. This month, kids will create a train. This is a free event for kids 6-9. Children under the age of 6 will not be admitted into this program. Registration is required.

Did you know every piece of fruit carries its own secret instruction manual for life? It’s called DNA! In this hands-on activity, you’ll choose a fruit, extract its real DNA, and then mix it with colorful watercolor inks to create your very own DNA-powered marker. Finally, put your marker to the test by drawing unique works of art—each one secretly hiding the full recipe for a piece of fruit.

Join instructor Alexis Espinoza-Arrubla as she leads a workshop on yoga and mindfulness for kids! This workshop offers a fun, engaging way for children and their caregivers to build body awareness, practice self-regulation skills and enhance overall well-being through practices such as yoga, mindful movement, games, relaxation techniques and arts + crafts. Limited yoga mats will be available, however, participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mat or blanket.

Come for the fun! Join live and in-person characters and all your friends at Midtown Crossing for wintery family fun. Warm up to activities and attractions at friendly retailers throughout the neighborhood, including story time and photos with characters; creativity stations; lunch specials and so much more!

Grab your team and get ready for a puzzle showdown! Everyone gets the same puzzle, and the race is on to see who can finish first. You’ll have two hours to put the pieces together and solve a small puzzle-related mystery. Only one team will take the crown as Puzzle Champions! Space is limited, and registration is required. Please only register once for each team. Teams are required to have a minimum of 2 members and a max of 5. One member of the team must be 19+. 

Season opener against LOVB Houston on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Bundle up and join Keep Omaha Beautiful educators for a wintery exploration of nature’s hidden magic! We’ll begin by reading "Jayden’s Impossible Garden," a heartwarming story about a boy who finds beauty and nature in unexpected places—even in the middle of a city. After our story, we’ll head outside on a short winter nature walk to observe animal tracks, bare branches, dried seed pods, and other signs of life that often go unnoticed in the colder months. Back inside, we’ll share our discoveries and create a collaborative mural that captures the quiet beauty of Omaha’s winter landscape.

The Camp Smile Pediatric Dentistry Team is coming to the store to take kids on a tooth-cleaning adventure! Their Brushing Friends will teach kids all the best brushing techniques, plus kids will get to practice flossing and discover which foods will keep their teeth strong and which ones won't. Everyone will go home with brighter smiles and bigger brains!

Fun crafts at The Learning Express.  Snowman Craft

Add your creativity to the library—or your own bookshelf! In this all-ages workshop, participants will decorate clear, acrylic bookends using paint, stickers, and more. You can choose to take your finished bookend home or donate it to the library. This is a free event for all ages.

Tea 101 is an interactive session led by staff from The Tea Smith. It is ideal for people who are new to tea or want to learn more about the history, legend, tastes and benefits of the world's most popular prepared beverage. Limited samples of tea will be provided. This is a free event for Adults 19+. Registration is required.

Join us for a fun filled weekend featuring some of your favorite Pixar characters and beyond!

Ages 2-6 Celebrate the amazing animals of the Arctic and Antarctic with stories, crafts, game, and activities inspired by penguins, seals, polar bears, and more.

Join us as we travel around the globe exploring music and dance! This session will feature the story "Ten Oni Drummers" by Matthew Gollub, a delightful tale about silly ogres from Japan. We'll sing, dance, drum, and more! After storytime, children will be able to explore the props and instruments featured with representatives from Circle Theatre.

Fun crafts at The Learning Express.  Penguin on Ice Sensory Bin

The early bird gets breakfast! Join us for a tasty assortment of breakfast items while learning about Iowa's feathered friends with accomplished birder Nic Salick. Learn more about the species that call Iowa home, get tips and tricks to improve your own bird identification skills, and see who's visiting the feeders from your indoor vantage point at the beautiful Loess Hills Lodge. This indoor program is designed for learners age 12 & over please. Cost is $15.00 per person & includes park admission, programming, and breakfast. Please meet at the Loess Hills Lodge. Be sure to indicate any food allergies when registering. For questions not answered online please call 712-545-3283.

Looking to explore the seasons with your little learner? Join us for our new program learning what happens in the forest as the seasons change – Little Learners: Seasonal Science! We’ll discuss what animals do as the seasons change, and explore science stations focused on winter, spring, or fall. Join us on a hike looking for snowflakes, spring shoots, or falling leaves, and make your own seasonal craft to take home!  

Free program for youth ages 18 and under. Come build a stuffed animal! Limited spots available. Must register ahead of time in person or by calling the library at 402-873-5609

Stop by and meet some real snow fairies! They're usually too busy this time of year covering our windshields and walkways with frost and ice, but they've carved some time out of their hectic schedules to fill our store with enchantment. Plus, we'll have a wintery craft for kids to make and take home! This weekend's forecast: a 100% chance of fun!

Do you have what it takes to rise as a true Warrior? Team up with your Clan, crack codes, and solve tricky puzzles before time runs out! Unlock the prize box and prove your strength in this thrilling escape room inspired by the bestselling "Warriors" series by Erin Hunter. For participants ages 13-18.

Join OPL for a Mario Kart tournament at the Downtown Branch. We will be playing the game on the Nintendo Switch 2. This is a free program for ages 11-13. Registration is required.

Calling all explorers and adventurers! Our friend Miss Tina is going to take us on an expedition to the far north - all from the comfort of our store! There will be stories about arctic wildlife, guided yoga, plus an exciting craft activity to make and take home. It's all the fun of the Arctic without the sub-zero temps!

Join us as we travel around the globe exploring music and dance! This session will feature the story "Ten Oni Drummers" by Matthew Gollub, a delightful tale about silly ogres from Japan. We'll sing, dance, drum, and more! After storytime, children will be able to explore the props and instruments featured with representatives from Circle Theatre.

Fun crafts at The Learning Express.  Tonie Swap & Storytime

Enter the world of Goosebumps with this program full of spooky fun inspired by R.L. Stine’s bestselling books! Kids will enjoy creepy crafts, ghoulish games, and interactive stations that bring the eerie excitement of the series to life. Perfect for brave readers and thrill-seekers alike! This is a free event for children ages 8-12.

Tea 101 is an interactive session led by staff from The Tea Smith. It is ideal for people who are new to tea or want to learn more about the history, legend, tastes and benefits of the world's most popular prepared beverage. Limited samples of tea will be provided. This is a free event for Adults 19+. Registration is required.

Bundle up and join Keep Omaha Beautiful educators for a wintery exploration of nature’s hidden magic! We’ll begin by reading "Jayden’s Impossible Garden," a heartwarming story about a boy who finds beauty and nature in unexpected places—even in the middle of a city. After our story, we’ll head outside on a short winter nature walk to observe animal tracks, bare branches, dried seed pods, and other signs of life that often go unnoticed in the colder months. Back inside, we’ll share our discoveries and create a collaborative mural that captures the quiet beauty of Omaha’s winter landscape.

Homeschool Only. Registration required

Pout Pout Fish will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.

Fun crafts at The Learning Express.  Winter Wishes Box

Explore the science of our amazing universe through hands-on activities!  Kids in Grades K-5 are invited to drop in anytime.  No library card or registration required. Note: This event takes place at the Main Library, 736 South St.

Travel back to the 1920s with Murder at the Juice Joint – an old-fashioned whodunnit in the magnificent setting of the Arbor Lodge Mansion. Solve clues, look for evidence, and break the case while mingling with new friends. Participants will receive a character to portray as they arrive at Arbor Lodge Mansion. Dress as a flapper or gangster or select from our props. $30/person. Space is limited.

Join for a geeky good time as we take over the Oak View Mall Jan 24-25 during normal mall hours. Vendors and artists will be spread throughout the entire mall - and pop up shops as well both upstairs and downstairs! Don't forget this FREE event has $250 cosplay showcase on Saturday afternoon. C'mon out and check out the action figures, posters, comics, Pokemon, original art, Funko pops, vintage video games, and other pop culture goodies.

Think you're a puzzle master? Want to enjoy a morning of puzzling!? Gather a team of 2-4 people (all age combos accepted) and race to assemble a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle. 1st and 2nd place winners will win a gift card. Puzzles are provided and teams get to take their puzzle home. Feel free to bring a drink to go with the donuts we are providing. Registration Information: This program will only be held if we get a minimum of 5 teams to register. You may sign up in advance by calling of visiting the front desk. On the day of the competition doors will open at 9:30 a.m. and the contest will begin promptly at 10 a.m. If you show up late you will be at a disadvantage.

Pout Pout Fish will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.

Wear your pajamas and bring a stuffed animal! Online Registration required. 

Calling all gamers! Have a blast learning how to code while building robotic games to test your code. You will learn about sequencing commands, value and sensor inputs, and loops. This month, kids will create a GoKart. This is a free event for kids 10-12. Children under the age of 10 will not be admitted into this program. Registration is required.

Grab your team and get ready for a puzzle showdown! Everyone gets the same puzzle, and the race is on to see who can finish first. You’ll have two hours to put the pieces together and solve a small puzzle-related mystery. Only one team will take the crown as Puzzle Champions! Space is limited, and registration is required. Please only register once for each team. Teams are required to have a minimum of 2 members and a max of 5. One member of the team must be 19+. 

Be a geologist! Be a paleontologist! Find out what these scientists have in common and the tools they use. Learn how different rocks were formed, observe some real fossils, and make your own. This is a free event for ages 6-12.

Join Naturalist Educator for a guided hike through Fontenelle Forest located at 1111 Bellevue Blvd N, Bellevue NE 68005. Come along as we explore the various flora and fauna of the Nature Center! The guided hike will last for 2 hours, traversing easy to moderate terrain; please dress accordingly. 

Come and discover what happens to molecules when they're put to the test! You'll see liquids become solids, soap become fluffy, and chip bags shrink, and you'll learn how molecules and chemical reactions make it all happen. It's the magic of the universe in action!

Add your creativity to the library—or your own bookshelf! In this all-ages workshop, participants will decorate clear, acrylic bookends using paint, stickers, and more. You can choose to take your finished bookend home or donate it to the library. This is a free event for all ages.

Pout Pout Fish will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.

You will be "locked" in a meeting room with puzzles, clues (and a few hints) to see if you have the smarts to figure out how to get out of our escape room! This escape room is based on the best-selling “The Last Kids on Earth” series by Max Brallier. This is a free event for kids ages 8-12.

Pout Pout Fish will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.

Let's make some music! Brains will grow and smiles will shine as kids work together to make some awesome music with Miss Kerry from @kindermusikomaha!

Fun crafts at The Learning Express.  Polar Bear Slime

Pout Pout Fish will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.

Join us as we travel around the globe exploring music and dance! This session will feature the story "Ten Oni Drummers" by Matthew Gollub, a delightful tale about silly ogres from Japan. We'll sing, dance, drum, and more! After storytime, children will be able to explore the props and instruments featured with representatives from Circle Theatre.

In this fun DIY Card-Making Workshop you have everything you need to customize greeting cards from the heart. You will learn how to hand-cut cards from premium Bristol paper and customize for any occasion. It's easy-to-follow and a perfect outing for individuals or groups to enjoy!

Bundle up and join Keep Omaha Beautiful educators for a wintery exploration of nature’s hidden magic! We’ll begin by reading "Jayden’s Impossible Garden," a heartwarming story about a boy who finds beauty and nature in unexpected places—even in the middle of a city. After our story, we’ll head outside on a short winter nature walk to observe animal tracks, bare branches, dried seed pods, and other signs of life that often go unnoticed in the colder months. Back inside, we’ll share our discoveries and create a collaborative mural that captures the quiet beauty of Omaha’s winter landscape.

Pout Pout Fish will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.

Fun crafts at The Learning Express.  Winter Wonderland Sensory Bin

It's a PARTY at the Blackstone Theater with Big Canvas Comedy. The improv teams are all new and it's guaranteed to be a barrel of laughs. Over a dozen performers will be on stage for ONE NIGHT ONLY. Don't miss out. Family friendly.

Tea & Tiaras is a charming small-group tea party designed just for little royals. Guests will enjoy a cozy tea-time experience, a themed craft, and a special visit from Princess Ariel, presented by Fairytale Omaha. This intimate, timed event offers extra magic and memorable moments for young guests.

Pout Pout Fish will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.