There’s even more to explore after you Learn! Create! and Participate! with Wembly Wordsmith, Rita Readsmuch, her curious monkey pal Stanza, and their traveling rainforest wonderland.
Read & Chill Lounge
Can’t wait to dive into that brand-new book you just got? Head over to the Read & Chill Lounge, where you’ll find a pile of beanbags nestled in a grassy nook just begging you to curl up and crack open that book! Plus …
Pop in each weekend morning at 11 a.m. for a family wellness and yoga session with Namaste and Play.
Stick around for double-feature storytime sessions on the weekend with amazing picture book authors!
Saturday, Nov. 18
- 12 p.m. Francinelee Hand with the Tale of Claybe
- 1 p.m. Ruth Behar & Gabriel Frye-Behar with Pepita Meets Bebita
Sunday, Nov. 19
- 12 p.m. Francinelee Hand with the Tale of Claybe
- 1 p.m. Marta Magellan with Just Wild Enough!
Presented by
Books & Books Jr. & Author Autographing
When Rita Readsmuch isn’t traipsing around the children’s libraries of the world, her favorite place to explore is the towering stacks of our favorite independent bookstore, Books & Books – so she’s super excited about Books & Books Jr. setting up camp in Children’s Alley! That’s right, our friendly neighborhood booksellers are back with all the latest and greatest, from board books to YA. Swing by for book recommendations, author autographing, and more – you can even get some holiday shopping out of the way.
Click here for a schedule of presenting kids and young adult authors.
Presented by
Outdoor Games Space & Roving Performers!
We’re making room for our second-favorite thing to do after reading – playing! Keep an eye out for our games space equipped with outdoor diversions like giant dominoes and Connect 4, a beanbag toss, and more.
Guided hula hoop workouts will take place throughout the weekend, or you can just grab an available hoop and get spinning whenever you feel like it! Color your way into a rainforest wonderland at the nearby community coloring walls, featuring artwork from famed illustrator and author George O’Connor featuring our pals Wembly, Rita, and Stanza.
Always look up and around – you’ll spot jungle characters, balloon twisters, stilt-walkers, and more unusual creatures roaming the Alley from our friends at CircX and Dangerfun Entertainment.
The Children’s Trust
A haven for little ones and their families, The Children’s Trust Book Club tent is a space for toddlers and babies to build, play, and let their imaginations come alive through storytelling. Short, captivating workshops will also offer parents ideas on engaging their little ones around literacy.
Presented by
Kids Robot Academy
Educational, service, and home robots have entered a golden age of capability and possibility, and Jean Duteau, Ph.D. – robotics engineer, MIT media lab alumnus, entrepreneur, and geek dad with 40 years of real-world robotics experience – will introduce everyone to this amazing field! Dr. Duteau loves to learn about human-robot interaction, service robots, robotics education, and robot interface design, and the mission of his Kids Robot Academy is to teach robotics and robot technology as a catalyst for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), inspiring a new generation of robotics students!
Swing by the Kids Robot Academy area for demonstrations on how mechanics, electronics, and coding are applied to build, control, and program today’s amazing robots. You’ll see real robots in action and can participate in hands-on activities like circuit building, robotic drawing, robot jousting, and soccer robot games!
Presented by
UHealth Jackson Teddy Bear Care
Step into the world of expert care and become part of UHealth Jackson Teddy Bear Care, where kids become doctors for a day to nurse teddy bears back to health! From general checkups and eye exams to more specialized care in our surgical suite, kids of all ages can guide bears through the getting-better process – and through the power of pretend play, they’ll explore their interests in the medical field and walk out of Children’s Alley a mini M.D.
Presented by
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
The Nicklaus Children’s Hospital tent is helping to get the conversation going! An interactive space to encourage discussions about thoughts and feelings in everyday life, kids will have the chance to channel their creativity and make their own conversation starter cards.
Presented by
Info Booth
Need a ticket to a workshop? Directions to a specific tent? A Wordsmith Passport to complete your Children’s Alley adventure? Just look for the Info Booth – X marks the spot! Grab a passport when you arrive, then complete activities around the Alley to get your adventure stamps. Once your passport is full, come back to the Info Booth to redeem it for a free book of your choice!
PedalYard Teach Your Child to Ride for the First Time!
All day Sunday in the lower plaza of Children’s Alley
Teach your child to ride a bike for the first time at PedalYard’s Learn to Ride Experience! This customized learning environment – accessible to all families with kids age 2 and older – provides everything you need, including expert coaches, directional signage, and, for the littlest riders, “Rocking Bikes.” For kids ages 2-10.
Presented by
