By LAURA DANIEL
Tiger Media NEetwork
Children are invited to dive into a world of color, creativity, and discovery at the Hays Public Library through a special program inspired by this year’s national summer reading theme: “Color Our World.” Designed for children ages 3 and up, the event offers a blend of games that build motor skills, creative crafts to spark imagination, and hands-on science experiments to ignite curiosity. Young participants will also get to plant their own seeds in upcycled garden containers—combining learning with sustainable fun.
No registration is required, and all are welcome.
“This program is built around the national theme developed by the Collaborative Summer Library Program,” said Kayla Ford, youth services manager at Hays Public Library. “We use the theme as a foundation to design enriching and age-appropriate activities throughout the summer. For ‘Color Our World,’ we created themed weeks that connect to the idea of home and community.”
The library is celebrating summer with a series of weekly themes designed to engage the community through fun and educational events. Upcoming themes include: Color Our Library, Community, Cuisine, Outdoors, Country, Bodies & Minds, Heritage, and Our Block.
Some events coming up that involve the Color Our World theme include:
- July 9 at 10:30 a.m. – Yoga Class with the Center for Health Improvement in the Gallery
July 10 at 10:30 a.m. – Art Therapy with Tracy from the Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center in the Gallery - July 16 at 10:30 a.m. – Snake Day with the Sternberg Museum in the Gallery
- July 16 at 2:00 p.m. – JetPack Jason performance in the Gallery
- July 18 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. – Sign up to read to animals at the High Plains Humane Society
- July 31 at 10:30 a.m. – Chalk Art Outside the Library
“Each week, all of our activities, storytimes, and community partnerships are tied to the theme,” Ford said. “For example, during ‘Color Our Library’ week, we hosted canvas painting sessions. The children’s artwork is now proudly displayed in the library.”
As part of the program, the library also incorporates a sustainability focus. Staff collect recyclable materials—like cardboard boxes and paperboard—for various activities. One highlight was a planting activity where children decorated their own upcycled containers before filling them with potting soil and Zinnia seeds provided by the library.
“We talked about the basics of caring for plants—sunlight, water, and healthy soil,” Ford said. “This activity isn’t just about planting a seed. It’s the beginning of teaching kids patience, responsibility, and the joy of watching something grow.”
This initiative is part of the library’s STREAM Team (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math), which focuses on offering educational experiences that are both engaging and accessible for all ages.
“Our mission at Hays Public Library is to provide valuable resources and experiences that enhance quality of life, expand knowledge, and inspire creativity,” Ford said. “We want to encourage lifelong learning, and we tailor our programming to meet the needs of even our youngest learners.”