Spark Your Imagination With Summer Reading 2025 Activities for Ages 0-5

Explore science, technology, engineering, art and math with your little learner.

Welcome to Arapahoe Libraries’ annual summer reading program! This year's theme is "Spark Your Imagination," and the children's librarians are excited to explore the incredible world of science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). This year, ignite curiosity, foster learning and create joyful literacy experiences for children ages 0-5.

Along with themed programs, events and experiences at the library, the children's librarians have curated engaging activities that you can enjoy at home with your little ones. Let's dive into the world of STEAM and discover how it supports early learning for your little ones.

Check out additional activities at home for kids 5-12 and teens 12-18.

Science

Science is all about curiosity, asking questions and trying something new. For our young scientists, try these activities that encourage observation and experimentation.

Sink or Float

• Fill a large bowl or container with water and gather different household items (water bottle, sponge, spoon toy, etc.).
• Ask your child if they think each item will sink or float, then test their predictions.

For babies, playing with water can be a wonderful sensory experience that supports cognitive development. You can also do this when giving your child a bath! Make sure your child has proper safety supervision during this activity.

What Will Happen Next

• Try some cause and effect or before and after. 
• Build a tower and let it fall. 
• Roll a ball and then put something in its path. 

Playing with your child and talking about what might happen, what does happen and what they can change expands their thinking and supports comprehension.

Get Outside

• Take a walk in your neighborhood or visit a nearby park. 
• Collect leaves, rocks and flowers, and have a conversation about your child’s findings.
• Discuss the different shapes, colors, and textures. Identifying objects and making comparisons are skills they will use when they go to school.

Technology

Technology can take the form of tools. Tools help to solve problems and make our lives easier. For our techie-tots, try these basic technological activities through play.

Simple Gadgets

• Introduce children to household gadgets like a flashlight, a thermometer or a kitchen timer.
• Show them how these tools work and let them experiment under supervision.

Digital Resources

• Explore our collection of recorded storytimes, opens a new window and electronic children’s materials from hoopla and Tumblebooks like e-books, audio and animated stories.
• Guiding your child’s digital engagement can be a positive addition to their physical learning.
• Learn more about technology for infants and toddlers, opens a new window or preschoolers and kindergartners, opens a new window from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

What Does It Do

• Talk with your child about what things are made to do like how a knife can help cut food, a cup is a vessel for a tasty drink and handles help us grasp objects like doors and drawers.

As we get older, it’s easy to forget that we use tools (simple and advanced) every day. When we highlight the purpose and value of everyday technology and tools, children gain background knowledge and learn how things work.

Engineering

Engineering is all about designing, building and problem-solving. For our little engineers, try these activities that inspire creativity and constructive thinking.

Build a Pillow Fort

• Use pillows, blankets, sheets, clothespins, toys and furniture to construct a castle, fort or cozy reading den.

This activity supports creative thinking, spatial awareness and imaginative play.

A Designer’s Dream

• Let your child draw their favorite place with paper and crayons.
• Have time for conversation about all the things they drew and why this is their favorite place.
• Then let them build it with things around the home.

This is a great time to introduce shapes to their vocabulary. For toddlers, letting them pick up and move objects and toys around a space build confidence, muscle strength and coordination. If your child isn’t walking yet, talk to them and describe your favorite places using descriptions and spatial words like “right”, “left”, “in front of” and “behind”.

Fold, Rip, Repeat

• Encourage your child to practice folding paper in different ways and talk about the shapes that are made.
• When the folding is over, rip the paper into strips and pieces and try to put them back together in different ways.

This activity builds hand strength and develops fine motor skills. All you need is paper!

Art

Expression. Creativity. Emotions. Art allows us to express who we are. For our practicing artists, we have example activities that help explore various materials and methods.

Finger Painting

• Set up an area with washable finger paints and large sheets of paper.
• Baking trays can be a great alternative.
• Encourage littles to create masterpieces using their hands and fingers.

If your child is very little, be careful of messy hands getting inside their mouth.

Collage

• Gather old magazines, colored paper, newspaper and child-safe scissors.
• Let your child cut out strips, shapes and pictures to create a collage on a piece of cardboard or a clean sheet of paper.

Young children will have to use their hands for numerous tasks when they go to school. This practice helps set the stage for success.

DIY Playdough

• Make some non-toxic, edible homemade playdough. Be aware, even though it is edible, it doesn’t taste good.
  • Ingredients: 1 cup of salt, 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of warm water, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and a few drops of food coloring (the food coloring is optional).
  • Knead dough with hands.
  • Extra flour may be placed on hands to make the dough less sticky.
• Encourage children to press, pull, punch and mold dough. Handprints or shapes may also be made. 
• Ask your child about their creations and talk about them together.

Math

Math is everywhere. In numbers, patterns and relationships. For young mathematicians, try these activities that make learning numbers and counting fun for everyone.

Shape Sorting

• Cut out a variety of shapes using colored paper or color the shapes yourself.
• Encourage your child to sort the shapes in different ways like by type, size or color.

Pattern Play

• Create simple patterns using colored buttons, crayons, paper, toys or stickers.
• An example can be red, green, red, green, and so on.
• Challenge your child to continue the pattern or start over and create their own.

Patterns help children learn to sequence and make predictions.

Counting Games

• Use items around the home like toys, blocks or snacks to practice counting.
• For example, line up ten toys and count them slowly together or count the number of crackers on a plate.

Using fingers and objects to count supports fine motor development and visualization.

While doing these activities together, remember your goal is to spark curiosity, explore something new and have fun!

Don’t forget to keep track of your activities and come to the library to claim your summer reading prize. Happy reading and creating with your little scientist!