Turning a Class Visit Into a Fun Library Adventure

One of my favorite parts of working in the public library has always been hosting class visits in the Children’s Department. Each school year, we welcomed classes regularly, and every visit followed a familiar—but intentionally flexible—rhythm: a story (or two), a silly interactive song, an activity to get kids thinking or moving, promoting all of the library's offerings, and time to freely browse the collection.

Those visits weren’t just about listening to a book. They were about helping kids feel comfortable in the library—about showing them that this space belongs to them.

At the start of every school year, I focused on one big goal: helping students learn how to navigate the library independently. A library can feel overwhelming the first time you walk in, especially for younger patrons, so I wanted to make learning the layout fun, low-pressure, and memorable - knowing many of these kids had never visited us before. That’s where our scavenger hunt came in.

A Library Scavenger Hunt (With a Purpose)

Each visit began with a guided walk-through of the Children’s Department. Together, we explored the different shelving areas—holiday books, take-home kits, fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and more. I pointed out how materials were organized and explained what made each section unique. We also stopped at the card catalog computer so students could see how to search for items they were interested in.

Once everyone had a basic sense of the space, the real fun began. Students paired up (with a little help from teachers), and each pair received a slip of paper with a riddle. The answer to the riddle was always a type of material available in the department. Working together, students used the clues—and what they had just learned—to track down the correct item. When they found it, they brought it to the circulation desk to collect a small prize: a sticker, bookmark, sucker, or another simple reward.

The result? Total engagement.

Learning for Everyone

The scavenger hunt was always a huge hit—not just with the kids, but with the adults too. Teachers were often surprised at how much there was to discover, and many chaperones shared that they had never visited our public library before. Watching parents and teachers learn alongside students reinforced why these visits mattered so much: libraries are community spaces, and sometimes all it takes is one welcoming experience to make someone feel like they belong.

By the end of each visit, students weren’t just excited—they were confident. They knew where to look, how to ask questions, and how to find books that interested them. And during free browsing time, that confidence really showed.

A Simple Idea With a Big Impact

Hosting class visits doesn’t require elaborate programming or expensive supplies. Sometimes, a few riddles, a walk around the room, and a little encouragement are enough to turn a library into a place of discovery. Because when kids learn how to use the library, they don’t just visit once—they come back!

Outreach doesn’t always mean going into the schools—sometimes it means opening your doors and inviting them in. A visit to the public library is a free, educational field trip that offers students hands-on learning while giving teachers a chance to explore everything the library has to offer. Class visits are a great opportunity to highlight free resources that can support classroom lessons, introduce educators to collections and tools they may not be aware of, and encourage them to sign up for library cards of their own. When schools and libraries partner together, everyone benefits—and students gain a resource they can return to again and again.

*Examples of the riddles and clues we used during our scavenger hunts and the bookmark I hid inside the answers can be found [here].

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