November Programming For All Ages
PLUS! A fully planned out November calendar you can download and fit to your programming schedule!
November is a month made for gathering, reflecting, and celebrating community. As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, libraries have the perfect opportunity to offer cozy, meaningful programs that bring people together. From gratitude journals and Friendsgiving potlucks to seasonal write-ins and fall craft workshops, November is full of ways to connect with patrons of all ages.
To help spark ideas, I’ve pulled together 90 library program suggestions—30 each for kids, teens, and adults—plus a sample calendar to show how you might schedule them throughout the month. Whether you want to highlight stories, food, or gratitude, these programs can be tailored to fit your library’s space, staff, and budget.
Kids (Ages 8–12)
Thankful Tree Craft – Create a giant tree from butcher paper and let kids add leaves with things they are grateful for. You can either cut out your own leaves or purchase a pack of leaves like THIS ONE for fairly low cost.
DIY Cornucopia Collage – Create paper food art.
LEGO Harvest Build – Farms, barns, and turkeys.
Storytime Feast – Read food-themed picture books and share snacks.
Kindness Bookmarks – Have kids create bookmarks with kind and positive messages to spread throughout library books for people to find.
Fall Leaf Rubbing Art – With crayons and real leaves.
Library Friendsgiving – Kids bring (or make) snacks to share.
Turkey Puppet Craft – Paper bag puppets.
Coding a Turkey Escape – Scratch coding project.
Harvest STEM: Build a Mini Scarecrow – With straws, sticks, and cloth.
Food Drive Kickoff – Kids decorate donation boxes.
Gratitude Journals – Simple handmade books are a great option for gratitude journals but if you don’t have time or are looking for something a little less involved these little notebooks are a great option and the kids can decorate them easily: CHECK THEM OUT HERE
Origami Turkeys – Search for an online tutorial and let the kids have at it! You can either have them cut their paper to size or you can use origami paper. Let me tell you, if you haven’t used origami paper before it is a gamechanger and timesaver! This pack is great for beginners: CHECK IT OUT HERE
Making Candy Salad – Provide some favorite holiday candies for kids to mix their own bag of “candy salad”
Board Game Afternoon – Choose classics like Sorry!, Guess Who?, and Connect 4 or try some new kid friendly games like THIS ONE or THIS ONE!
Cider & Story Hour – Hot cider and cozy stories.
DIY Pinecone Bird Feeders – If you live somewhere with lots of pine trees, I’m sure your neighbors would love help picking up the pinecones off their yard as is the case where I live! If not, you can still do this activity! You can get sets of pinecones at hobby and craft stores or order a large set like THIS ONE from Amazon!
Fall Bingo – Create your own or grab a cute set like THIS ONE to save time!
Thank You Card Station – For teachers, friends, or family. Get a variety of premade thank you cards or let them make their own with supplies you provide.
Harvest Puppet Show – Make paper bag puppets and let the kids perform short skits.
Acorn Math Games – Counting and patterns. You could do this a couple ways. Create or print out some Fall themed math worksheets for kids to do passively and get a treat. Or for a group program you can get some fake acorns like THESE ONES and split the kids into groups and give some math problems they can use the acorns to solve. For younger kids offer treats when they succeed. For older kids speed rounds and prizes are a great alternative!
Build a Gratitude Chain – Paper links hung around the library, each one listing something someone is thankful for.
Cozy Blanket Fort Reading Night – Indoor “camp-in.” Have kids bring their own blankets and provide tools like cardboard and MAKEDO TOOLS LIKE THESE to aid in their building! Give out small flashlights like THESE for a fun treat!
Silly Turkey Yoga – Poses like “flapping wings” or “stretching feathers.”
DIY Pumpkin Pie Slime – Scented sensory fun.
Corn Husk Doll Craft – Respectfully discuss the history and symbolism of the corn husk dolls as kids make them.
Harvest Story Walk – Picture book pages outside around the library or at a local park. Kids can read the story as they walk.
Autumn Obstacle Course – Indoor/outdoor fun.
Scavenger Hunt: Find the Missing Turkey – Hidden clues around library.
Fall Movie Afternoon – Family-friendly movie.
Teens (Ages 12–17)
DIY Vision Boards for Gratitude – Reflect on the year.
Friendsgiving Potluck – Teens bring food/snacks.
Cozy Book Swap – Bring a favorite book to trade.
Harvest Escape Room – Solve puzzles to “unlock the feast.”
Poetry Café: Gratitude & Growth – Open mic night.
DIY Fandom Pies – Decorate pies with fandom themes.
Journaling Workshop – Focused on thankfulness and reflection. Invite teens to bring their own journals or provide notebooks like these they can decorate to make their own: CHECK THEM OUT HERE
Mocktail Mixology Night – Seasonal cider and cranberry drinks. THESE PLASTIC COCKTAIL GLASSES add to the fun while kids mix their own mocktails from a list of drinks or make-up their own concoctions.
DIY Cozy Crafts – Knit/crochet basics, or fleece tie blankets.
Teen Volunteer Day – Pack food or help community drives.
Board Game Lock-In – Holiday break kickoff. Choose classic favorites or try some new board games like THIS ONE or THIS ONE!
Seasonal Write-In – A timed short-story write-in for aspiring teen novelists. Give them a random theme or let them bring their own and see who comes up with the best story!
DIY Gratitude Rocks – Paint positive messages on stones.
Gaming Tournament – Video or tabletop games.
Cooking Demo: Easy College Recipes – For older teens. Depending on how many teens normally attend your programs, you could even get each teen a cookbook for easy recipes. Someone gave me an earlier version of this one when I first moved it out and I still use it 15 years later I love it so much!: CHECK IT OUT HERE!
Fall Photography Contest – Give teens a list of scenes or objects they should capture around the library and have treats or prizes for those that finish.
Movie Marathon – Cozy fall films.
DIY Candle Making – DIY candles are surprisingly easier and you can get soy wax kits like THIS on Amazon to make prep a breeze. To make it even more fun try grabbing some Halloween scents like THESE so their candles fully embody the holiday!
“Worst Pie Ever” Baking Contest – Fun spin on cooking.
Anime Afternoon – Fall-themed anime screening.
Goal Setting Workshop – Looking ahead to new year.
Glow-in-the-Dark Dodgeball – Tape glowsticks to clothes, wear bracelets, necklaces, and rings then GRAB THESE GLOW-IN-THE-DARK DODGEBALLS and let the kids play!
Digital Art Workshop – Autumn palettes and themes.
DIY Friendship Bracelets – “Thankful for my friends.”
Dungeons & Dragons Harvest One-Shot – Seasonal fantasy quest.
Social Media Challenge – Share what they’re grateful for on social media and tag the library.
Trivia Night: Food, Friends, & Fall – Themed categories.
Cozy Playlist Swap – Teens share Spotify/YouTube mixes.
DIY Memory Jars – Teens can decorate mason jars and get ready to collect happy memories for the upcomign year.
Friendsgiving Photo Booth – Setup a cozy backdrop, grab some fun props LIKE THESE ONES, have teens grab a friend or hold up a sign of what they are grateful for, and take a pic!
Adults
Local Author Harvest Reading – Spotlight writers.
Gratitude Journaling Workshop – Provide notebooks like these they can decorate to make their own: CHECK THEM OUT HERE As well as a variety of markers, stickers, craft tapes, and some journaling prompts.
Holiday Cookbook Swap – Share favorite recipes for family favorite holiday dishes.
Fall Craft Workshop – Wreaths, candles, centerpieces, whatever you think your patrons will love.
Friendsgiving for Adults – Potluck at the library. Have everyone share their favorite “cozy playlist” songs for background music while they eat.
Local History Talk: Harvest Traditions in the area.
Community Recipe Collection – Gather favorite recipes into a booklet that the library can print and patrons can purchase.
Seasonal Write-Ins – Quiet space and times for novelists to get some serious work done on their writing masterpiece complete with seasonal snacks and treats.
DIY Pie Baking Class – Invite a local baker to teach things like how to make the perfect crust, recipes for the best filling, and have a delicious taste testing at the end.
DIY Paint Night: Autumn Edition – Seasonal colors.
Cemetery Tour – Invite a local historian to talk about symbolism and stories in the local cemetary.
Cozy Classics Book Club – A “comfort read” novel and coordinating snacks.
Knitting & Crocheting Circle – Make blankets/scarves for charity.
Volunteer Day – Pack food baskets or hygiene kits for local non-profit organizations.
Digital Decluttering Workshop – Dedicated time to organize devices (phone apps, photos, etc) before the holidays. And of course, provide snacks!
Movie Night: Thanksgiving Classics – Planes, Trains & Automobiles.
Fall Photography Walk – Capture beautiful seasonal landscapes for display at the library through the month of November.
Tea Tasting Night – Autumn blends.
Calligraphy Workshop – Grab some calligraphy pens LIKE THESE and make thank-you cards for friends, coworkers, or family.
Community Gratitude Wall – Create an ongoing display at library where patrons can share what they are grateful for. You can either cut out your own leaves or purchase a pack of leaves like THIS ONE for fairly low cost that will make it easier for people to share.
DIY Holiday Gift exchange – Handmade candles, soaps, sewing projects, and more! Have people bring some of their favorite handmade things to exchange to get holiday gifts for their friends and family.
Retro Video Game Night – Gather favorite nostalgic video games and give adults a night to decompress from holiday stress playing games!
Meditation & Mindfulness Class – Pre-holiday stress relief.
Seasonal Gardening Workshop – Winter prep to have a thriving garden in the spring.
Traditions and Treats – Have participants bring their favorite holiday tradition to share to give and get ideas of new traditions to start.
Food & Film Night – Movie + themed snacks. Try a well reviewed documentary that people may not choose to watch on their own but will find interesting.
“Declutter Before the Holidays” Workshop – Minimalist living tips and tricks. You can also partner with a local non-profit to have an ongoing donation bin through the month where people can donate as they declutter.
Veterans Day Remembrance Program – Invite speakers/veterans.
Cozy Mystery Book Club – Have people bring their favorite cozy mystery, a fuzzy blanket, comfy clothes...and if you’re extra invested, serve cider and cocoa for the full effect!
Cozy Concert – Local musicians perform folk/acoustic.
With so many options, November programs can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. Even a small craft or gratitude activity can make patrons feel connected and valued. Think of these ideas as a starting point—mix and match them, add your own twist, and create experiences that reflect your community’s unique spirit. And if you try out any of these November programs, I’d love to hear which ones brought the most warmth and joy to your library!
For your fully planned November program calendar fill out the form below!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Affiliate links may be used anywhere on this site but most often appear in blog posts.
