The Southbury Public Library Youth Services department is pleased to announce events for April 2024 for children and teens. We are offering a variety of programs this month. All programs are generously sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. For more information and to register online please visit our website: www.southburylibrary.org/events.
Children’s Programs:
Drop-In Storytime (All Ages) – Monday, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 10-10:30am and 11-11:30am, Storytime Room, No Registration Required. Join Miss Jen for stories, rhymes, and a small craft.
Kids Who Code (Grades 3-5) – Monday, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 4-5pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Kids Who Code is a 6 week computer science program series, where participants can build confidence and have fun! We will grow our project management and problem-solving skills while learning to code through the online program Scratch. Our program is based on the curriculum of the nonprofit organization, Girls Who Code.
Babies & Books (6-24 months) – Tuesday, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Babies & Books is a 6-week lapsit program for children 6 to 24 months and their parents/caregivers. Listen to short stories and songs, and enjoy a small craft or sensory play.
Toddler Time (Ages 2-3) – Wednesday, April 3, 10, 17, 24, and May 1, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Toddler Time is a 6-week program for children ages 2 & 3 years and their parents/caregivers. Listen to stories and complete a small craft or sensory play activity.
Tunes & Tales (Recommended for Ages 5 & Under) – Thursday, April 4, 11, 18, 25 and Friday, April 5, 12, 19, 26, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, No Registration Required. Join Miss Jen for a morning filled with music and stories! Children will sing, dance, and experiment with simple musical instruments.
Make or Take Craft (All Ages) – Saturday, April 6, 13, 20, 27, While Supplies Last, Second Floor. Stop by the Youth Services department on Saturdays this month to make a thematic craft. Make it here or bring it home. Crayons and glue available in the library.
Saturday Drop-In Storytime (All Ages) – Saturday, April 6, 11-11:30am, Storytime Room, No Registration Required. Join Miss Jen for stories, songs, and a small craft.
Tiny Food Explorers (Ages 2-5) – Tuesday, April 9, 11am-12pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join Tiny Food Explorers for some fun with food! Come and explore new flavors and textures while playing games all about food and MyPlate! You’ll make a hands-on healthy snack that even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy.
ARTuesday (All Ages) – Tuesday, April 9, 5-6pm, Storytime room, No Registration Required. Stop by for a playful, messy, and expressive art experience where there is no right or wrong. Come play and experiment with a variety of art mediums and themes. Smocks recommended.
Garden Flowers Painting with Miss Laleh (Ages 7 & Up) – Monday, April 15, 2-3pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join talented art teacher Miss Laleh as she guides us through the steps to paint beautiful garden flowers!
Lego Club (Ages 5-10) – Thursday, April 18, 4:30-5:30pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join us for an afternoon of LEGO fun! We’ll provide the LEGO bricks, and you bring the creativity! You can free build, or work off of instructions.
Food Explorers Baking: Caramel Cheesecake Cookies & Strawberry Shortcake Cups (Grades 2-5) – Tuesday, April 16, 10am-12pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join Food Explorers for a special two hour baking workshop! You’ll be making two delicious recipes from scratch and making your own individual servings: Caramel Cheesecake Cookies & Strawberry Shortcake Cups! Recipes are nut free but will contain dairy, eggs, and gluten.
Block Printing Craft (Ages 6 & Up) – Tuesday, April 16, 2:30-3:30pm, Storytime room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join Ms. Jen to make art using the process of printmaking! You will carve designs into foam to create your unique printing tool. This craft involves paint, so dress to get messy! Younger participants may need the assistance of an adult.
Power of Words: Bracelet and Keychain Craft with S.M.A.R.T. (Grades K-8) – Friday, April 19, 1-2:30pm, Storytime room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join us to bring some self-care & awareness to your child's vocabulary by making positive word bracelets & keychains with a fun and interactive discussion focused on intentional language and using positive words towards self and others.
Family Trivia Night (All Ages) – Friday, April 26, 6:30-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join us for another Family Trivia night! Work together as a family team to answer our trivia questions! We'll have a variety of topics, including kid-centric knowledge, general information, and questions aimed at parents, too. The family who answers the most questions correctly will win a $100 gift card to Riverview Cinemas!
All About Opossums: Backyard Wildlife (All Ages) – Sunday, April 28, 1-2pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required. Learn all about opossums and wildlife rehabilitation with Pam and Bill Lefferts of Ferncroft Wildlife and their opossum ambassadors! Meet Mango and Sherman, gentle opossum ambassadors (who cannot be released), who will be there to greet and take photos.
Teen Programs:
The Junior Friends (Grades 6-12) – Thursday, April 4, 6-7:30pm, Lower Level (Basement), Registration Required. Earn service hours while supporting the Friends! We’ll be working with the Friends on projects relating to their Lobby Sale and Annual Book Sale. The Junior Friends meet every first Thursday from 6-7:30pm. Come just this once, or join us every month!
Pom-Pom Cacti (Grades 6-12) – Thursday, April 11, 6-7pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Make pom-pom cacti! We'll turn yarn into very easy to care for cacti, no green thumb required!
Cute Animals Hangout (Grades 6-12) – Monday, April 15, 2-3pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Come hang out with a variety of cute animals, both furry and scaly! Meet, interact with, feed snacks to, and pet a variety of animal friends including bunnies, ferrets, sugar gliders, snakes, a bearded dragon, and more!
Food Explorers: 2 Hours of Baking (Grades 6-12) – Tuesday, April 16, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join Food Explorers for an afternoon of hands on baking! You’ll be baking two recipes from scratch: Pear Rolls (featuring handmade dough and a delicious icing) and Tiramisu Cookies (featuring coffee flavored cookies with a light and fluffy frosting). Recipes are nut free but will contain dairy, eggs and gluten.
Protect Your Peeps (Grades 6-12) – Wednesday, April 17, 2-3pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Multiple Teams, Multiple Peeps. One Goal: Destroy the other teams' peeps before they destroy yours. Build a fort and then try to destroy the other teams' peeps with marshmallows! Please note: marshmallows and Peeps both contain gelatin.
Food Explorers: Cannoli Pie (Grades 6-12) – Tuesday, April 23, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join Food Explorers for a delicious dessert program! You might’ve had cannolis, but have you ever had Cannoli Pie? You’ll be making this tasty creation by making a graham cracker crust from scratch and a filling made with classic cannoli ingredients like ricotta, powdered sugar, and chocolate chips. This recipe is nut free but will contain dairy and gluten.
Family Trivia Night (All Ages) – Friday, April 26, 6:30-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join us for another Family Trivia night! Work together as a family team to answer our trivia questions! We'll have a variety of topics, including kid-centric knowledge, general information, and questions aimed at parents, too. The family who answers the most questions correctly will win a $100 gift card to Riverview Cinemas!
All About Opossums: Backyard Wildlife (All Ages) – Sunday, April 28, 1-2pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required. Learn all about opossums and wildlife rehabilitation with Pam and Bill Lefferts of Ferncroft Wildlife and their opossum ambassadors! Meet Mango and Sherman, gentle opossum ambassadors (who cannot be released), who will be there to greet and take photos.
Reading Programs for Children & Teens:
Spring Book Bingo (Grades 6-12) – March 1-May 31, On Paper and Online on Beanstack. Starting March 1, pick up a Book Bingo Card (or use Beanstack) and make Bingo by reading books in different fun categories to make rows horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Making bingo (or multiples) can earn you raffle entries for a $50 Visa Gift Card! Fill out your whole card and get a special library mug with candy inside!
April Monthly Mini Reading Challenge (All Ages) – April 1-30, Online at southburylibrary.beanstack.com. Join us on Beanstack for our next Mini Monthly Reading Challenge, themed Discover the Solar Eclipse! Read for five hours (about 1-3 books for elementary, middle, and high school readers) and get a SurPRIZE. This month, we also have bonus mini prizes if you read more and/or if you complete some small activities.
1000 Books Before Kindergarten (Birth to Entering Kindergarten) – Ongoing, On Paper and Online on Beanstack. Read a book (any book!) to your newborn, infant, or toddler and keep track with a paper log or on Beanstack. Repeats count! 1000 books may seem like a lot, but if you read 1 book a day for 3 years, that’s 1095 books! 10 books a week for 2 years is 1040 books, and 3 books a day in one year is 1095 books. Every book you read you get one sticker, and if you finish you can get a certificate, small prize, and your picture on our wall of fame if you’d like! Pick up a paper log from the children’s department or visit southburylibrary.beanstack.com to get started online. For 0 to Entering Kindergarten.
100 Books Before Graduation (Grades 9-12) – Ongoing, Online at Beanstack. Read 100 books before High School Graduation! 100 books may seem like a lot (and it is), but it works out to about 1 book every 2 weeks. When you sign up, get a special tracking bookmark to fill out as you read. Make it to half way and get a $5 Gift Card to Dunkin' or The Bakery. Read 100 books and get a special throw blanket! Every 10 books you read, pick out something from the prize box (pins, stickers, animal sticky notes, and more!).
Spring Book Bingo (Grades 6-12) – March 1-May 31, On Paper and Online on Beanstack. Starting March 1, pick up a Book Bingo Card (or use Beanstack) and make Bingo by reading books in different fun categories to make rows horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Making bingo (or multiples) can earn you raffle entries for a $50 Visa Gift Card! Fill out your whole card and get a special library mug with candy inside!
Who Was? Reading Challenge – Ongoing, Upstairs Children’s Department. How many Who Was?, Where Was?, or What Was? books can you read? Get a checklist from our Children’s Department and keep track. Read 10 books and get your choice of special bookmark. You can repeat this challenge again if you read another 10. All Ages, Best for Elementary School. No Registration Required.
Please visit the Southbury Public Library website at www.southburylibrary.org/events for program details and registration information. Visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SouthburyLibraryYouthServices/