Public school is out until the end of August. But Children’s Librarian Kim Ivers is again working to keep kids from singing, “No more pencils, no more books”!
The Summer Reading program launched last week. And Ivers is challenging town kids to read more books than last year’s all time high – 7,145 books.
This summer’s theme is “Building a Better World”. In keeping with it, children will add new “bricks” to the “library” every time they share how many books they have read.
Throughout the summer, children can participate in challenges:
- Ladder Challenge: When kids do each task on the ladder they can color in a rung. When all rungs are colored in, they can bring it in to be hung up on the door.
Toolbox Challenge: Kids get a “toolbox” and try to collect tools to build a better world (friends, flowers, music, family, etc). Each week there will be questions to answer and a puzzle to solve in order to collect that week’s picture. Try to collect all 8 pictures in the toolbox. There are different puzzles for younger and older children.
- Hidden Tools: 4 tools are hidden around the children’s room for kids to find. The tools move each week to new hiding places.
And, there’s the return of regular summer reading program favorites:
- Ducks: The rubber friends are back and a few new ones have been added (Lily Waddles and Billy Waddles, Quack Sparrow, Sprinkles the Cupcake Duck, Daffy-Dil to name a few). Ducks can be checked out for 2 weeks and kids can document their adventures on papers that go with each duck, along with adding pictures. All the pages with the ducks’ adventures are added to a notebook for library visitors to look through.
- Raffle drawings: Every time kids visit the Children’s Room, they can enter their name for the weekly drawings. Winners get to choose a prize from the box.
Special entertainers, drop-in programs and storytimes will also keep kids coming back for more. Details on the programs scheduled for the summer are below. No registration is necessary.
Special entertainers
These programs will be held on the Main Level of the Library:
- Sciencetellers (Wednesday, June 28 , 3:00 – 4:00 pm): We’re kicking off Summer Reading with Sciencetellers. They’ll be bringing “Tall Ships and Pirate Tales!” This is a great program for wanna be pirates! (Sponsored by The Friends of the Southborough Library)
- Trevor the Juggler (Thursday, July 6, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm): Trevor the Juggler will amaze you with his juggling tricks! All are welcome! (Sponsored by Fay School)
- Storyteller Davis Bates (Tuesday, July 18, 3:00 – 4:00 pm): Singer and storyteller Davis Bates will be at the library with “Under One Sky: Stories and Songs to Build a Better World.” Registration is not required. (Funded,in part, by the Southborough Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the MA Cultural Council)
- Creature Teachers (Tuesday, July 25, 3:00 – 4:00 pm): Creature Teachers are returning with all kinds of amazing animals. What will they bring? Come and find out!
- Mr. Vinny Bubble Guy (Tuesday, August 1, 4:00 – 5:00 pm): There will be fun for all as big, giant, beautiful bubbles fill the air above while “Mr. Vinny” makes jokes, answers questions. (Sponsored by The Friends of the Southborough Library)
- Magician Ed Popielarczyk (Thursday, August 10, 3:00 – 4:00 pm): Magician Ed Popielarczyk will entertain chilren with his magic and balloon twisting! (Sponsored by The Friends of the Southborough Library)
- Mad Science (Thursday, August 17, 3:00 – 4:00 pm): Discover “The Science of Superheroes” with this great Mad Science program. Learn about the science of flight, what makes things invisible and how superheroes walk up walls! (Sponsored by The Friends of the Southborough Library)
Drop-in programs
The following programs through the summer allow kids to drop-in anytime between 10:30 am – 5:00 pm to enjoy special activities:
- Legos at the Library – Tuesday, July 11, Thursday, August 3, and Tuesday, August 15 (in the Eaton Meeting Room)
- Fun with Science – Thursday, July 13 (in the Children’s Room)
- Drop-in Craft – Thursday, July 20 and Tuesday, August 8 (in the Children’s Room)
- Games & Puzzles Day – Thursday, July 27 (in the Eaton Meeting Room)
Pajama Storytimes
The popular story times are back again, starting next week. These take place outside on the library lawn, so bring a blanket. (In inclement weather, these will be held in the Children’s Room.)
They take place 7:00 pm on Wednesday evenings from July 5th to August 16th.
The annual kids’ 4th of July parade
An annual tradition, the only Independence Day parade in town takes place prior to the holiday. children and their parents or caregivers are invited to march in the parade from the Library to the Town House. Flags, noisemakers and hats will be lent to the children. Refreshments are served after in celebration.
This year it takes place on Thursday, June 29th, with the procession beginning at 11:00 am. (Sponsored by The Friends of the Southborough Library)
