The Southbury Public Library Youth Services
department is pleased to announce events for February 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:
Tunes & Tales (Recommended for Ages 5 & Under) – Thursday, February 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 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.
Take Your Child to the Library Day: Craft-a-thon (All Ages) – Saturday, February 3, While Supplies Last, Second Floor. We're celebrating the 13th annual Take Your Child to the Library Day! Stop by the Youth Services department for our Make or Take Craft-a-Thon. Make your craft while you browse for books or take home a fun and exciting winter or Valentine's paper craft to make later! Appropriate for all ages, though young children may need assistance.
Take Your Child to the Library Day: Drop-In Storytime (All Ages) – Saturday, February 3, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, No Registration Required. Join us on Take Your Child to the Library Day for a special drop-in storytime. We'll share books, rhymes, songs, and lots of fun!
Drop-In Storytime (All Ages) – Monday, February 5, 12, 26, 10-10:30am and 11-11:30am, Storytime Room, No Registration Required. Library closed on February 19. Join Miss Jen for stories, rhymes, and a small craft.
Babies & Books (6-24 months) – Tuesday, February 6, 13, 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.
ARTuesday (All Ages) – Tuesday, February 6, 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.
Toddler Time (Ages 2-3) – Wednesday, February 7, 14, 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.
Lego Club (Ages 5-10) – Thursday, February 8, 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.
Make or Take Craft (All Ages) – Saturday, February 10, 17, 24, 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.
Bookcrafters Book Club Series (Grades 1-5) – Saturday, February 10, 2-3pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join us to read, talk, and create! We will read and discuss a picture book and then do a craft based on the book. This month's theme is Our Favorite Books! Katie will share "My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World" by Malcolm Mitchell. We will discuss our own favorite books, and learn how to make a heart-shaped book of our own. Feel free to bring your own favorite book if you want to show it during our discussion.
Tiny Food Explorers (Ages 2-5) – Tuesday, February 13, 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.
Trivia & BINGO Afternoon (Grades 2-5) – Tuesday, February 20, 2:30-3:30pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required. Need some vacation fun? Come warm up with some games at the library! Join Miss Jen for Book, Movie and TV Trivia, followed by a game of themed BINGO. All participants will be awarded a prize for competing.
Family Trivia Night (All Ages) – Friday, February 23, 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!
Homeschool Hangout (Grades 1-12 & Families) – Tuesday, February 27, 1-2:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Required. Homeschool families: stop by the library for an afternoon of games and socializing. This is a great time to meet up with old friends, make new friends, and connect with your librarians. While here, learn about all of the library resources, borrow some great books, and sign up for some of our amazing programming.
Food Explorers: Three Cheese Pizza Bites (Ages 6 & Up) – Thursday, February 29, 4:30-5:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join Food Explorers to make Three Cheese Pizza Bites! You’ll be using crescent roll dough and filling your pizza bites with a delicious three cheese filling. You’ll dunk your cheesy pizza bites in marinara sauce to finish off the dish! Recipe is nut free but will contain dairy and gluten.
Teen Programs:
The Junior Friends (Grades 6-12) – Thursday, February 1, 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!
The A in LGBTQIA+ (Grades 6-12 & Adults) – Tuesday, February 6, 6-7pm, Kingsley A&B, Registration Requested. In this talk with Cody Daigle-Orians (they/them) of Ace Dad Talks, we'll learn the basics of asexuality: how it works, who's in the community, and what we can learn from the asexual community. We'll also talk about ways we can create more affirming and inclusive space for the asexual folks in our schools, in our workplaces and in our lives, with a special focus on how to support asexual youth.
Tiny Art Show Submissions Due (All Ages) – Thursday, February 15. All submissions for our Tiny Art Show are due by 9pm on Thursday, February 15!
Teen To-Go Craft Kits: Koala Cord Keeper (Grades 6-12) – Starting Tuesday, February 20 while supplies last, Second Floor. Pick up complete kits to make a Koala Cord Keeper from the Teen Department while supplies last. Each kit will have instructions and all supplies needed (except scissors).
Family Trivia Night (All Ages) – Friday, February 23, 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!
Homeschool Hangout (Grades 1-12 & Families) – Tuesday, February 27, 1-2:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Required. Homeschool families: stop by the library for an afternoon of games and socializing. This is a great time to meet up with old friends, make new friends, and connect with your librarians. While here, learn about all of the library resources, borrow some great books, and sign up for some of our amazing programming.
Teen Advisory Board (Grades 6-12) – Tuesday, February 27, 6-7pm, Tutor Corner. Teen Advisory Board (TAB) members can directly influence our teen book and AV collections, teen programming and events, and other teen services. Each monthly meeting opens with a discussion about ideas for programs, materials, and more and closes out with some special volunteer projects. If you are interested in becoming a TAB member, fill out the application form on our website at southburylibrary.org/TAB and we will contact you.
Reading Programs for Children & Teens:
1000 Books Before 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 – Ongoing, Online at southburylibrary.beanstack.com. 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!). For Grades 9-12. Registration Required.
February Monthly Mini Reading Challenge (All Ages) – February 1-29, Online at southburylibrary.beanstack.com. Join us on Beanstack for our next Mini Monthly Reading Challenge, themed For the Love of Reading! Complete the challenge within the month, and get a SurPRIZE! February’s challenge consists of five hours of reading.
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/