The Southbury Public Library Youth Services department is pleased to announce an offsite and virtual event list for October 2025 for children and teens. 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:
StoryWalk: I Am a Bird (All Ages) – Wednesday, October 1 through Saturday, November 1, Along Sidewalk Near Old Field Road. A StoryWalk is a movement and literacy boosting project that places an illustrated children’s book, taken apart and displayed page by page, along a walking route. Take a stroll along our fall selection, I Am a Bird, by Dana Walrath! You can find the StoryWalk outside on our grounds, along the sidewalk near Old Field Road. Enjoy an accompanying activity inside the library after you finish the Storywalk (during library's open hours).
Tunes & Tales (Recommended for Ages 5 & Under) – Thursday, October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 10:30-11am, Kingsley Room, No Registration Required. Join Jen for a morning filled with music and stories! Children will sing, dance, and enjoy a thematic craft.
Take or Make Craft (All Ages) – Saturday, October 4, 11, 18, 25, Second Floor, While Supplies Last. Stop by the Youth Services Department on Saturdays this month to make a thematic paper craft. Make it here or bring it home. Crayons and glue available in the library. Appropriate for all ages. Young children may need assistance.
Drop-In Storytime (All Ages) – Monday, October 6, 20, 27, 10:30-11am, Kingsley Room, No Registration Required. Join Jen for an all-ages storytime! We'll share books, rhymes, and songs, and a small craft will be available to make with us or take home.
Babies & Books (6-24 months) – Tuesday, October 7, 14, 21, 28, and November 18, 25, 10:30-11am, Kingsley 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.
Animal Meet & Greet with Furry Scaly Friends (Ages 2-5) – Tuesday, October 14, 11am-12pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join Furry Scaly Friends for an interactive animal event! Critters such as ferrets, guinea pigs, rabbits, hedgehogs, turtles, snakes, prairie dogs and more will be present, and interaction with many of the animals is encouraged, but not mandatory.
Animal Meet & Greet with Furry Scaly Friends (Ages 5-11) – Tuesday, October 14, 4:30-5:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join Furry Scaly Friends for an interactive animal event! Critters such as ferrets, guinea pigs, rabbits, hedgehogs, turtles, snakes, prairie dogs and more will be present, and interaction with many of the animals is encouraged, but not mandatory.
Tiny Food Explorers (Ages 2-5) – Thursday, October 16, 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.
Halloween Pumpkin Craft with the Southbury Garden Club (Ages 7-12) – Saturday, October 18, 11:30am-1pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join the Southbury Garden Club to create fun Halloween Pumpkin decorative crafts.
LEGO Club (Grades K-5) – Tuesday, October 21, 4:30-5:30pm, Kingsley 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.
Family Trivia Night (All Ages) – Friday, October 24, 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!
Make Your Own Mask (Grades K-5) – Wednesday, October 29, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join us to make a spooky, funny, or cute mask for Halloween (or any day you need to be in disguise!)
PJ Storytime (All Ages) – Thursday, October 30, 6-7pm, Kingsley Room, No Registration Required. Grab your PJs and a stuffie and join Jen for a drop-in PJ Storytime! Listen to bedtime stories, songs & rhymes and complete a small craft.
Pick Up a Halloween Goodie Bag! (All Ages) – Friday, October 31, Second Floor, While Supplies Last. Stop by the Youth Services circulation desk to pick up a fun Halloween goodie bag! We would love to see your costumes, but they are not required. While supplies last.
Teen Programs:
Teen Crochet Club (Grades 6-12) – Tuesday, October 7 & 21, 6:30-7:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Can attend any or all meetings. Join us for our crochet (and knitting) club, open to both new and experienced crafters alike. If you’re already working on a project, bring it with you. If you’re new to knitting and crocheting, get started with us! We will have basic knitting and crocheting supplies available.
Book Pumpkins (Grades 6-12) – Wednesday, October 15, 4-5pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join us to upcycle an old book into a pumpkin! These gourd-geous crafts are surprisingly easy to make. All supplies provided.
Cute Animals Hangout (Grades 6-12) – Thursday, October 16, 6-7pm, 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.
Family Trivia Night (All Ages) – Friday, October 24, 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!
Teen Food Explorers: Scotch Pancakes (Grades 6-12) – Thursday, October 30, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited. Join Food Explorers for a delicious dessert cooking class! We’ll be making Scotch Pancakes: mini pancakes in a bowl topped with fresh whipped cream and fruit. Everything will be made from scratch! This recipe is nut free but will contain dairy, eggs, and gluten.
Reading Programs for Children & Teens:
October Monthly Mini Reading Challenge (Grades K-12) – October 1-31, Online at southburylibrary.beanstack.com. Join us on Beanstack for our next Mini Monthly Reading Challenge, themed Fall into Reading! Read for five hours (about 1-3 books for elementary, middle, and high school readers) and get a SurPRIZE. New this month: you can track your reading on a paper bookmark instead of on Beanstack and adults can join in, too!
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, pens, animal sticky notes, and more!).
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/