Children’s Programs
ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE ALWAYS FREE!
1,000 Books Bonanza
Stop by the Children’s Room to sign up for 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, and get a free canvas bag to kickstart your 1,000 book journey. Any child who has not yet started Kindergarten can participate. Reading together helps children develop a love of reading, introduces them to new vocabulary, and teaches them important early literacy skills that will help them when they enter school.
Music City Strings 2025-2026
New London Community Orchestra is offering a new session of free violin lessons for children in grades 4-9. Instruments will be provided at no charge, and children may take their violin home to practice. Lessons are in small groups with professional teachers. Masks are required. Violin lessons are an excellent experiential enrichments activity that’s been shown to increase educational attainment. Fill out the form below to register:
https://form.jotform.com/61886278899180
November 2025
Take Home Craft Kits
Available All Month – First Come First Serve
Thankful Turkeys: Create your own Turkey with colorful materials provided! A craft fit for children 3 and up!
Cornucopia: Make your own cornucopia by using various materials as your fruits and veggies to create a beautiful masterpiece! A craft fit for all ages!
Fabric Pumpkins: Put together a collage of colors to make your very own pumpkin! This is a craft suitable for all ages!
Dixie Cup Squirrels: Don’t hibernate just yet! Help create a squirrel that’s in need of finding a place to hide for the winter! This craft is suitable for children ages 3 and up!
Interactive Movie Kits
Available All Month – First Come First Serve
Interactive Movie Kits are fun for the whole family! Kits include a list of prompts for your family to do throughout the movie plus props and crafts! Each kit comes with enough supplies for 4 people. DVD’s are available to check out on a first come first serve basis, but kits can be taken with or without the movie if you use a streaming service or have the movie at home.
November Lineup:
Free Birds: Two Turkeys, Reggie and Jake, travel through time to the first Thanksgiving to try and stop the turkeys from being eaten! They meet new friends as well as several famous historical figures! This movie portrays the importance of teamwork and leadership throughout this heartwarming humorous film.
Turkey Hollow: This movie is based off of Jim Henson’s unpublished story that was recreated into a feature film and mastery of puppetry. A family who faced some hardships, travel with their dad for Thanksgiving to their aunt’s farm. Both children learn about the legend of the “Howling Hoodoo” that have been haunting the woods for centuries! This only leads their boredom and curiosity further trying to capture the legendary Hoodoo. The film promotes new family bonds created through adventure, exploration, and the power of love.
Make it Mondays: Friendship bracelets
Mondays 3pm – 5pm
For November Make-It Mondays, join us each week to create a beautifully crafted bracelet made by you to share with your friends or family members as we celebrate this month with giving, kindness, and thankfulness!
Children’s Graphic Novel Book Club
Monday Nights once a month at 5pm-6pm.
Saturdays once a month at 3pm-4pm
First meeting will be held on Monday, November 10th at 5pm-6pm and Saturday, November 15th at 3pm-4pm
Do you like reading but don’t know where to begin? Come join us for a Graphic Novel Book Club for kids!
This book club is geared for kids in 3rd grade and up, but all readers are encouraged to join! No registration required.
All-Ages Story Time
Wednesdays 10:30am – 11:30am
All ages story time and playgroup! Enjoy stories, songs, and a chance to play!
Best for children ages 4 and under. No registration required!
Art Class with Miss Dana
Thursdays 5pm – 6pm
Do you love creating art? Try coming to the library on Thursday evenings to take an art class with Miss Dana! Each week, we’ll be working on a new project, so be sure to swing by! No registration required.
Baby + Me Playgroup
Fridays 10:30am – 11:30am
Join us for a story time and play group! Baby + Me is designed for babies to socialize and for caregivers to meet each other! We will do a short lap story and then turn on the music and take out the toys for time to socialize. A great opportunity for new parents to meet and babies to play!
Children’s Board Game Club
Saturdays 12:30pm – 3pm
Do you love playing board games? Join us every Saturday for Board Game Club in the Children’s Room! In addition to chess, we will be including board games like Sorry, Battleship, Trouble, and more! This space can be for both children and their families. All skill levels are welcome!
Art Class: Native American Heritage Art Spotlight
November 6th – November 20th at 5pm – 6pm
Do you love creating art? Try coming to the library on Thursday evenings to take an art class with Miss Dana! National Native American Heritage Month for November. We will be working on a new project inspired by a Hispanic artist, so be sure to swing by! No registration required.
11/6: Shonto Begay
11/13: Emmi Whitehorse
11/ 20: Oscar Howe
Poppi’s Planet
Saturday, November 1st 11:30am-12:30pm
Poppi’s back for another storytime! Get transported to Poppi’s Planet! An interactive performance lesson with music, dance and puppetry! Get ready to celebrate what it means to be our unique selves! A social-emotional performance art adventure! Big feelings, emotions and lessons to be resilient! Leaving with new tools of mindfulness, and joy in our hearts!
With over half a million YouTube subscribers, Poppi is bringing her sunshine in a library near you! Looking for more? Check her page out: https://www.youtube.com/@poppisplanet6740
This program is recommended for ages 0-8! But ALL ages are welcome to join in on the fun!
Saturday Morning Dia de los Muertos Craft
November 1st – All Day!
Join us in celebrating the Mexican Culture by decorating and making sugar skulls with Miss. Dana.
Dino’s 2 You Traveling Museum
Monday, November 3rd 4pm-5pm
Join us for a complete interactive Dinosaur Museum Visit! It’s science, books, and of course dinosaurs!
The Fossil Touch Experience and Digital Microscopes
First stop, kids will meet Mr. Mark and see and touch real triceratops bone and horn fossils, duckbill hadrosaur bone, dinosaur stomach stones, a spinosaurus tooth, plus great book examples to reference! Plus, you’ll experience the wow of seeing fossils magnified under digital microscopes. Best for young explorers 5 and up but ALL ages are welcome to join in the quest.
Cross-Stitch Bookmarks
Tuesday, November 4 and Thursday, November 13 – All Day!
Did you ever want to learn how to cross-stitch? We’re here to help! Stop by the Children’s Room to make your very own Cross-Stitch Bookmark! It’s a fun activity that everyone can enjoy!
Tellebration with CT Storytelling Maritza
Wednesday, November 5th at 10:30am – 11:30am
Join us for a special Bilingual Storytime with Maritza!
Tellabration! is an international celebration of story. Libraries, historical societies, churches, book stores, museums and community organizations have found Tellabration! to be an exciting and enriching addition to their program offerings. In collaboration with the Connecticut Storytelling Center, each Tellabration! can be customized to appeal to an organization’s specific mission and audience.
This program is geared towards ALL ages!
Cooking for kids with Food for Your Soul
Wednesday, November 5th and Tuesday November 18th – 4pm-5pm
Registration is required! Come cook up something amazing and join us in the Community Room!
This program is best for children ages 3-10! Please indicate any food allergies upon registration and bring a hat & apron to class. Registration is required for each individual day.
Wednesday, November 5th Registration: Cooking for Kids! – LibCal – The Public Library of New London
Thursday, November 18th Registration: Cooking for Kids! – LibCal – The Public Library of New London
Family Palette Night with Lyman Allyn
Wednesday, November 12th – 4pm-5pm
Community Room.
Come wind down after work and school with us and Lyman Allyn Museum for a Family Palette Night! Follow along with an artist and paint your own masterpiece to bring home! Refreshments will be provided. This program is open to children, teens, and adult family members.
Registration required. Please submit registration for each person if registering for more than one person.
Register here: Family Palette Night with Lyman Allyn Museum – LibCal – The Public Library of New London
Children’s Book Club: Matilda by Roald Dahl
Monday, November 17th 5pm – 6pm
Do you love reading and talking about books? Join the Children’s Book Club! We meet every 3rd Tuesday of the month during the school year from 5pm – 6pm.
This month, we’ll be reading Matilda by Roald Dahl! Books are geared for grades 3-5, but strong readers are encouraged to join! Copies of the monthly book, snacks, and crafts provided.
Reach4the Sky! Southeastern CT Robotics
Monday, November 17 and Thursday, November 20th – 4pm-5pm
Community Room
Interested in Robotics? Come to the Community Room for this hands-on interactive program geared for children ages 5-12! Families and Teens are also welcome to join!
Storytime with Local Author Leslee Flanagan
Wednesday, November 19th- 10:30am-11:30am
Check out her website and view her books! Learn more about her and her volunteer work with Mystic Aquarium!
Scratch art for Kids
Wednesday, November 19 – All Day
Let’s get crafty! We are having an All-day craft of scratch art! This is great for children of all ages.
Community Thankful Project
Monday, November 24 – Saturday, November 29th – All Day!
What are you thankful for? We are thankful for the library! During the week of Thanksgiving, we will be making a community project! Come to the Children’s Room and write down things you are Thankful for and add them to our Turkey Board!
December 2025
Take Home Craft Kits
Available All Month – First Come First Serve
Pinecone Trees: Decorate a festive pinecone using the materials provided! Suitable for all ages!
Paper Plate Reindeer: Help create Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer to help guide the sleigh!
Holiday Lights: A craft for all ages to brighten your Holiday!
Paper Plate Santa Masks: Get ready for the big day!
Interactive Movie Kits
Available All Month – First Come First Serve
Interactive Movie Kits are fun for the whole family! Kits include a list of prompts for your family to do throughout the movie plus props and crafts! Each kit comes with enough supplies for 4 people. DVD’s are available to check out on a first come first serve basis, but kits can be taken with or without the movie if you use a streaming service or have the movie at home.
December Lineup:
Polar Express: Do you believe? Follow Hero Boy as he is skeptical about the belief in Santa Claus. A mysterious train appears one night in front of his house. Will you also get on board to find out? Join us for this epic journey to the North Pole and hop onboard on the Polar Express!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Did you hear down in Whoville that Who’s liked Christmas a lot? All except one, that Grinch who did not! What will you do to save Christmas? Take a journey with little Cindy-Lou-Who on top of Mount Crumpit to persuade the Grinch to partake in joining Who-Holiday Tradition!
Make it Mondays: Ornament Making
Mondays 3pm – 5pm
For December Make-It Mondays, join us each week to create an ornament to hang on your tree, as a gift, or just for fun! We will have a new ornament craft each Monday!
Children’s Graphic Novel Book Club
Monday Night once a month at 5pm-6pm.
Saturdays once a month at 3pm-4pm
Upcoming Discussions will be Monday, December 8th at 5pm and Saturday, December 20th at 3pm.
Do you like reading but don’t know where to begin? Come join us for a Graphic Novel Book Club for kids!
This book club is geared for kids in 3rd grade and up, but all readers are encouraged to join! No registration required.
All-Ages Story Time
Wednesdays 10:30am – 11:30am
All ages story time and playgroup! Enjoy stories, songs, and a chance to play!
Best for children ages 4 and under. No registration required!
Art Class with Miss Dana
Thursdays 5pm – 6pm
Do you love creating art? Try coming to the library on Thursday evenings to take an art class with Miss Dana! Each week, we’ll be working on a new project, so be sure to swing by! No registration required.
Baby + Me Playgroup
Fridays 10:30am – 11:30am
Join us for a story time and play group! Baby + Me is designed for babies to socialize and for caregivers to meet each other! We will do a short lap story and then turn on the music and take out the toys for time to socialize. A great opportunity for new parents to meet and babies to play!
Children’s Board Game Club
Saturdays 12:30pm – 3pm
Do you love playing board games? Join us every Saturday for Board Game Club in the Children’s Room! In addition to chess, we will be including board games like Sorry, Battleship, Trouble, and more! This space can be for both children and their families. All skill levels are welcome!
Letters to Santa
December 1st – December 19th: All Day
Come to the Children’s Room for the first two weeks of December! We are sending letters to the North Pole to help make your holiday extra special this year! We will have a North Pole mailbox where you can put your letters in and we will help get them to their destination!
Storytime and Cookie Decorating with Mama Randy’s Treats
Wednesday, December 3rd at 10:30am-11:30am
Join us for a fun cookie decorating day after Storytime! This program is geared for all ages and families! Registration is required for each person! You will be getting your own cookie kit to decorate. Please call the Children’s Room at 860-447-1411 x103 if you are having trouble registering! Thank you and we hope to see you there! Let us know of any food allergies upon registration!
Register here: Storytime and Cookie Decorating with Mama Randy’s Treats – LibCal – The Public Library of New London
Cooking for kids with Food for Your Soul
Wednesday, December 3rd and Wednesday December 10th – 4pm-5pm
Registration is required! Come cook up something amazing and join us in the Community Room!
This program is best for children ages 3-10! Please indicate any food allergies upon registration and bring a hat & apron to class. Registration is required for each individual day.
Wednesday, December 3rd Registration: Cooking for Kids! – LibCal – The Public Library of New London
Wednesday, December 10th Registration: Cooking for Kids! – LibCal – The Public Library of New London
Art Class with Miss. Dana
December 4th and December 18th at 5pm – 6pm
Do you love creating art? Try coming to the library on Thursday evenings to take an art class with Miss Dana! We will be featuring a special Hanukkah Art Class on December 18th! Be sure to swing by! No registration required.
Saturday Morning Bilingual Storytime with Miss. Dana
December 6th – 11:30am
Ugly Sweater Crafting
Tuesday, December 9th – All Day!
Do you have a school or holiday party to attend? Join us in the Children’s Room to make and create the ugliest sweater you can! Creativity is the key, the uglier the better it shall be! Either make a craft or make a sweater using the supplies provided!
1st come 1st serve! Make them while supplies last!
Cookie Decorating with Mama Randy’s Treats
Thursday, December 11th at 4pm – 5pm
Join us for a fun cookie decorating day! This program is geared for all ages and families! Registration is required for each person! You will be getting your own cookie kit to decorate. Please call the Children’s Room at 860-447-1411 x103 if you are having trouble registering! Thank you and we hope to see you there! Please let us know of any food allergies upon registering. Thank you!
Register here: Cookie Decorating with Mama Randy’s Treats – LibCal – The Public Library of New LondonChildren’s Book Club: Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Monday, December 15th at 5pm – 6pm
Do you love reading and talking about books? Join the Children’s Book Club! We meet every 3rd Tuesday of the month during the school year from 5pm – 6pm.
This month, we’ll be reading Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls! Books are geared for grades 3-5, but strong readers are encouraged to join! Copies of the monthly book, snacks, and crafts provided.
Celebrate Hanukkah: 8 Days of Crafting
Monday, December 15th – Monday December 22nd: All Day
12/15: Paper plate Menorah
12/16: Star of David
12/17: Sun Catcher Dreidel Craft
12/18: Hanukkah inspired Art Class with Miss. Dana 5pm-6pm
12/19: Hanukkah Candle Craft
12/20-12/22: Hanukkah Bracelet Making
Storytime with Traveler and NLPD Officer Christina
Wednesday, December 17th – 10:30am-11:30am
Saturday Morning Storytime with Miss. Meghan
December 20th at 11:30am
Join us for another round of Saturday Morning Storytime with Miss Meghan!
Ornament making and Pastel Art
Monday, December 22nd – Wednesday, December 24th – All Day!
Looking for a last-minute gift? Stop by the Children’s Room to make an ornament or a piece of art that you can make and frame for the holiday! Get them while they last! Supplies are limited.
Celebrate Kwanzaa: 6 Days of Crafting
king for a last-minute gift? Stop by the Children’s Room to make an ornament or a piece of art that you can make and frame for the holiday! Get them while they last! Supplies are limited.
12/27: Unity Cup Craft
12/28: Kwanzaa Hand Wreath
12/29: Kinara Candle Craft
12/30: Mkeka Mat Weaving Craft
12/31-1/2: Kwanzaa Unity Chain
All-Ages Storytime New Years Eve Baby Rave
Come join us this morning in the Children’s Room for some music, fun, and Storytime as we count down the new year early in the morning! Some refreshments will be provided for the day’s event! We hope you can come and jam with us!
Children’s Room
860-447-1411 ext. 103
Head of Children’s Services
Children’s Librarian
Meghan Soucier
msoucier@plnl.org
860-447-1411 ex. 104
Children’s Librarian Assistant
Dana Santillana
dsantillana@plnl.org