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 2026-2027
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
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September 2026
Take Home Craft Kits
Available All Month – First Come First Serve
Crayon Bookmarks: Make your very own place maker that is perfect for your next school read or text book! Great for ages 5-12! But easy for any age to do! Don’t forget to customize it with your name!
Paper Mache Apples: Let’s get into the swing of an early Fall this year and give an apple to your teacher! This one you can’t eat and it’s fun for all ages!
Paper Plate School Bus: We are trying to get ready for school! Grab your own little school bus to make at home to prepare for the new year! Best for children ages 3-5 who are getting ready to take the bus for the first time but still a fun craft for everyone!
Back to School Glue Bottle: Have you seen Toy Story 4? Well, like Forky, you can make your very own glue buddy with arms and legs as you prepare for school! This is a super cool craft geared towards preschool age and above! It still is a craft that is fun for every age!
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.
September Lineup:
Leo: Leo is the class pet of the 5th Grade Class. He learns that he is 74 years old and thinks that he is nearing the end of his life! As the class receives a new substitute teacher, she has the kids each take home Leo to take care of to learn responsibility. When each student finds out that Leo can talk, he makes them swear not to tell anyone else. But then the substitute teacher finds out Leo can talk, she is determined to return Leo back to the wild because he has found out her real intentions at the school! The kids of the 5th grade class are absolutely distraught when they learn of his disappearance and they race across the town to find him! Will you help the 5th grade class get their beloved talking class pet back?
Monsters University: Before Sully and Mike become work partners and best friends, they attended Monsters University to become the top scarers of their class. They were also roommates, and NOT best friends but wanted to participate in the scare games. They were complete opposites but both wanted to be number one in the Scare Games. Mike and Sully formed their own group of misfit monsters called Oozma Kappa and took part in the Scare Games. Can you join Mike and Sully to become the top scarers at Monsters University?
Make it Mondays: K-Pop Demon Hunters Perler Beads
Mondays 3pm – 5pm
This month for Make It Monday’s stop by the Children’s Room and create some K-Pop Demon Hunters bling! Make them into magnets or keychains to put on your back pack for school! Let’s see how crafty you can be!
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!
September Wednesday Themes:
9/2: Coconut Theme and Tropical
9/9: Teddy Bears: Bring your favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal to take part in International Teddy Bear Day and participate in Storytime and a craft!
9/16: Let’s learn about The Trail of Tears, The Mayflower, or the Ozone!
9/23: Autumn Equinox Theme
9/30: Fall Theme
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.
September Art Classes:
9/3: Pokedex Book Binding
9/10: Remember 9/11 by making The Survivor Tree based on the Callery Pear Tree
9/17: Hispanic Heritage Month: Art Class inspired by Salvador Dali
9/24: Hispanic Heritage Month: Art Class inspired by Marisol Escobar
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! Storytime, bubbles, and music!
We read BOARD BOOKS for the babies and do our best to have a theme each week!
9/4: Wildlife
9/11: Feelings and Emotions
9/18: Airplanes and Things That Fly
9/25: Native American Theme
Children’s Board Game Club
Saturdays – 12:30pm-3pm
Do you love playing games? Join us every Saturday for some fun and board games! This is geared for a friendly competition between children, families and caregivers! All skill levels are welcome!
Pokémon Club Sign Up
Tuesday, September 1st – All Day!
Calling all Pokémon Trainers: Does your child love Pokémon? Sign up for our Pokémon Club today! We will have a Pokémon Club once a month starting Saturday September 12th. Each month you will need to complete the tasks in order to get your trainer badge! Once you get all of your badges, you will become a Pokémon Master of the library!
Best for Children ages 5-12 but all are welcome to join in to become Pokémon Masters!
Children’s Book Club: 1st Meeting
Tuesday, September 1st – 4pm-5pm
Do you love reading and talking about books? Join the Children’s Book Club! We meet the last Tuesday of every month during the school year from 4-5pm.
Join us in the Children’s Room for our first Book Club meeting where you will get to choose the 2026-2027 books we read for the year! Each meeting will be a discussion, snacks, and a craft that is based on the book chosen for that month! Our first book discussion will be held on Tuesday, September 29th with the first book chosen.
Coconut Craft: Kakamora Coconuts
Wednesday, September 2nd – All Day!
It’s National Coconut Day and we will be crafting Kakamora Coconuts from Moana! Join us in the Children’s Room where we will go nuts for coconuts! Kakamora approved!
Fashion and Art Collage Making
Thursday, September 3rd – All Day!
Join us as we celebrate International Paris Day by creating collages or art and fashion trends using magazines provided to make your collage!
Wildlife Origami
Friday, September 4th – All Day!
In honor of International Wildlife, stop by the Children’s Room to make some wildlife animals to take home using our Origami Paper!
Children’s Graphic Novel Book Club: 1st Meeting
Tuesday, September 8th – 4pm-5pm
Our first meeting of Children’s Graphic Novel Book Club will be on Tuesday September 8th from 4-5pm to choose the graphic novels for the rest of the year! After the first meeting it will be held on the last Monday of every month at 5pm-6pm. 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. Snacks, discussion, and a craft will be provided the day of the meeting! We hope to see you there!
Our first discussion will be held on Monday, September 28th! The first book will be chosen at the first meeting!
Word Search Day
Wednesday, September 8th – All Day!
It is International Literacy Day and what more can we do than do fun Word Searches in the Children’s Room! There will also be crosswords available for more of a challenge! Let’s get thinking and find those words! Parents and caregivers are also encouraged to participate as well!
Corduroy Craft
Wednesday, September 9th – All Day!
Based on the book, Corduroy by Don Freeman and in honor of National Teddy Bear Day, we will be making our very own Corduroy to take home with the materials provided! We just love this little buttonless bear!
Patriot Day Craft
Friday, September 11th – All Day!
Remember those who had fallen. Come to the Children’s Room for a coloring remembrance of 9/11. Coloring pages will be provided all day in honor of Patriot Day.
Saturday Morning Storytime with Miss. Meghan
Saturday, September 12th – 11:30am-12pm
Our Saturday Morning Storytime is back! Join us Saturday at 11:30am with Miss Meghan!
National Coloring Day
Monday, September 14th – All Day!
Join us in the Children’s Room where we will provide several coloring pages and book marks to color for National Coloring Day! It will be a world full of color at the library! Of course parents and caregivers can join!
Make a Hat Day
Tuesday, September 15th – All Day!
Doesn’t matter what hat you want to make, we have the materials to do it in the Children’s Room! It is National Hat Day! Come make a hat with us!
Mexican Independence Day Craft
Wednesday, September 16th – All Day!
Join us in the Children’s Room to celebrate Mexican Independence Day by making a bell!
National Smithsonian Day
Thursday, September 17 – All Day!
Join us in the Children’s Room as we celebrate National Smithsonian Day! Since the Smithsonian is such a huge place with different museums and zoos, you will get the chance to design you own museum! What kinds of things will you have in your museum? Art? Music? Famous authors? Favorite things? Sports? Colors? You are the designer! You are the creator! We would love to see your ideas come to life! We will have magazines for inspiration.
International Day of Peace: Dove Craft
Monday, September 21st – All Day!
It is International Day of Peace and the Children’s Room is making doves, one of the symbols of peace! Join us all day!
Equinox Craft
Tuesday, September 22th – All Day!
Autumn has begun and so we begin some Fall crafts starting with Paper Book Leaves that we will be staining with tea or a making into a book mark!
Checkers Board Game Day
Wednesday, September 23rd – All Day!
It is National Checkers Day so we will have checker boards out in the Children’s Room for a friendly competition of Checkers! Anyone can join and beginners are always welcome! It is best for children ages 5 and up but we will be there for children who would like to learn how to play!
Comic Book Making
Thursday, September 24th – 9:30am-6pm!
It is National Comic Book Day in the Children’s Room! We will have materials and supplies for you to make your own comic book all day! Don’t worry if you miss out because you can continue with making your own comic book that evening at Art Class with Miss. Dana! What will your adventure look like?
Native American Day: Card Board Drums
Friday, September 25th – All Day!
In Honor of Native American Day, we will be making a Native American Drum you can take home! Stop by the Children’s Room to make one using the supplies we have on hand!
National Coffee Day: Boba Coffee or Boba Tea Craft
Tuesday, September 29th – All Day!
Join us in the Children’s Room to celebrate National Coffee Day! We will be making little Boba Coffee and Teas to take home!
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October 2026
Take Home Craft Kits
Available All Month – First Come First Serve
Spider Webs: A cute little decoration spider web that you can make to decorate your house for spooky season! This is a great craft for children ages 3 and up! ake your very own place maker that is perfect for your next school read or text book! Great for ages 5-12! But easy for any age to do! Don’t forget to customize it with your name!
Witches Broom: Fly away with us for this cute little craft! Make a little broom to sweep you off your feet this Halloween season! Great for children 3 and up!
Black Cats: Cat got your tongue? This craft is great for all ages! Paint this little scaredy cat and watch his fur go every which way! Add your cat eyes and you are done!
Vampire Corner Book Marks: The only thing this Vampire will be eating is the corner of your book to save your place! This craft is best for children ages 5 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.
October Lineup:
The Sea Beast: When little orphan Maisie Brumble stows away on the legendary monster hunter, Jacob Holland’s ship, she finds herself becoming immersed in the journey to hunt down the biggest sea beast, known as Red Bluster. But the journey takes a turn when the captain of the ship, Captain Crow, becomes obsessed in finding Red Bluster. Both Maisie and Jacob form a friendship after being stranded together by Captain Crow. They come to discover the truth about the bond between humans and sea beasts and start a new journey to stop Captain Crow and his crew. Will you journey on with Maisie and Jacob to help them free the sea beasts and to uncover the truth about these mystical creatures?
Coraline: After moving into a new, raggedy, old, dilapidated house, Coraline quickly becomes bored. Her tired, work obsessed parents, do not have time to play or enertain Coraline with their strict working deadlines. Coraline ventures outside into the rainy backyard. Her odd neighbor Wybie finds a doll that looks exactly like Coraline! He gives the doll to Coraline’s mother, who gives the doll to Coraline. But when Coraline becomes attached to the “little me” doll as she calls it, strange things start to happen. Such as a small door appearing on her room that leads to another world and “The Other Mother”. Would you go with Coraline to find out the other things that hide behind this door? What will happen to you and Coraline if you disobey?
Make it Mondays: Pumpkins
Mondays 3pm – 5pm
This month for Make It Monday’s stop by the Children’s Room and create some pumpkins! Each week will be a different pumpkin craft to get into the Fall season!
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!
October Wednesday Themes:
10/7: Space and Stars
10/14: Black Cats or Cats
10/21: Creepy Crawlies with DPNC
10/28: Halloween
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.
October Art Classes:
10/1: Slime Art
10/8: Pastel Galaxy Art
10/15: Smokey Cauldron Art
10/29: Eyeball Art
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! Storytime, bubbles, and music!
We read BOARD BOOKS for the babies and do our best to have a theme each week!
10/2: Monsters
10/9: Space
10/16: Cats
10/23: Pumpkins
10/30: Halloween
Children’s Board Game Club
Saturdays – 12:30pm-3pm
Do you love playing games? Join us every Saturday for some fun and board games! This is geared for a friendly competition between children, families and caregivers! All skill levels are welcome!
Pokémon Club
Saturday, October 10th – 2pm-3pm
Calling all Pokémon Trainers: Does your child love Pokémon? Sign up for our Pokémon Club today! We will have a Pokémon Club once a month on Saturday. Each month you will need to complete the tasks in order to get your trainer badge! We will have crafts, activities, and games that we will be doing! Once you get all of your badges, you will become a Pokémon Master of the library!
Best for Children ages 5-12 but all are welcome to join in to become Pokémon Masters!
Children’s Book Club
Tuesday, October 27th – 4pm-5pm
Do you love reading and talking about books? Join the Children’s Book Club! We will meet the last Tuesday of every month during the school year from 4-5pm.
Join us in the Children’s Room for our first Book Club discussion! Each meeting will be a discussion, snacks, and do a craft that is based on the book chosen for that month!
Our first Children’s Book Club pick is My Name is Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada.
Smart Cookies Craft
Thursday, October 1st – All Day!
Join us in the Children’s Room to make some Smart Cookies with us based on The Smart Cookie by Jory John! This is in honor of National Homemade Cookie Day so go home and bake some cookies after with your family!
Stage Fright: The Magic of Dan Bowen
Saturday, October 3rd – 4pm-4:30pm
Celebrate Halloween with Stage Fright, a hilarious, family-friendly magic show starring magician Dan Bowen! Packed with amazing magic, laugh-out-loud comedy, music, and plenty of audience participation, this interactive show lets children become part of the fun from beginning to end. For ages 4 and up (no younger siblings, please), no registration required.
Smiley Face Emoji Craft
Saturday, October 3rd – All Day!
It is World Smile Day and what better way to smile and make a Smiley Face Emoji using the materials provided in the Children’s Room! Let’s put a smile on that face!
Children’s Graphic Novel Book Club
Monday, October 26th – 5pm-6pm
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.
Snacks, discussion, and a craft will be provided the day of the meeting! We hope to see you there!
Graphic Novel Book Club will be held on the last Monday of every month from 5pm-6pm. Copies are available at the Circulation Desk.
First book will be Detective Beans & The Case of the Missing Hat by Li Chen
Bilingual Storytime
Saturdays, October 3rd & 31st – 11:30am
Join us for two Saturdays this month in October with Miss. Dana for some Bilingual Storytime!
Space Week!
Monday, October 5th-Saturday, October 10th – All Day!
Join us in the Children’s Room for a craft every day that is related to space! Take a look at our book display featuring space, moon, stars, and anything space related!
Monday: 10/5 – UV Kid/ Make a UV Detector Bracelet
Tuesday: 10/6 – Cross Stitch Constellations
Wednesday: 10/7 – Starlit Night
Thursday: 10/8 – Chalk Pastel Galaxy Art
Cooking for Kids
Wednesdays, October 7th & 28th – 4pm-5pm
Wednesday, October 7th Registration: https://plnl.libcal.com/event/17509712
Wednesday, October 28th Registration: https://plnl.libcal.com/event/17512248
Saturday Morning Storytime with Miss. Meghan
Saturday, October 10th – 11:30am-12pm
Our Saturday Morning Storytime is back! Join us Saturday at 11:30am with Miss Meghan!
M&M Craft
Tuesday, October 13th – All Day!
It’s National M&M Day and while these M&M’s are not edible, you can take it home! Jazz it up with a cut little witches hat or a ghost bow!
Q-Tip Dino Fossils
Wednesday, October 14th – All Day!
Jump back in time with us as we make so dinosaur fossils using Q-Tips! It is National Fossil Day so let’s dig up some fun and make some dinosaur bones!
Poisonous Mushroom Craft
Thursday, October 15th – All Day!
Beware the mushrooms! In honor of National Mushroom Day, we are taking advantage of the day and turning it into a “spooky” craft! Inspiration comes from the mushrooms in the Mario games. Join us in the Children’s Room to make some Poisonous Mushrooms using our air dry clay!
Black Cat Sock Craft
Friday, October 16th – All Day!
Don’t worry this little feline won’t run away! It’s Global Cat Day and what better way to get into the Halloween Spirit to make this little guy! Come to the Children’s Room to make one!
Halloween Flowers
Monday, October 19th – All Day!
Using the materials provided in the Children’s Room, join us in making a Halloween Flower Garden! You’ll never know who’s watching!
Sloth Witch Craft
Tuesday, October 20th – All Day!
We are celebrating International Sloth Day by making some paper plate sloths wearing witches hats! Join us in the Children’s Room for a day of fun!
Creepy Crawlies with DPNC
Wednesday, October 21st – 10:30am-11:30am
Creepy Crawlie Foil Art
Wednesday, October 21st – All-Day!
Join us in some fun with some Creepy Crawlie Foil Art in the Children’s Room! We’ll be buggin out with some color!
Mummy Eyes
Thursday, October 22nd – All Day!
Unwrap this craft by making your very own mummy eyes! It’s quite the scare when someone is watching you make these beautiful creatures come to life!
Spookley the Square Pumpkin Craft
Friday, October 23rd – All Day!
Come to the Children’s Room to make this loveable square pumpkin based on the book “Spookley the Square Pumpkin” by Joe Troiano!
Halloweek Spectacular!
Monday, October 26th – Saturday, October 31st – All Day!
Join us for the Halloweek Spooktacular! Every day in the Children’s Room, we will be having a new activity leading up to Trick-or-Treating in the library on Halloween! Costumes are highly encouraged! We know that Halloween is on Saturday but stop by the library specifically the Children’s Room to come Trick-Or-Treating grab some Halloween books and join us in some crafts!
10/26: Monster Mash Paper Bags
10/27: 3D Bats
10/28: Bobble Head Vampire
10/29: Fabric Candies
10/30: Spooky Cardboard Creation
10/31: Decorate your own Trick-Or-Treat bags
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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 Library Assistant
Dana Santillana
dsantillana@plnl.org
860-447-1411 ex. 103