Life-Size Candyland

Kids old and young are invited to travel through the Lollipop Woods, Peppermint Forest, and Gumdrop Mountains in a life-size Candy Land game that will take place at the Portland Library on Saturday, February 1, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Come help us celebrate Take Your Child to the Library Day by navigating through all of the candy worlds in the Children’s Department and using your knowledge of counting and colors to reach Candy Castle!

No registration is required for this free program.

2020 Winter Reading Club

The Portland Library’s 2020 Winter Reading
Challenge, Candyland, runs from January 2-February 29, 2020. No registration is required for participation in this fun program. Visit the library to design your game piece and we’ll add it to our game board. Each time you check out items in January and February, receive a gingerbread man stamp and we will move your game board piece one step. After eight steps, you will reach the Candy Castle and win the game!

Winter Storytimes

Registration for winter story times will begin on Monday, December 16, at 10:00 a.m. Story time sessions will begin the week of January 6-10. Please visit our library calendar HERE or call (860) 342-6770 to register.

Story Garden (ages 3-5)

Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

January 7, 14, 21, 28 and February 4, 11, 18, 25

Children are invited to have some fun while sharing some of Miss Jenn’s favorite stories, songs, and games every week.

Stories for Twos (ages 24-36 months)

Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

January 8, 15, 22, 29 and February 5, 12, 19, 26

Laugh, create, and connect with new and old friends, while listening to stories and enjoying
related activities with Miss Patty.

Bouncy Babies (ages 0-24 months)

Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

January 9, 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13, 20, 27

This introduction to story time provides important
bonding time and early literacy skills through stories, songs, games and playtime with new friends.

Family Craft Night: Edible Birdhouses

Wednesday, January 15 at 6:30 p.m.

Come create a beautiful and functional birdhouse and help our feathered friends protect themselves from the cold. We will be using a cornmeal, gelatin and flour-based paste instead of peanut butter as an adhesive to accommodate those with peanut allergies. All materials will be supplied. This activity is appropriate for all ages, but a parent must be on hand to help with supervision. Registration is required.

Robots at the Library!

Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.

Come explore basic coding with us through use of Ozobot Bits and Dash and Dot robots. Each week, we’ll program the robots to complete
simple tasks. These programs will rotate each week between grades K-2 and grades 3-5.
Registration is required for each session.

January 9: Ozobots (grades 3-5)

January 16: Ozobots (grades K-2)

January 23: Ozobots (grades 3-5)

January 30: Dash and Dot (grades K-2)

February 6: Dash and Dot (grades 3-5)

February 13: Dash and Dot (grades K-2)

Lunar New Year Celebration!

Friday, January 24

at 3:30 p.m.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year as the Year of the Rat begins. We’ll learn about the traditions and symbols of the Lunar New Year through crafts, stories, and other activities. This event is appropriate for anyone in kindergarten through grade 5. Registration is required.

Middle Grade Book Club

Grades 5-7

Mondays at 3:30 p.m.

January 13, February 10, March 16

Come read some great books, join in the
discussion, and enjoy some tasty treats! Each meeting, we will discuss the book of the month, take part in a related craft or activity and have a snack. Registration is not required.

Reading Lists

Not sure what to read next? Check out these book lists for some new ideas.

Adventures for Children

Books for Animal Lovers in Grades 3-5
Character Counts: Picture Books about Kindness and Caring
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Readalikes
Historical Fiction for Children
Mysteries for Children
Ready for School

Scary Stories for Kids
Science Fiction for Children

Computers in the Children's Area

Early Literacy Computer Station Added

In September 2014, the Youth Services Department added an AWE Early Literacy Computer Station to its list of services. Stocked with more than 40 games that build skills in the areas of reading, words and phonics; science and nature; math and problem solving; reference; music and arts; writing and computer skills; and social studies and geography, this colorful touch-screen computer is great for kids between the ages of 2-8. Users may sign up at the children’s reference desk to use the computer.

Portland Library Computer Information

We have two computers with Internet access in the Children's Department that can be used by patrons under the age of 11. Only children or others accompanied by children are allowed to use these computers.

Please note the following when using the computers:

Parents and guardians will have to sign a Public Computer Procedures form the first time their child uses a computer.
If others are waiting, use is restricted to 30 minutes per user.
There is filtering software on the computers in the Children's Department.
Please, no eating or drinking at the computer.
Our printing rates are as follows: Each user is allowed two free black and white pages. Additional pages are $.15 per page. Color copies are always $.50 per page.

Recommended Websites for Children:

American Library Association's Great Websites for Children

Cool Math Games

Disney Fairy Online Games

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Raise a reader! 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a national reading initiative that encourages parents and caregivers to provide positive, nurturing early experiences by reading aloud daily to their children from birth to age five. Reading to children builds important vocabulary and language skills that are needed for kindergarten. We invite you to participate in this exciting, free program open to children birth to age five.

How long will it take to read 1,000 books? This is a self-paced program that depends on how often you read together. Reading three books together a night—approximately 15 minutes—will mean you will have read 1,095 at the end of one year.

Come into the library and pick up your 1,000 Books Before Kindergartenwelcome packet in the children’s department.

Thank you to the Friends of the Portland Library for funding this program.

Not able to come to the library but want to get started on your next reading journal? Print them out here!