Children | Portland Library

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Fall Storytimes

Registration is required and begins on Monday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m.

Registration can be done by calling the library at 860-342-6770 or registering through our library calendar.

Preschool Storytime
Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.
September 12, 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Join us in our Wagner Room for stories, songs, and rhymes that encourage literacy and social skills and help get your preschooler prepared for kindergarten. We will offer a craft related to the weekly theme at the end of the program that can be done at the
library or brought home.

Storytime for Toddlers and Tots:
Mother Goose on the Loose
Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. or 11:15 a.m.
September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 11, 18, 25, November 1

Mother Goose on the Loose, a fun-filled interactive session for our youngest patrons, uses rhymes, a
story, songs, puppets, scarves, and more to stimulate the learning process of babies and toddlers. Two
sessions will be offered each Wednesday to keep group sizes small and interactions personalized.

Mindfulness for Kids

Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.

September 14, 21, 28

Grades K-5

Kids in kindergarten through grade five can join in to explore what it means to be mindful. Let’s take some time to slow down and appreciate the little things around us. We’ll play with scented doughs, paint to music, work on some yoga moves, make sensory bottles, learn the art of hot chocolate breathing and more. Registration is required and begins on Monday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m.

Save the Date: Pumpkin Painting for the Portland Fair
Wednesday, October 4 from 5-7 p.m.

Paint a pumpkin and we will bring it to the Portland Fair and enter it for you! Kids of all ages are invited to participate, but only those age 5 and up are eligible for fair entries. Pumpkins and paint
will be supplied. A parent or guardian must be with children to help with supervision.

This event will be held outdoors in the grassy area across the parking lot
from the library. In case of inclement weather, take home kits containing
a pumpkin, paint and a brush will be provided.

Registration is required and space is limited.
Registration begins on Monday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m.

Spooky Science

Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.

October 5, 12, 19, 26

Grades K-5

This program for kids in grades K-5 features some frightening fun. We’ll make Frankenworms come to life, use static electricity to raise some ghosts, and experiment with some potions and Halloween candies. Registration is required and space is limited.

Registration is required.

Fire Truck Storytime

Saturday, October 14 at 11:00 a.m.

on the Town Green

October is Fire Safety Month!
Join us for a short storytime on the Town Green
followed by a visit from Portland firefighters and a fire truck!

No registration is required for this event.

Save the Date: T-Rex Tea Party
November 7 at 11am

Stomp on down to the library for the most
ferocious tea party ever! We’ll have some light
refreshments while enjoying dinosaur songs,
stories and more. Wear your fanciest or fiercest attire.
Open to kids in preK-grade 2.

Registration is 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

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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!

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.