Tag Archives: Children

Rock Painting

As part of our Summer Reading Kickoff on Saturday, June 13, the Library will be hosting a Rock Painting activity starting at 2:00 PM where visitors will be able to paint custom rocks to add to Rocky the Rock Snake. There will be a table set up outside, to the right of the Library’s main entrance; Rocky is back on display in the garden to the left of the entrance, and after the Kickoff he’ll be bigger and better than ever!

While you’re outside, be sure to check out the Children’s Guide to the Founding Fathers Storywalk on the Library’s front lawn – then head inside to see the rest of our America 250 Celebration displays and sign up for one of the Summer Reading Programs!

Summer Reading Flowers

This program is for children under 10, and will run alongside our Read & Bead program – so your reading times count towards both! When you sign up, you’ll receive a flower head that you can add a colorful petal to for every 20 minutes you read over the summer – and once your flower has fully “bloomed”, it will be added to our Summer Reading Garden in the Children’s Room! You’ll also earn a ladybug or bee to add to the Garden for every 200 minutes you read, and a butterfly for every 500 minutes. By the end of summer, we hope that the Summer Reading Garden will be bustling with life.

The Library’s 2026 Summer Reading Kickoff is Saturday, June 13! Early sign-ups start Tuesday, June 9, but we encourage you to stop by during the Kickoff even if you’ve signed up already. Take part in fun crafts and activities – and while you’re here, check out our displays for the state-wide America 250 Celebration as well!

Read & Bead

This Summer Reading Program is for children under 10. Create a custom necklace over the course of the summer – you’ll earn a bead for every 20 minutes you read, and a charm for every 100 minutes. Participants receive a book log to track their reading time in when they sign up, as well as a necklace chain and a red, white, or blue starter bead in honor of the America 250 Celebration!

The works of the Bethany Quilting and Friendship Group (also known simply as the Bethany Quilters) will be displayed at the Library during June and July. Their exhibit, “Quilting with Friends”, will display some of the quilts made by members during their time in the group. The exhibit will include both small and large quilts in the Community Room, as well as other fiber crafts in the hallway display cases. There will be an artist reception in the Community Room on Saturday, June 27 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.

The Bethany Quilters have been gathering weekly for over 10 years, spending time together to create quilts and other textile crafts. Some members were already expert quilters the first time they attended, some had never sewn a stitch. It doesn’t matter what project members work on: the biggest benefit is the conversation, support and friendship from the group.

The Bethany 250th Committee worked with the Bethany Quilters and the students of Bethany Community School to create the Bethany 250th Quilt for this year’s national celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signature of the Declaration of Independence. Students created artwork based on the prompt “What Does American Mean to You?”, and the Committee selected 20 winning entries to be worked into a quilt design by the Bethany Quilters. The Bethany 250th Quilt is currently on display in the main stairwell of the Library.

Exhibitors:

Bernadette Lowen
Carol Hotz
Ditas Benipayo
Eileen Ede
Jane Tintachart
Linda Seaholm
Marcia Cohen
Susan Varanka
Wendy Frieden

Congratulations to Clark Memorial Library’s Passport to Connecticut Libraries Top Travelers – the patrons in the program’s two age categories that collected the most stamps over the course of April! The winners of the state-wide raffle will be drawn next week, but we are also sending each of our local winners a small prize (sponsored by the Friends of the Library). Thank you to our Top Travelers, and to everyone who participated – we hope to see you all again during the Passport Program’s next run!

Parents and caretakers, if you are waiting for your children during a Library program or tutoring session, we have special places for you to pass the time! Comfy chairs are tucked away in our Periodical and Biography area (across from the Teens & Tweens area) and just inside the Adult Literature area (near the public computers). Look for signs featuring Pete Oswald and Jory John’s character “The Good Egg”!

The Library’s 2026 Summer Reading Program Kickoff is Saturday, June 13! Early sign-ups for our Summer Reading Programs start Tuesday, June 9, but we encourage you to stop by during the Kickoff even if you’ve signed up already, to take part in fun crafts and activities – and while you’re here, check out the displays we’re setting up as part of the state-wide America 250 Celebration as well!

There will be a special Rock Painting activity starting at 2:00 PM; visitors will be able to paint a custom rock to add to Rocky the Rock Snake, who is returning for the summer!

Summer Reading Programs:

Read & Bead: For children under 10. Create a custom necklace – earn a bead for every 20 minutes you read, and a charm for every 100 minutes. All participants will receive a necklace chain when they sign up, as well as a red, white, or blue starter bead.
Summer Reading Flowers: For children under 10. Help us grow our reading vine! Add a petal to your flower for every 20 min. you read, a ladybug or bee for every 200 min, and a butterfly for every 500 min!
Summer Reading Challenge: For children 10 and up. Start off with a Positive Pickle for inspiration – then hang a flower on our branch bouquet for every 30 min. you read, and pick another Pickle for every 90 min!Participants are automatically entered into a raffle – and everyone who completes the special Reading Challenge will be entered into an additional raffle sponsored by the Friends of the Library!
Summer Reading Raffle: For adults. We are once again encouraging adults to take part in Summer Reading by offering a raffle entry (online or in person at the Library) for every book read over the summer. One winner will be selected at the end of the summer to receive a special prize from the Friends of the Library!

America 250 Celebration Displays:

Revolutionary Reading book display (upstairs) and Celebrating 250 Years of American History book displays (upstairs and downstairs)
The Three Sisters Boundary Stone (upstairs)
Bethany 250th Quilt & Bethany Bicentennial Quilt (in the stairwell)
Arts@Clark!: Quilting with Friends exhibit (in the Community Room)
Children’s Guide to the Founding Fathers Storywalk (on the front lawn)

The Nutmeg Book Award allows students to choose their favorite books from lists of ten nominated titles at four reading levels (Elementary, Intermediate, Middle School, & High School) and vote for them in April. The Library will be adding copies of many of the 2027 nominees to its physical collection soon, but we already have a curated booklist on the Palace app that includes ebook and audiobook editions of both the 2027 nominees (with sublists divided by reading level) and the 2026 winners!

Whether you’re planning to vote or just looking for a good summer reading book, sign in to Palace and take a look. If you don’t find what you’re looking for there, you can check out our other digital media apps, Libby and Hoopla. All three can be used for free – all you need to create an account is a library card and an email address! More information is available on the Library website.

Did you know that May is National Pet Month? This annual celebration of the mutual benefits of animal companionship also promotes responsible pet care and animal welfare in general, to ensure pets can live healthy, comfortable, and fulfilling lives. We’ve filled our book displays with pet books to celebrate: from the everyday, to the exotic, to the fantastical! You may find a book about a boy and his dog right next to one about caring for mythical creatures or dinosaurs. Whether its a pet you already love or a pet you wish you had, we’re sure to have something for you!

Spring has officially sprung! Stop by the Children’s Room for “April Showers” umbrellas and raincloud crafts; a “Let’s Fly A Kite” display with colorful ribbons made by patrons; and a brand new “Spring Into A New Book” display. Write the title of your favorite book on a colorful paper book spine and add it to the “shelves” – then check out what other patrons have added. You may discover a new favorite! Outside, our Frog and Toad Storywalk is back, featuring the short story “The Kite”. And finally, we have a Self-Serve Seed Station at the bottom of the main staircase – if you’re planning to plant a garden this year, grab some seeds to get started!