Category: Programs – Children

December Events & Activities for Children

Join us for these events and activities at the library in December! | Children

winter PINECONE gnome take and make

East Springfield Branch
Thursday, December 1 – Saturday, December 31 | Open Hours | Ages 5-18

Come pick up a Winter Pinecone gnome kit to make your very own good luck gnome! The kit contains everything you need, but you can add to it with whatever you have at home.

sparkling snowflakes for everyone

Indian Orchard Branch
Saturday, December 3 | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Ages 8+

Using a variety of materials, we will create sparkling snowflakes to hang in your windows or on your tree. For ages 8 and up. For more information, please call 413-263-6846.

Chill Out Storytime

Sixteen Acres Branch
Mondays: December 5 & 19 | 1:30 PM & 4:00 PM (both days) | Ages 2-5

Need a break from the hectic holiday hubbub? Join us for your librarian’s favorite stories and a song or two. Ideal for ages 2-5 with younger and older children welcome.

WRITE A LETTER DAY

Sixteen Acres Branch
Monday, December 5 – Saturday, December 10 | Open Hours| Ages 5-13

December 7 is Letter Writing Day. Drop in all week and find supplies to write and mail your own letter or postcard! Envelopes and stamps provided.

Animal Tales with Forest Park Zoo!

Forest Park Branch
Tuesdays: December 6, 13, & 20 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Ages 2-5
Register via our online calendar!

Come to the Library for Animal Tales! The Forest Park Zoo will be at the Forest Park Library on Tuesday mornings in December to introduce new animal friends – just for the littles! Preschool age children will enjoy a craft, game, or activity related to an animal storytime – and meet an animal ambassador from the book! Registration is requested.

build a gingerbread house

 East Springfield Branch
Saturday, December 10 | 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM| All Ages

Get into the festive holiday spirit by making gingerbread houses with graham crackers and decorate it with sweets! While supplies last.

holidays celebration

Brightwood Branch
Monday, December 12 & Wednesday,  December 14 | 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Ages 3-5

Let’s celebrate the spirit of the Holidays with favorite stories and craft related activities.

hot chocolate in a jar

Brightwood Branch
Tuesday, December 13 | 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM| Children & Teens

Short on time or money for a holiday gift? Or simply looking to have something handy for a cold winter’s day? Come down to Brightwood to make your very own Hot Chocolate in a jar using marshmallows, chocolate chips and more! Supplies and refreshments will be provided.

DIY SNOW GLOBE NECKLACES FOR TWEENS AND TEENS

Indian Orchard Branch
Wednesday, December 21 | 4:00 PM- 6:00 PM | Ages 11-18 | Register

Make a Snow Globe necklace for yourself or as a stocking stuffer. Indian Orchard Library Community Room. Preregistration required. Preregister online or by calling 413-263-6846.

New year’s eve in a bag

 East Springfield Branch, Mason Square Branch, Sixteen Acres Branch
Tuesday,  December 27 – Saturday, December 31 | Open Hours| Ages 5-11

Countdown to the New Year with a take-home bag of fun activities geared to families. Kit includes clock craft, noisemakers, popcorn and more!

cookies and cocoa party

 Sixteen Acres Branch
Thursday, December 29 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Ages 5-13 | Register

Celebrate winter break at the library! Stop by for a morning of tasty treats. Fill up your mug with steaming hot cocoa and decorate your own cookie with all sorts of wacky colors and shimmering sprinkles! We ask guardians to accompany any child under 10.

Mitten Tree – December

Donations of new mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves accepted for the mitten tree at all library locations. | All Ages

All Library Locations
December 1 – December 31 | Open Hours

Donations of new mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves may be added to the mitten tree in any library location.

Donated items will be distributed throughout Springfield in January. Thank you!

Interfaith Holiday Sing Along – December 11

The audience is invited to sing along to the music of voices and strings, and add to the spirit of unity as we come together as a community through song. | Central Library | All Ages

Central Library – Rotunda
Sunday, December 11 | 2:00-3:00 pm | All Ages

The Suzuki Talent Education Partnership (STEP) and the Springfield City Library invite the public to a free multicultural interfaith holiday sing-along . Holiday sing-along will include songs in English, Chinese , Hebrew, German and Spranish, directed by STEP director Lani Bortfeld.

The audience is invited to sing along to the music of voices and strings, and add to the spirit of unity as we come together as a community through song. Families are most welcome, and children will be invited to come up and accompany the group for Jingle Bells and Las Navidades, using bells and small Latin percussion instruments.

Tween Cooking Club

Come learn how to make fun, healthy meals, drinks, and snacks. | East Forest Park | Children

East Forest Park Branch
Tuesdays: Dec 13, Jan 10, Feb 14
4:00 – 5:00 pm | Ages 8-11

Are you a kid who wants to be more independent and find ways to cook for yourself? Come learn how to make fun, healthy meals, drinks, and snacks. For tweens ages 8-11. Pre-registration is required (note: classes with 0 or 1 registrants will be canceled the day before the class).

Register on our online calendar.

Lego Questers

Join other LEGO Questers in building our Quest of the week, or build your own. | Indian Orchard | Children

Indian Orchard Branch
Wednesdays starting December 7th
5:00-7:00 PM | Ages 5+

Legos are back! Join other LEGO Questers in building our Quest of the week, or build your own. Please call with any questions 413-263-6846.

Minecraft Clubs

Build, play, create – and battle zombies, of course! | Children & Teens

Indian Orchard Minecrafters

Indian Orchard Branch
Every Other Saturday: December 3 & 17 & 31, January 14 & 28
12:00-2:00 PM | Ages 10 +

Join us at the Indian Orchard Library for Minecraft at the Library, where we mine, craft, and trade Minecraft tips! Space limited to 6 participants so come early. Please call (413) 263-6846 for more information.

Makerspace Collaboratory Drop-In

There will be a variety of projects and experiments to get you and your family started exploring and creating! | East Forest Park | All Ages

East Forest Park Branch – Makerspace
Tuesdays | 2:00 – 4:30 PM | All Ages

From traditional crafts to digital tinkering, the East Forest Park Makerspace is your place to create, invent, and learn. Each week we will have a drop-in project or two based on a theme.

Want to learn more? Contact the East Forest Park Branch Library at (413) 263-6836.

Sew Fun: Hand Sewing for Tweens

In this class Tweens, aged 10-13, will be taught the basics of hand sewing while working on various projects throughout the series. | East Forest Park | Children

East Forest Park Branch
Every Other Thursday: Nov 17, Dec 1, Dec 15, Jan 12, Jan 26
4:00-5:00 PM | Ages 10-13

Hand sewing is a great base skill for everyday needs like sewing a button, hemming pants, or making just about anything from fabric! In this class Tweens, aged 10-13, will be taught the basics of hand sewing while working on various projects throughout the series. All materials and supplies will be provided. Space is limited, registration is required.

Register on our online calendar!

Art Explorers Classes

Artists will explore different materials and styles, learn some art history, and have fun! No art experience required. | Central | Children

Central Library
Mondays beginning October 17th
5-6 pm | Ages 8-14

Get messy and make some art! Artists will explore different materials and styles, learn some art history, and most importantly get their hands dirty and have fun! For art lovers 8-14, no art experience required.

Registration is required, but participants are welcome to sign up for as many or as few sessions as desired.

Click the link to see our calendar to register for sessions.