Category: Programs – Teen

April Activities for Teens

Join us for these events and activities at the library in April! | Teens

Chocolate Games

Central Library
Wednesday, April 5 | 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Ages 12-19

Join us in the teen room to participate in challenges around our favorite treat- Chocolate! Guess how many M&M’s are in a jar, see how tall you make an Oreo tower in 60 seconds, and much much more. Of course, you’ll also get to eat the chocolate too!

Air Fryer Recipes

Mason Square Branch
Thursday, April 13 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Teens & Adults | Register

Do you have an air fryer?! Have you heard of one but do not know where to start?! Stop by the Mason Square Library for a class on how to use an air fryer and learn some beginner recipes to get you started. Register at the link above.

Mario Kart Tournament

Central Library
Saturday, April 15 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Ages 12-19

Come to the teen room and show off your Mario Kart skills as players face off. Winners move up to play each other. Top players will win prizes, but free snacks will be provided for everyone!

Nintendo Game Night

Brightwood Branch
Tuesday, April 18 | 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM | Children & Teens

Finding yourself with nothing to do during April vacation? Come into the Brightwood Branch Library for a Nintendo Switch game night! Hang out with all of your friends and play one of many different games on the library Switch…or bring your own! Drinks and snacks will be provided.

Sharpie T Shirts: Start Spring in Style

Indian Orchard Branch
Wednesday, April 19 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Ages 12-18 | Register

Start Spring in style with a beautiful tee shirt using sharpies and rubbing alcohol. Bring your own or we will provide a shirt. Preregistration is required, space is limited. Please call 413-263-6846 to preregister, or register at the link above. Please let us know your t shirt size.

Spring Fling

East Springfield Branch
Wednesday, April 19 | 4:00 – 7:00 PM | All Ages

Join us at the ES Branch Library to kick off these winter blues for an evening of music, food and family friendly fun. A local DJ will play your favorites so please send in your requests in advanced if you’d like your song played!

Pom Pom Critters

East Springfield Branch
Saturday, April 22 | 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Ages 12-18

Join us in making your own pom pom critters using a pom pom maker tool and some felt! Choose which animal you’d like to make with the supplies provided!

Food Fear Factor

Central Library
Monday, April 24 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Ages 12-19 | Register

Are you adventurous when it comes to food? We’ll have interesting foods to try, and every teen who tries every food will win a small prize.

March Activities for Teens

Join us for these events and activities at the library in March! | Teens

Game Day

East Springfield Branch, Indian Orchard Branch, Mason Square Branch, Sixteen Acres Branch
Saturday, March 4 | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM| All Ages

Brightwood Branch
Thursday, March 16 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | All Ages

Enjoy our wide assortment of table top and board games: from Candy Land and Clue to Uno and Trouble!

RPG Afternoon: Honey Heist

Central Library
Tuesday, March 14 | 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Ages 12-19 | Register

Imagine Oceans 11 but with bears – this is Honey Heist: A Game of Criminal Bears! Join us in the teen room to learn this simple comedy game, and play as a criminal mastermind bear. Great for new players, and experienced gamers. All materials and snacks will be provided.

Make a mess painting for Teens

Forest Park Branch
Wednesday, March 15 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Teens

Get ready to get messy! Put on your painting clothes and join us for a messy painting party! Choose from a variety of surfaces and types of paints. Use brushes, foam stamps, fingers, or elbows! Try out different textures and tools – what shape would your knee make? Can you use a pencil to paint? The best part – the only mess you’ll have to clean is yourself!

Creating a Roblox Avatar

Brightwood Branch
Wednesday, March 21 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Children & Teens

Do you enjoy Roblox? Do you want to make your own real-life Avatar? Come on down to the Brightwood Branch Library to make those dreams a reality!

Teen Escape Room

Central Library
Wednesday, March 22 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Ages 12-19

Do you love a good mystery? Then come to the teen room and see if you can beat our escape room! Work together to solve puzzles, search for clues, and find codes and keys to get into special boxes. If you solve the mystery, you’ll win a prize!

Rock Painting

Central Library
Tuesday, March 28 | 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Ages 12-19 | Register

The weather is getting warmer, and it’s the perfect time to paint rocks! Keep it as a work of art, or place outside to share your creation with the world. We’ll provide all the materials and the snacks.

Library Dances – March & April

Join us for a performance of short contemporary dance works that include a dance poem, a dance essay, and the chapter of a dance novel. | East Forest Park | Adults

East Forest Park Branch
Friday, March 31 | 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM | Adults
Saturday, April 16 | 2:00 AM – 2:45 PM | Adults

Library Dances is a 40-minute presentation of short contemporary dance works that include a dance poem, a dance essay, and the chapter of a dance novel. During the performances, Maureen Shea will present solo works, while dancers from Springfield College’s dance department will present Shea’s choreography, Fleur de peau.

All are welcome to these free performances. Library Dances is funded in part by the Local Cultural Councils of Hadley, South Hadley, and Springfield, local agencies funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Classical Music for the Young at Heart – April 1

Join us for a piano trio performance of many favorite classical music pieces played for the young and the young at heart. | Sixteen Acres | Teens & Adults

Sixteen Acres Branch – Community Room
Saturday, April 1 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Teens & Adults

Back by popular demand, Boris Kogan (cello), Sofya Shainskaya (piano), and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s 1st violinist Marsha Harbison will play a wide variety of classical music. One of the recital’s key goals is to expose our future young adult audience to the joys of classical music. It will highlight major classical styles and beloved composers such as J. S. Bach, Peter Tchaikovsky, and Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Funding provided by the Rose Smith Fund.

Reptile Show of New England – April 22

This meet-and-greet live reptile show will feature over 15 reptiles species from around the world! | East Forest Park | All Ages

East Forest Park Branch
Saturday, April 22 | 1:00-2:00 PM | All Ages

The Reptile Show of New England presents a look into the exotic lives of reptiles. This meet-and-greet live reptile show with professional herpetologist, Alex Hartley, will feature over 15 reptiles species from around the world, including: Iguanas, Boa constrictors, Pythons, and more.

Audiences will have an opportunity to touch and interact with these reptiles. Bring your camera for this free event open to everyone! This hands-on show is one you will always remember.

Teen Closet Cleaning Crafts

What can you create with our grab bag of crafting goodies? Your imagination is the limit! | Indian Orchard | Teens

Indian Orchard Branch
First Wednesday of the Month | 4:00-6:00 PM | Ages 11-18

What can you create with our grab bag of crafting goodies? We will have available a variety or crafting supplies – felt, foam, embroidery floss, paint, paper, markers, beads, SPARKLY stickers….. Your imagination is the limit! For more information please call 413-263-6846.

Job Corps & AmeriCorps Information Tables

Come learn about career programs that help people obtain high school diplomas, job training, and employment. | Teens & Adults

AmeriCorps Information Tables

AmeriCorps is an independent agency of the United States government that provides stipended volunteer work programs which help communities address poverty, the environment, education, and other unmet human needs.

Mason Square Branch
Thursday, March 16 | 4:00-6:00 PM | Ages 16+

Forest Park Branch
Tuesday, March 21 | 2:00-4:00 PM | Ages 16+

Central Library – Rotunda
Thursday, March 23 | 2:00-4:00 PM | Ages 16+

East Forest Park Branch
Wednesday, March 29 | 4:00-6:00 PM | Ages 16+

Job Corps Information Tables

Stop by to learn about Job Corps. Job Corps is a free residential and job training program that helps both young adults as well as adults of any age who have a disability to gain employment.

Central Library – Rotunda
4/3, 5/1, 6/5, 7/3, 8/7, 9/11, 10/2, 11/6, 12/4 | 3:00-6:00 PM | Ages 16+

Forest Park Branch
4/4, 5/2, 6/6, 7/11, 8/1, 9/12, 10/3, 11/14, 12/5 | 12:00-3:00 PM | Ages 16+

Brightwood Branch
6/13, 9/19, 12/12 | TBD | Ages 16+

Mason Square Branch
3/29, 4/26, 5/31, 6/28, 7/26, 8/30, 9/27, 10/25, 11/29, 12/27 | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Ages 16+

East Springfield Branch
3/30, 4/27, 5/25, 6/29, 7/27, 8/31, 9/28, 10/26, 11/30, 12/28 | 1:00-4:00 PM | Ages 16+

East Forest Park Branch
3/24, 6/16, 9/22, 12/22 | 1:00-4:00 PM | Ages 16+

Sixteen Acres Branch
3/18, 4/15, 5/13, 6/17, 7/15, 8/19, 9/16, 10/14, 11/18, 12/16 | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Ages 16+

Indian Orchard Branch
3/23, 4/24, 5/23, 6/23, 7/24, 8/23, 9/25, 10/23, 11/27, 12/26 | 2:00-5:00 PM | Ages 16+

Switch It Up!

Come Switch It Up at the library and play your choice of Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 or Mario Party Superstars! | East Springfield | Teens

Switch it up!

East Springfield Branch
2nd Friday Each Month | 3:00-4:00 PM | Ages 13-18

Come Switch It Up at the library and play your choice of Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 or Mario Party Superstars! Light refreshments will be served.

Minecraft Clubs

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

Indian Orchard Minecrafters

Indian Orchard Branch
Saturdays | 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.

Code Builders

Build the skills you need to create animations, games, apps, and more using fun online tutorials! | East Forest Park | Teens

East Forest Park Branch

Club Sessions
Wednesdays: Feb 1, 8 & Mar 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 | 3:30-5:00 PM | Ages 13-18

This program is temporarily on hiatus. It will restart at a  future date TBD.

Come learn to code and change the world!

We are partnering with Girls Who Code to offer a Coding Club where you can explore different programming languages and platforms, along with the potential they have for making a positive impact on your community. You will build the skills you need to create animations, games, apps, and more using GWC’s fun online tutorials and the support of the other club members! Space is limited, registration is required.

Register for sessions via our calendar!