Programs for Young Children
Special Summer Drop-In Programs
Hatch the Chicks! Thursdays 6/29 & 7/20, 10:30-11:30am (all ages)
6/15: our chicken-hatching setup will be delivered. Come check out our eggs in their incubator! 7/20: Today we hope to see some baby chicks emerging from their shells. An interpreter from Drumlin Farm will be here to explain what’s happening and provide further information.
“Drive-in” Movie, Saturday 7/15, 10:30am (ages 2-5)
Decorate a cardboard-box “car,” then sit in it and watch a short movie!
Lindsay and Her Puppet Pals, Thursday 7/27, 10:30 am (ages 4+)
Join us for a fun and interactive puppet show featuring several short skits with Lindsay’s larger-than-life puppets!
Elephant and Piggie Party, Saturday 8/19, 10:30 am (ages 4+)
End the summer with stories, crafts, games, and snacks, celebrating Mo Willems’s popular Elephant and Piggie books.
Evening entertainment for families with young children on the lawn at the MacKay Branch. In the event of rain, concerts will be held indoors at the Chelmsford Senior Center.
This year’s lineup:
- August 2 Ben Rudnick and Friends
- August 9 Stacey Peasley
- August 16 Johnny Fireseed and the Junkyard Dogs
Summer Registered Programs
Be Our Guest!, Tuesday 7/18, 4:00 pm (Ages 4+)
All Beauties and Beasts are invited to join us for high tea (or juice) and elegant “teacakes.” Registration required. Registration begins July 4. Register using our online event calendar or by calling the Library at 978-256-5521 x212.
Weekly Summer Drop-in Programs
Ages below are guidelines. Not sure which storytime is right for your child? Ask a children’s librarian! The summer storytime session runs from July 3rd to August 19th, 2017.
See all Storytimes on the event calendar
Baby Storytime (Birth – pre-walking)
Open to babies not yet walking (no older siblings, please), this storytime is a wonderful introduction to early literacy. Caregivers share parenting experiences with one another and bond with their babies through lap bounces, nursery rhymes, songs, and board books. Fridays, 10am
Baby Yoga (Birth to pre-walking)
Bond with baby through yoga, massage, meditation, and music! This half-hour yoga class focuses on the child’s body, not the adult’s. We’ll do some light baby massage, assist baby into developmentally supportive movements, then wind down with meditation and/or music. At the end, caregivers and babies can socialize for the final unstructured half hour. No experience necessary. Mats provided but please bring along a blanket for comfort. No older siblings, please. Mondays, 11am Please note that summer Baby Yoga meets on Mondays, July 10, 17, & 24 and August 14 at 11am, not Wednesdays at 10am as it previously was.
Toddler Rhyme Time (1 & 2 years)
A lively time sharing rhymes, songs, and one or two books, this program is geared toward walking toddlers. Children should attend this program until they can sit quietly and listen to several stories before moving on to Preschool Storytime. Wednesdays, 10am
Preschool Storytime (3 – 6 years)
Designed for children who are ready to sit quietly and listen to longer stories, this program features several picturebooks interspersed with fingerplays, action rhymes, and songs. Mondays, 10am
Yoga Storytime (3 – 6 years)
Books, songs, & movement come together in this fun drop-in program for preschoolers and kindergartners. We’ll get energized with breathwork, do yoga poses while reading picturebooks, move to music, and end with relaxing coloring. No experience necessary. Mats will be provided. Wear comfy clothes so you can move! Tuesdays, 1:30pm Please note that summer Yoga Storytime only meets on the following Tuesdays: July 11 & 25 and August 15.
Outdoor Picnic Storytime at MacKay (2 – 6 years)
Let’s read outside! Bring a picnic lunch and a blanke
t to sit on. If it rains, this storytime will be held inside the MacKay Branch. at the MacKay Branch Fridays, 11:30am
PJ Storytime (2 – 6 years)
Led by our talented StoryTeens, this evening family storytime is held weekly in the summer! Mondays, 7pm.
Special Storytimes
Dads and Donuts Storytime (2+ years)
Join us on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 10:30am for a special storytime. All caregivers are welcome, not just dads! We read stories, sing songs, and end with refreshments.
Storytime TV (2+ years)
Airing nightly at 7pm on Chelmsford Telemedia (Comcast channel 22; Verizon channel 36). View the Storytime TV Archive.
StoryWalk (2+ years)
A self-guided nature trail with picturebook pages along the way at Sunny Meadow Community Garden. Visit between dawn and dusk from May 1 – November 1.