Kids

We offer storytimes and afterschool programs during the school year as well as our annual Summer Reading Program. Click on your local PCPL location below to learn more about what's happening at a library near you!

Red White and Blue Bold 4th of July Slide

Current programs and events
- Movie Monday- Every Monday at 3:00pm. Stop by for a children’s movie and popcorn! Call the library for movie title.
- Summer Reading Program – Every Wednesday at 10:00am. Join us for a story and craft!
- Storytime- June 5^th & 26^th at 11:00am. Join us for a special summer storytime!
- Outdoor Movie- June 12^th, 8:30pm- Join us to watch Jurassic Park on the outdoor movie screen! Popcorn and drinks will be provided. This is a public space with picnic tables as well as grass, so feel free to bring chairs or a blanket. Intended for ages 13+.
- Retro Gaming- 7/9, 4:00pm-7:00pm Floating
  Interested in retro games like Nintendo and Sega? Join us as we play your favorite nostalgic games.
- Outdoor Children’s Movie- 7/10, 8:30pm
  Join us for an outdoor movie showing with popcorn and refreshments. Feel free to bring food and eat at one of our picnic tables.
- Lemonade at the Library Storytime- July 17th, 11:00am
  Join us for a lemonade themed story time and enjoy a refreshing cup of lemonade.
- Read Around-7/28 2:00pm-7:00pm
  Find a comfortable spot around the library and read! That’s it- no socializing necessary! Just sign in, receive a “Book Lover” goodie bag and find a spot to read.
- Library Clean Up- 7/30, 10:00am
  Help us spruce up the library grounds and earn volunteer hours!
Outreach
- Contact Alyssa, the Brosville/Cascade Youth Services Specialist, at 434-685-1285 to request an outreach visit to your daycare or school.

Current programs and events
- Mad Science Mondays: Kinetic Sand – Monday, June 1^st, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
  Get sandy in the best way possible! Make your own kinetic sand!
- Sunprint Studio – Tuesday, June 2^nd, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
  Harness the power of the sun to make art using photosensitive paper!
- Family Storytime + Craft – Wednesday, June 3^rd& 17^th, 10:30 – 11:30 am
  Bring the whole family for a story, songs, and a craft!
- Rock Painting Party – Thursday, June 4^th 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
  Decorate a colorful rock to add to our outdoor rock snake, Dewey!
- Mad Science Mondays: Moon Dough – Monday June 8^th, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
  Houston, we have moon dough. Create your own out of this world moon dough!
- Jurassic Roll: Take and Make Craft – Tuesday, June 9^th All day (while supplies last)
  Take home your own tiny dinosaur craft!
- Dino Egg Hunt – Wednesday, June 10^th 10:30 – 11:30 am (for ages 0-5)
  On you mark get set go! Little ones join us for a dino egg hunt!
- Dino Rama: Thursday, June 11^th 4:00 – 5:00 pm
  Create the perfect habitat for a dinosaur using various building supplies.
- Mad Science Monday: Lava Lamp Lab – Monday, June 15^th 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
  Conduct an experiment with a swirling and bubbling lava lamp reaction!
- Lego Club – Tuesday, June 16^th 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  Try a build challenge or free build. All ages are welcome!
- Mad Science Monday: Balloon Blast – Monday, June 22^nd 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
  These experiments will be water-filled and colorful! Come see color in motion!
- Outdoor Storytime + Games – Wednesday, June 24^th 10:30 – 11:30 am
  Join us for stories, sunshine, and fun! We’ll read a story followed by games!
- The Great Library Stuffed Animal Sleepover – Thursday, June 25^th 4:00 – 6:00 pm
  Bring a plush buddy to a cozy bedtime storytime, and leave them with other plush friends for a library sleepover. Come back the next day to see what they got up to!
- Mad Science Mondays: Blast Off Fireworks – Monday June 29^th 11:00 am – 12:00pm
  Create a firework effect using the power of science!
- Color Connection: Outdoor Art – Tuesday June 30^th 1:00 – 2:00 PM
  Create a collaborative outdoor art project. Caution! Expect messy fun!
- Book Bingo – June 13, 11:00 am
  Patrons of all ages are welcome to join us for a morning of Bingo. Win a game, pick a book as your prize!
- Chalk it up! Storytime - Wednesday, July 1^st 10:30 – 11:30 AM
  Join us for an outdoor storytime followed by chalk art!
- Balloon Buddies (DIY Stress Ball) -- Tuesday, July 2^nd 2:00 – 3:00PM
  Stressed? Don’t be! Make you very own stress ball balloon buddy!
- Mad Science Monday: Dino Explosion! – Monday, July 6^th 11:00 – 12:00 PM
  Use science to create a blast!
- Excavation Adventure – Tuesday, July 7^th 11:00 – 12:00 PM
  Test your paleontology skills and excavate a dino of your own!
- Family Storytime + Craft -- Wednesday July, 8th & July 22nd 10:30 - 11:30 AM
  Bring the whole family for a story, songs, and a craft!
- Wind Racers – Thursday, July 9^th 3:00 – 4:45 PM
  Build the fasted wind powered race car, and put it to the test!
- Mad Science Mondays: Sun Science – Monday, July 13^th 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  Harness the power of the sun, and create cool science
- Dino Golf – Tuesday, July 14^th 5:00 – 7:00 PM
  Play mini-golf in the library! Can you score a hole in one?
- Bubble Bonanza Storytime – Friday, June 17^th 10:30 – 11:30 AM
  Join us for an outdoor storytime followed by bubble themed activities!
- Mad Science Monday: The Slime Lab – Monday, July 20^th 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  Become a slime scientist and make your own slime!
- Lego Club – Tuesday, July 21^st 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  Try a build challenge or free build. All ages are welcome!
- Frozen Dino Breakout – Thursday, July 23^rd 3:30 – 4:30 PM
  Can you rescue the dinosaurs? Use science to free toys frozen in ice!
- Mad Science Monday: Sour Gummy Workshop – Monday July 27^th 11:00 – 12:00PM
  When life gives you lemons; make sour candy! We’re making a sour sweet treat!
- Spaghetti STEM Showdown – Tuesday, July 28^th 1:00 – 2:00PM
  Test your building skills using spaghetti and marshmallows to create a tower.
- Preschool Dance Party + Storytime – Wednesday, July 29^th 10:30 – 11:30 AM
  Boogie and groove with a morning of stories and dancing!
- Ice Cream Palooza Ice Cream Party – Thursday, July 30^th 2:00 – 4:00 PM
  We’re ending a dino-tastic summer with a sweet treat! Join us for an ice cream party to celebrate your reading success! All ages welcome while supplies last!
- Book Bingo – Saturday, July 11, 11:00 am
  Patrons of all ages are welcome to join us for a morning of Bingo. Win a game, pick a book as your prize!
- (2026) It’s Showtime! Movie – Wednesday, July 15th, at 3pm
  We will be showing the movie Zootopia 2 rated PG. Light refreshments will be served.
- International Snake Day! – Thursday, July 16^th, at 3pm – 4:45pm
  This international day is a moment to raise awareness about snakes, challenge negative stereotypes, and educate people about these remarkable reptiles. Come hold and take pictures with Kristin’s pet snakes!
Outreach
Contact Allison, the Chatham Youth Services Specialist, at 434-432-3271 to request an outreach visit to your daycare or school.

Kids & Family
- Craftastic (ages 5-12) Tuesdays at 10:30 am
  - June 2 – Sand Art Necklace
  - June 9 – Mini Canvas Art Session
  - June 16 – Dino Suncatchers
  - June 23 – Rainbow Dino
  - June 30 – Animal Scratch Masks
- LEGO
  Wednesday, June 3 at 3:00-4:00 pm and 6:00-7:00 pm
  LEGO Challenge is an interactive multi-literacy program that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (S.T.E.A.M.) concepts aimed at developing innovation, imagination, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. School age children are introduced to the building
  blocks of one or more S.T.E.A.M learning concepts through exploratory hands-on activities in a fun and educational environment. School age children integrate engineering concepts and their imagination with hands-on building challenges with LEGO bricks.
- Take & Make Father’s Day Cards – Available June 8-18 while supplies last
- Pre-K Skill Builders – Monday, June 8 and 22 at 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
  An interactive, play-based session designed for children aged 3-5 and caregivers to foster kindergarten readiness.These programs focus on early literacy, math, and social skills through activities with thematic play stations.
- Family Story Time – Wednesday, June 10 at 11:00 am
  A time of stories and songs for all ages.
- Pasta Paleontology (ages 5-12) Wednesday, June 10 at 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  A STEAM-based craft and educational event where children learn about dinosaurs and fossilization by constructing their own dinosaur skeletons using various shapes of dried pasta.
- Mini Canvas Art Contest begins Monday, June 8 and the last day to return Mini Canvas Art Paintings is Friday, June 18
  Our mini canvas art contest is a community engagement program where patrons receive a free, small canvas (3x3) to create a masterpiece. Patrons are given choice to take home a canvas to paint or attend one of our mini canvas painting sessions.
- Public Voting for Mini Canvas Art begins Monday, June 22 and ends Friday, July 10
  Stop in to the Gretna Branch Library to vote for your favorite mini art canvas. One vote per person.
- Mini Canvas Art Session (all ages Thursday, June 11 at 5:00 – 7:00 pm
  Stop in to the library to create your mini canvas art using our supplies
- Mini Canvas Art Session (all ages) Friday, June 12 at 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
  Stop in to the library to create your mini canvas art using our supplies
- Indoor Movie: Ice Age 3 Monday, June 15 at 11:00 am
  Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) follows Sid the Sloth, who falls into a hidden underground world after adopting three abandoned dinosaur eggs. Manny, Ellie, and the herd go on a rescue mission, aided by a crazed weasel named Buck, while dealing with impending parenthood and a dangerous, massive albino Baryonyx named Rudy.
- Bingo for Books
  Tuesdays, June 16 at 4:30 pm
  Patrons of all ages are welcome to join us for an afternoon of Bingo. Win a game, pick a book as your prize!
- Cookie Archeology (ages 5-12) Wednesday, June 17 at 3:00 – 4:00pm
  A hands-on, STEAM-focused activity for kids that simulates an archaeological dig using chocolate chip cookies and toothpicks
- Outdoor Movie: Zootopia 2 8:30 pm
  Zootopia 2 (2025) is a Disney animated buddy-cop sequel where Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde investigate a complex, high-level conspiracy involving the forced displacement of reptiles. The pair goes undercover in new, vibrant city areas, facing a mysterious snake character named Gary De'Snake while exploring themes of identity and the secret, forgotten reptile population of Zootopia.
- 4^th of July 250^th Crafts (ages 5-12) Wednesday, July 1 at 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  Celebrates Independence Day with creative, hands-on projects for kids
- Indoor Movie: The Croods July 6 at 11:00 am
  The Croods (2013) is a DreamWorks Animation comedy-adventure about a prehistoric family forced to leave their destroyed cave and explore a vibrant, dangerous new world. Led by overprotective patriarch Grug and aided by the inventive Guy, they journey to find a new home while overcoming fears of change
- Craftastic (ages 5-12) Tuesdays at 10:30 am
  July 7 – Perler Bead Dino
  July 14 – Watercolor Dino
  July 21 – Chalk Art
  July 28 – Picture Frames
- LEGO Wednesday, July 8 at 3:00-4:00 pm and 6:00-7:00 pm
  LEGO Challenge is an interactive multi-literacy program that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (S.T.E.A.M.) concepts aimed at developing innovation, imagination, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. School age children are introduced to the building blocks of one or more S.T.E.A.M learning concepts through exploratory hands-on activities in a fun and educational environment. School age children integrate engineering concepts and their imagination with hands-on building challenges with LEGO bricks.
- Pre-K Skill Builders – Monday, July 13 and 27 at 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
  An interactive, play-based session designed for children aged 3–5 and caregivers to foster kindergarten readiness. These programs focus on early literacy, math, and social skills through activities with thematic play stations.
- Family Story Time, Wednesday, July 15 at 11:00 am
- Dino Eggs Activity (ages 5-12) Wednesday, July 15 at 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  A hands-on STEM-based activity where children act as paleontologists to excavate and hatch a dinosaur egg.
- Bingo for Books Tuesday, July 21 at 4:30 pm
  Patrons of all ages are welcome to join us for an afternoon of Bingo. Win a game, pick a book as your prize!
- Diamond Painting (ages 5-12) Wednesday, July 22 at 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  Participants will use an applicator tool to place tiny resin "diamonds" onto an adhesive canvas to create sparkling, multi-dimensional art.
- Outdoor Movie: Bad Guys 2 Thursday, July 23 at 8:30 pm
  The Bad Guys 2 (2025) is an animated action-comedy where the reformed crew—Mr. Wolf, Snake, Shark, Piranha, and Ms. Tarantula—are forced out of retirement for a high-stakes, globe-trotting heist. They are hijacked by a new all-female criminal team, "The Bad Girls," threatening their new lives as "good guys"
- Bingo (ages 5-12) Wednesday, July 29 at 3:00 - 4:00 pm
  Children can join us for games of Bingo to win prizes.

Outreach
- Contact Cammie, the Gretna Youth Services Specialist, at 434-290-3223 to request an outreach visit to your daycare or school.

Current programs and events
- Movie Mondays, Mondays, 10:30 AM
  Watch a movie in our Meeting Room with popcorn, as supplies last.
  June1: The Good Dinosaur
  June 8: The Land Before Time
  June 15: Dinosaur
  June 22: Ice Age
  June 29: Ice Age 2
- Family Storytime, Wednesdays OR Thursday at 10:30 AM, Recommended Ages 0-7
  Storytime for families, followed by a craft or activity. Choose ONE session each week. No registration required, but it will be first come, first serve.
- Kid Craft Fridays, Fridays at 11 AM, Ages 6-11, Registration Required
  June 5: Sunprint Photos. Create art using cyanotype paper.
  June 12: Pet rocks. Paint a cool pet rock to keep or give to a friend.
  June 26: 3-D Wooden Dinos. Paint a wooden dinosaur and then put it together.
- “Cave” Paintings, Tuesday, June 2, 10 AM-Noon
  Draw cave-like paintings on our sidewalk using paint made from chalk. Weather permitting.
- Book BINGO, Saturday, June 6, 11 AM, All Ages
  Play BINGO to win books! No registration is required.
- Little Archaeologist, Saturday, June 13, 11 AM, Ages 6+, Registration Required
  Dig into one of our outdoor flower beds to see what treasures you can find! Weather permitting.
- Retro Art: Spirograph, Wednesday, June 24, 4 PM, All Ages
  Take a trip down memory lane with spirograph art!
- Glacial Archaeology, Tuesday, June 23, 10 AM, Ages 6+, Registration Required
  Uncover unique gems or stones in this chilling adventure.
- Recycled Crafts: RECYCLOSAURUS, Saturday, June 27, 11 AM, Ages 6 to Adult
  Meets one Saturday each month to take something old and create something new! This month you can bring recyclable items and use the provided items as well to build a dinosaur of your own design. Younger children will need adult supervision. Registration required.
- DIY Travel Game, Monday, June 29, 3 PM, Ages 6, Registration Required
  In honor of our upcoming 250^th Anniversary, we will learn about some of the games played throughout our country’s history and make a travel-sized version of a popular game called “Shut the Door.”
- Family Storytime, Wednesdays OR Thursday at 10:30 AM, Recommended Ages 0-7
  Storytime for families, followed by a craft or activity. Choose ONE session each week. No registration required, but it will be first come, first serve.
- Movie Mondays, Mondays, 10:30 AM
  Watch a movie in our Meeting Room with popcorn, as supplies last.
  July 6: Ice Age 3
  July 13: Ice Age 4
  July 20: Ice Age 5
  July 27: Garfield
- Kid Craft Fridays, Fridays at 11 AM, Ages 6-11, Registration Required
  July 10: Perler Bead Dinosaurs
  Jul 17: Build a Clay Dinosaur
Outreach
- - Contact Sharon, the Mt. Hermon Youth Services Specialist, at 434-835-0326 to request an outreach visit to your daycare or school.

Online Resources

Access Video: Just for Kids -- Enjoy TV shows like Arthur, Sesame Street, Odd Squad, SciGirls, and much more, including: read-along storybooks and learning videos to explore topics like reading, writing, math, arts and science.

Gale in Context Elementary -- Gale In Context: Elementary meets the research needs of students in Kindergarten through grade 5, with age-appropriate content from magazines, newspapers, and reference materials, covering current events, the arts, science, health, people, government, history, and more.

Homework HelpNow -- Connect LIVE with a certified tutor, seven days a week between 2 and 11 pm, for assistance with assignments and research, including math, reading, writing, science, social studies, and more! Submit your papers to a tutor in the Writing Lab for constructive feedback or take practice exams and create your own flashcards to prepare for tests. Tutoring is available in English and Spanish.

See all Pittsylvania Online Resources

Kids

Online Resources

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