Activity

Program for kids ages 5-11. If possible, participants are asked to bring their own yoga mat, as we will have limited mats available. Also, bring a water bottle! The Summer Reading theme this year is “Plant a Seed, Read!” Each week, join us for a hands-on workshop where we’ll explore a different hobby, skill, or craft. Enjoy a fun hour-long Intro to Yoga class led by instructor Amie Meacham! Kids will listen to a story, play a game involving yoga, learn breathing exercises, and follow along with age-appropriate yoga instruction and short meditation, with each participant receiving a small giveaway favor! Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required as space is limited. Click here to register.

The Summer Reading theme this year is “Plant a Seed, Read!” Beat the afternoon heat, soak up the air conditioning, and join us for family-friendly movies that connect us with food, farms, & nature. Popcorn provided. See the Essex Library Website for movie titles, descriptions, & age ratings.

Program designed around The Food Group book series by Jory John, written for an audience age 4-8. Kids ages 4-12 are welcome to join! Today we will be reading The Cool Bean! Everyone knows the cool beans. They’re sooooo cool. And then there’s the uncool has-bean . . . Always on the sidelines, one bean unsuccessfully tries everything he can to fit in with the crowd—until one day the cool beans show him how it’s done. Cook, read, and explore with us in this deliciously fun program inspired by Jory John’s Food Group series, one of our featured authors in our “Plant a Seed, Read!” Summer Reading theme. This program will combine stories with simple snack-making. We’ll kick things off by washing hands and learning a few basic food safety tips, because every great chef starts with good habits. Then, we’ll introduce the day’s featured book, and participants will create a themed snack inspired by the story. While our creations bake, chill, or come together, we’ll gather for an interactive read-aloud of the book. Once everything is ready, participants can enjoy their snack or take it to go, along with a recipe card to try again at home. This program blends literacy, hands-on learning, and healthy […]

Kids and families are invited to join Ivoryton Library and celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day by making our own mug recipes for chocolate chip cookies!

Program for kids and teens ages 7-18. The Summer Reading theme this year is “Plant a Seed, Read!” Each week, join us for a hands-on workshop where we’ll explore a different hobby, skill, or craft. This week, join calligraphy artist Debby Reelitz to bring the alphabet to life! We’ll look at the rules about letters and then break all of them! Step by step, you will learn more than 20 techniques to alter your handwriting, add color with a basic set of supplies and build in decorative elements. We'll be playing with highlighters, pencils, colored pencils, gel pens and markers. Plus, we'll create a mini-project with the techniques we'll learn. Debby Reelitz’s 5th grade teacher introduced her to calligraphy and she loves to share her passion for handwritten letters with young people. Kids are taught the practical side of the alphabet with spelling and writing sentences and taking tests. Debby loves to help kids discover the joy in being creative with those oh-so-useful-26-symbols. Debby lives in North Granby, Connecticut. Information can be found at her website: https://letteringdesign.com Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required as space is limited. Click here to register!

Join us for a special Storytime with Sugar the therapy dog!

Program designed around The Food Group book series by Jory John, written for an audience age 4-8. Kids ages 4-12 are welcome to join! Today we will be reading The Couch Potato! The Couch Potato has everything within reach and doesn't have to move from the sunken couch cushion. But when the electricity goes out, Couch Potato is forced to peel away from the comforts of the living room and venture outside. Could fresh air and sunshine possibly be better than the views on screen? Cook, read, and explore with us in this deliciously fun program inspired by Jory John’s Food Group series, one of our featured authors in our “Plant a Seed, Read!” Summer Reading theme. This program will combine stories with simple snack-making. We’ll kick things off by washing hands and learning a few basic food safety tips, because every great chef starts with good habits. Then, we’ll introduce the day’s featured book, and participants will create a themed snack inspired by the story. While our creations bake, chill, or come together, we’ll gather for an interactive read-aloud of the book. Once everything is ready, participants can enjoy their snack or take it to go, along with a recipe card to try again at […]

Discover the wonders of nature through stories, crafts, and activities!

Join the Ivoryton Library to celebrate Play in the Sand Day! We will use sand to make crafts, create art, and enjoy all things sand!

Program open to families with children and teens ages 5+. The Summer Reading theme this year is “Plant a Seed, Read!” Each week, join Essex Library for a hands-on workshop where we’ll explore a different hobby, skill, or craft. Our last session is all about Geocaching! In this session, families will join Essex Land Trust to explore The Millrace property and learn how to use the free Geocache app to join the world’s largest treasure hunt by using a GPS-enabled device or smartphone to search for hidden geocaches! This program will be held at The Millrace, Ivory St, Ivoryton. In the event of rain, this program will not be held. This program is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Click here to register.

Join the Ivoryton Library to celebrate World Elephant Day by making crafts all about these majestic creatures!

The Summer Reading theme this year is “Plant a Seed, Read!” Beat the afternoon heat, soak up the air conditioning, and join us for family-friendly movies that connect us with food, farms, & nature. Popcorn provided. See library website for movie title, age rating, and description.

Program for kids ages birth-3 and their caregivers. A play-based music and movement story time for young children and their caregivers! At Essex Library, we are committed to providing high-quality story time experiences that foster early literacy, social-emotional growth, and a lifelong love of learning. What to expect: Each Wiggle Worms session begins with a welcome song where children (or caregivers) are invited to introduce themselves (or their little one), helping build confidence. We sing interactive songs that encourage vocabulary development and gross motor movement, then share a story together while modeling early literacy skills by pointing to words, turning pages, and engaging with the book. After the first book, we play and sing with interactive toys such as shakers, scarves, and rhythm sticks before we wrap up with one final story and a goodbye song. After story time, families are encouraged to stay, play, and socialize in our Children's Room. It's a wonderful opportunity for children to make friends, caregivers to connect, and our library community to grow together. This story time will take place every Tuesday morning. Due to space, Please choose 1 session per day to attend. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. […]

Join the Ivoryton Library for a special Storytime with Sugar the therapy dog!

Join us at Essex Library for a 3-part meditation and mindfulness series with Caryl Horner. Each class provides a combination of instructional content and experiential practice in meditation & mindfulness. Breath work, voice and walking meditations and a simple sound bath will also be provided over the 3 classes. Aug. 13- Meditation 101 This first class presents how meditation reduces stress and quiets the mind, to experience a calm connection between mind & body. The basics of how to meditate, develop a daily practice and the health benefits of such a practice will be covered. A guided group meditation will be presented. Each participant will convey their individual interest/goal for this 3 part program. Register at www.youressexlibrary.org or by calling the library at 860-767-1560. About Caryl Horner Caryl is the founder & director of Dharma Room in Chester. She has been meditating and working in the healthcare field for decades and has a Ph.D in Psychology. She is experienced in the following meditation modalities: Buddhist meditation,  Mindfulness meditation, The Relaxation Response & Transcendental Meditation.

Program designed around The Food Group book series by Jory John, written for an audience age 4-8. Kids ages 4-12 are welcome to join! Today we will be reading The Bad Seed! This is a book about a bad seed. A baaaaaaaaaad seed. How bad? Do you really want to know? He has a bad temper, bad manners, and a bad attitude. He's been bad since he can remember! A funny yet touching tale that reminds us of the remarkably transformative power of will, acceptance, and just being you. Perfect for young readers, as well as anyone navigating their current world, The Bad Seed proves that positive change is possible for each and every one of us. Cook, read, and explore with us in this deliciously fun program inspired by Jory John’s Food Group series, one of our featured authors in our “Plant a Seed, Read!” Summer Reading theme. This program will combine stories with simple snack-making. We’ll kick things off by washing hands and learning a few basic food safety tips, because every great chef starts with good habits. Then, we’ll introduce the day’s featured book, and participants will create a themed snack inspired by the story. While our creations bake, chill, or come together, […]