Monday - Thursday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm
Friday, & Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Monday, November 9th at 6PM
A Family Program Sponsored by the Durham Garden Club
Who gives a hoot about owls? We do!
Join us for a fun-filled program for children in Kindergarten through Grade 4 and their families. Discover the fascinating world of owls through engaging stories, fun facts, and hands-on crafts.
Fall events for Kids & Families. More fun to be added soon!
Percy Jackson & Mythical Creatures Scavenger Hunt (All Month)
All September
Find all the mythical creatures and Percy Jackson images in the Children’s Department.Turn in your sheet and the front desk for a small surprise.Play as many times as you’d like. All ages with an adult.
Pokémon Club
Perfect for trainers in grades 1–5!
Meets once every other month for a fun-filled afternoon of all things Pokémon. Each session features a different activity, including fan challenges, Pokémon-themed games, trivia, and crafts. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just getting started, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Registration encouraged, you do NOT need to be able to attend all events.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt
All October
Find all the Halloween pictures hidden in the Children’s Department and turn in your sheet at the front desk for a small reward. For all ages, drop-in runs for the entire month. Play as many times as you like.
Drop-in Craft: Perfect Pumpkin
All October
Drop into the Children’s Department to make a pumpkin craft. Then take your creation home OR leave it to be displayed in the library all month. All ages with an adult. Supplies are limited, first-come, first-served.
LEGO Robotics
Kids in Grades 1-2 and Grades 3+ can build and program a simple robot using LEGO Spike Essential Robotics kits.
10/5 & 11/16 at 5:30pm for Grades 1-2
10/19 & 11/23 at 6pm for Grade 3+
All Ages Storytime & Playgroup
Tuesdays at 9:30am
10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 11/24
Children of all ages with an adult are welcome to join Miss Alex on Tuesdays at 9:30 AM starting October 6th for stories, songs, and a playgroup to follow.
On 10/27 at 10am, please join us for a special Preschool Halloween Party.
last storytime on 11/24
Registration is encouraged so that we can connect in the event of a delay or cancellation due to weather or illness, but it is not required.
Family Paint Night – Friendly Ghost
Thursday, October 15, 2026
6:00–8:00 PM
Join us for a fun family painting night! Participants will create their own friendly ghost painting with step by step guidance.
For families with children in Grade 1 and up.
All participants must register.
Limit: 24 participants. Registration opens Thursday October 1st at 6pm
Preschool Halloween Party
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Join us on Tuesday, October 27, at 10:00 AM for a spooktacular preschool party! Enjoy Halloween stories, songs, and a fun craft, then show off your costume in a short indoor parade. Perfect for little ones and their families. Registration encouraged, not required.
Haunted Gingerbread Houses
Monday 10/26 at 6 PM
Decorate a haunted gingerbread house this evening. All supplies will be provided. Registration is required; register online using the library’s calendar starting 10/12/26. Open to families with children 3 & up. Teens welcome.
Register starting 10/12 at 6pm
Dog Man: A Sprinkle in Time Release Party
Thursday, November 5, 2026
Celebrate the release of Dog Man: A Sprinkle in Time with an evening of Dog Man fun!
Join us for crafts, activities, games, and plenty of Dog Man silliness as we celebrate the newest adventure. For kids in Grades K–5.
Registration required. Registrations open at 5:30 PM Thursday, October 15, 2026
Slime!
Tuesday 11/3/26
Dive into the world of colorful and squishy slime-making.
1:30pm for Grades K-2
2:30pm for Grades 3-5
Registration required, spots limited. Registration opens 10/20.
Drop-in Veterans Day Craft
11/11/26
Open to close
Visit the Children’s Area on Wednesday, 11/11 to make a craft. All supplies provided. Supplies limited. First come, first serve—all ages with an adult.
Drop-in Thanksgiving Craft
11/23, 11/24, 11/25, 11/28 (library closed 11/26 & 11/27)
Open to close
Visit the Children’s Area this week to make a Thanksgiving craft. All supplies provided. Supplies limited. First come, first serve—all ages with an adult.
Cocoa & Crafts
Mondays 6pm
12/7, 12/14, 12/21.
Kids in grades 3 and up can join Miss Alex on Monday evenings at 6:00 PM for cocoa, crafts, and chit-chat!
Please register for each meeting individually.
Registration opens two weeks before each meeting at 6:00 PM:
Family Craft – Cardboard Cookies
Thursday 12/17 at 5pm
Make a plate of cookies from cardboard and puffy paint to celebrate the holiday season.
All supplies provided , bring your creativity. Registration opens Thursday December 3rd
For ages 3 and up with an adult.
Pre-K Summer Reading Game Boards
For all kids not entering kindergarten in 2026.
How to Register: Pick up a game board at the Durham Public Library’s Summer Reading Desk or print one from our website. If you pick up your game board at the library, you can also claim a free book to keep.
How to Play:
Complete the fun summer reading activities on your game board.
How to Win: Return your completed game board to the library to claim your prize. Prizes must be claimed by August 28th.
Read & Bead (Grades K-5 )
How to Register: Visit the Summer Reading Desk at the library to pick up your Read & Bead Activity Log, a Read & Bead chain, and your first brag tag. If you can’t make it in right away, you can print your log at home and backdate activities with a caregiver’s approval.
How to Play:
Important! You must bring your log to the library to collect beads. If you’re exchanging beads to level up, you must bring them with you.
Teen Summer BINGO (Grades 6+)
Starting June 12th, stop by the library to pick up your Teen BINGO Card and start the challenge!
How to Play:
Finished a card? Keep playing! You can pick up new cards to play until August 21st.
Adult Summer Reading BINGO
Pick up a Summer Reading BINGO Card and complete five activities in a row to participate.
PRE-K GAMEBOARDS
(ALL KIDS NOT ENTERING KINDERGARTEN IN 2025)
To register, pick up your game board at the Durham Public Library’s Summer Reading Desk or print below
To play, complete all the fun summer reading activities on it.
To get a prize, return your game board to the library for your prize. Prizes must be claimed on or before August 30th.
READ & BEAD (K-5)
To register, simply visit the library’s Summer Reading Desk and grab a Summer Read & Bead Activity Log along with your Read & Bead chain and your first brag tag. If you can’t make it to the library right away, you can print your log at home and backdate any activities with your caregiver’s approval.
Here’s how to play:
Remember, you must bring your log with you to the library to collect your beads. If you’re exchanging beads to level up, please bring them with you.
To finish the program, simply turn in your log by August 30th and receive a small surprise. And don’t forget, all beads earned are yours to keep.
BINGO BOARDS (TEENS GR 6+)
Starting June 13th, stop by and grab your Teen BINGO Card.
Complete any of the activities on the board.
Cross off what you’ve done. Aim for three in a row.
Return your card for a small prize and a chance at a special raffle prize. All cards must be returned by 8/30.
Finished a card? Play as many times as you’d like until 8/9.
BINGO BOARDS (ADULTS)
Pick up a Summer Reading BINGO Card and complete 5 activities in a row. Turn your card in for a chance at a bi-weekly raffle prize.
Play as many times as you’d like until 8/19.
Full Curriculum For Grades K-5 .
Explore this resource here:
Weekly / Monthly Learning Plans & Worksheets in;
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
• MATH
• SCIENCE
• SOCIAL STUDIES
• SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)
Great for homeschooling families, extra practice for kids and parents , and substitute teacher lesson plans.
Free access to lesson plans and printable worksheets inside the library ( no card or account needed) and with your Durham library card from home.
This program and coinciding text is an innovative play-based program designed to get every type of learner ready to read, all while having fun!
We will have a group kick-off Thursday June 20th with the creator, Dr Caroline Ugurlu at 6 pm.
Join us for a fun event and to collect your free kit.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, two-thirds of fourth graders are not meeting fluency benchmarks. However, engaged parents and caregivers can be the game-changers. Engage with your child by using Letters Are Characters.
This captivating book brings the alphabet to life, tailored for both parents and children. By transforming letters into characters, young learners engage in what comes most naturally—playing, laughing, and exploring the characters and their stories. Simultaneously, they unravel the phonemic code—the crucial first step towards reading.
Too frequently, bright and capable children experience a dip in self-esteem and enthusiasm for learning because they lag in acquiring early reading skills.
In “Letters Are Characters,” Dr. Wilcox Ugurlu combines her unique perspective as a scientist, educator, and parent to fashion a playful, compassionate, and well-informed program. It equips parents to assist their children in developing critical reading readiness skills. —Paul B. Yellin, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, Director, The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education.
Participants will receive a comprehensive “Letters Are Characters” kit, including:
Additionally, every parent will receive a weekly instructional letter and video, alongside unparalleled access to the creator of “Letters Are Characters,” Dr. Caroline Ugurlu, available via email or phone. Amazing, right?
If you’re unable to enroll in the live class , you can explore segments of this course through the “Letters Are Characters” textbook, accessible at the library.
We will have a group kick-off Thursday June 20th with the creator, Dr Caroline Ugurlu at 6 pm. Join us for a fun event and to collect your free kit.
By the age of six, a child’s familiarity with letter sounds stands as the most critical predictor of future reading ability. “Letters are Characters” primes kids for reading dynamically and enjoyably, ensuring they embark on the right path. Moreover, it empowers parents through awareness and understanding of the science of reading and the brain.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress reports that over two-thirds of American children lack proficiency in reading by the fourth grade. Together, we can alter this course.
Reading to our children yields manifold benefits:
You are your child’s foremost and most influential educator. Ensuring children read well, frequently, and profoundly stands as one of the finest gifts you can bestow upon them. If a child encounters difficulties in learning to read, do not delay intervention. The most valuable gifts you can offer children are time and attention.
A sale where only kids can sell, but anyone can buy!
We are looking for sellers ages 5-18 (12 & under with a parent).
Registration for sellers opens on June 19th. Register online using the library’s calendar or call the library at 860-749-9544
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