Children and Families

OCTOBER PROGRAMS

Boo Bash: Family Halloween Fun (All Ages)

Celebrate Halloween with a not-so-spooky party full of family fun!  Come in costume and enjoy festive games, crafts, snacks and a trick-or-treat parade around the library.  No registration required.  

Join us in the Family Dept. for a fang-tastic good time! Choose the date that works best for you: Thursday, October 30 from 5:30–7 p.m. or Friday, October 31 from 10–11:30 a.m.

NOVEMBER PROGRAMS

Saturday Special (All Ages)

Join us in the Family Dept. for an EXTRA SPECIAL Saturday! Every week, enjoy a fresh selection of self-guided activities we have created just for you! This drop-in program runs every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• November 1 - Dino-Land: Games to Roar For!
• November 8 - Remembrance Day
• November 15 - Dr. Seuss
• November 22 - North Pole
• November 29 - Financial Literacy

Family Art (All Ages)

Drop-in to the Family Department for a fun art project that all skill levels will enjoy!  Let your creativity flow with different materials and inspiration each week on Sundays from 1-3:30 p.m. or Mondays from 3:30-7 p.m.

PA Day: Friday, November 14

Dinosaurs vs. Robots (All Ages): Family Dept. Drop-In

• Get ready for an epic adventure where the prehistoric meets the futuristic! Drop in between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to answer the age-old question: who would win between Dinosaurs and Robots?!  No registration required. 

Makerspace Drop-In (Ages 4+)

• Drop-in to the Makerspace anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to create your very own Mix-and-Match Magnetic Dino-Bot!  Is it a dinosaur?  Is it a robot?  You decide! Design, decorate, and assemble magnetic pieces to build a dino with endless possibilities.  Take your creation home and reconfigure it again and again! 
  

Family Fun: Jurassic Jeopardy (All Ages)

• Think you’ve got what it takes to be a dino expert?  Grab the family and join us for a fast-paced trivia game filled with dinosaur facts, fossil fun, and friendly competition!  Drop-in to the Family Dept. Program Room at 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. to compete!
  

Homeschool Hangout: Lake Defenders (Recommended for Ages 6-12)

Join the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition’s volunteer-led Education Team for a fun, hands-on workshop all about Lake Simcoe!  This interactive program sparks curiosity and deepens understanding of our local watershed through engaging activities. We look forward to meeting the next generation of Lake Defenders—bring your questions about anything freshwater, and let’s learn together!

This program will be held in the Library Program Rooms on Tuesday, November 18 from 1:30-3 p.m. No registration required.

Primary Party: Messy Minions (Ages 6-8 years)

Get ready for gooey, gluey fun at our Messy Minions library program!  Join us on Tuesday, November 25 from 6-7 p.m. for Minion mayhem; a wild art adventure filled with hands-on, messy crafts.  Free and fun for all – just bring your imagination (and maybe an old t-shirt).  

Register now; an up-to-date library card required.  This program will be hosted in the Family Dept. Program Room.

DECEMBER PROGRAMS

Family Art (All Ages)

Drop-in to the Family Department for a fun art project that all skill levels will enjoy!  Let your creativity flow with different materials and inspiration each week on *Sundays from 1-3:30 p.m. or Mondays from 3:30-7 p.m.

*Holiday Break Modified Hours

• Extended Family Art: Monday, December 22 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Closed: Sunday, December 28
• Extended Family Art: Monday, December 29 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Saturday Special (All Ages)

Come visit our Family Department for an EXTRA SPECIAL Saturday!  Every week, enjoy a fresh selection of self-guided activities tailored and created by our enthusiastic Children’s staff just for you!  Drop-in between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Registration is not required.

• December 6 - Giving Workshop
  • Celebrate the season of giving with us at this fun, festive event for kids to make handmade crafts for loved ones. Drop in to craft memories and make the season brighter—one small gift at a time.  
  • Ugly Sweater Making is also happening in the Makerspace (9 a.m.-12 p.m.); bring your own sweater/shirt and we will supply the rest.
• December 13 - Hannukah & Holidays Around the World
  • Join us for a very special Hanukkah Family Storytime, to learn about what Hanukkah means, with local special guest Thamara!  The storytime will start at 10 a.m., in the Family Department Program Room.  Afterward, create your own menorah craft and/or learn about other holidays around the world like Kwanzaa in America, St. Lucia’s Day in Sweden and the legend of La Befana in Italy. 
• December 20 - Winter Solstice
  • It’s officially winter, so come celebrate with some chilly activities in the family department. We can learn about the Winter Solstice while we create some sun-filled crafts and some snow-packed activities! 
• December 27 - Countdown Crafts
• Get ready for 2026 at the OPL! We will make everything you need to make some noise and countdown to midnight(ish) in style! 

Homeschool Hangout: Birds of Prey (Recommended for Ages 6-12)

Soar into the world of raptors in this exciting homeschool library program all about birds of prey!  Through hands-on activities we will learn about these powerful predators.  Perfect for curious young naturalists and aspiring ornithologists!

This program will take place in the Family Department Program Room on Tuesday, December 9 from 1:30-3 p.m.  No registration required.

Tween Paint Night: Snowmen and Cocoa (Ages 9-12 years)

Join us, on Tuesday, December 16 from 5:30-7 p.m., for a fun and frosty evening of creativity and cocoa!  Tweens are invited to paint their very own snowman masterpiece and warm up with a delicious cup of hot chocolate—marshmallows included! 

Register now; an up-to-date library card required.  This program will be hosted in the Family Dept. Program Room.

Holiday Break: Winter Walk-In (All Ages)

Run, don't walk, into the Family Department for a winter wonderland of self-led games, crafts, and activities for all ages! 

Drop-in to the Family Department on either Tuesday, December 23 or Wednesday, December 24 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to participate.

Holiday Break: NOON Year's Eve (All Ages)

Get ready to ring in the New Year with friends, family, and fellow community members, without losing any sleep!  Come into the OPL on Wednesday, December 31st for fun, fancy, and festive activities throughout the library, including a family video dance party, ending with a special countdown to NOON in library hallway/lobby area!  

No registration required; drop-in between 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. to participate in this free program!