Registration is required for all Children's Programs. Please register @mtpl.org or go to the Children's Help desk.
Mother Goose c
For Children ages 0-23 months with an adult. “Mother Goose” is an early language, literacy, and social experience for infants and toddlers with their parents and caregivers. Children will sit on their grown-ups' laps to share songs and rhymes and to participate in a brief book sharing experience. Afterwards, we’ll have a social time with toys and books. This first group experience porvides infants and toddlers with an opportunity to learn to enjoy being with other children and to participate in parallel play. “Mother Goose” also fosters the development of body awareness, fine motor coordination, and language skills.
Terrific 2's and 3's 
For Children ages 2-3 years with and adult. Terrific twos and threes are growing in so many ways! With their grown ups’ assistance, they are now ready to attend programs that are structured from start to finish, to follow the plot of short stories, to understand simple informational books, and to participate in arts and crafts activities. "Terrific 2's & 3's" classes pave the way for later formal education. Children learn that they can thrive in a structured class environment, continue to refine fine motor skills, and are exposed to concepts and activities relatind to reading, writing , math, science, and the visual arts.
Toddler Sing-a-Long
F
or Children ages 2-3 years with an adult. Toddler Sing-a-Long is a social and language experience for two and three year olds with an adult. At this age, children enjoy singing familiar songs and reciting familiar rhymes. In doing so, they build confidence and reinforce developing language skills. In addition, two and three year olds are increasingly interested in their peers; sing-a-longs are group activities that are well matched to their developmental level. During the sing-a-longs, children and their grown-ups sit together in a circle while a member of the Children’s Department staff leads the group in singing and reciting common songs and nursery rhymes.
Act It Out 
For Children ages 4-5 years with an adult. “Act It Out” is an interactive class that gives children a new way to experience a story—by acting it out. A staff member from the children's department will read a book to the children and then rehearse acting out that story. Afterwards, the parents/caregivers and siglings are called in the room, and the children put on a short play for them. Classes like these which focus on children taking an active role in the reading experience serve as a bridge between listening to stories and reading independently. Other educational objectives addressed in "Act It Out" include developing sequencing skills and learning to cooperate to achieve a group goal (in this case, putting on a play).
Fantastic 4's and 5's
For Chil
dren ages 4-5 years with an adult. Fantastic 4's and 5's are growing smarter every day! Their attention spans, language skills & intellectual abilities have increased to the point that they are ready to explore themes on an in depth level, enjoy longer, more complex books, participate in group discussions with their peers & put more thought & care into "projects" such as arts&crafts activities. “Fantastic 4’s & 5’s” classes address a variety of topics important to early childhood education including early literacy & math skills.
School-Aged Programs
For Children in grades K-5. Children in grades K-5 spend a lot of their time in formal education, but there is still room in their lives for visiting the Library and attending Library programs. Our programs for elementary school children offer a fun approach to high interest topics. Grades K-5 is a wide range. Each child is able to take whatever topic we are presenting and carry out the activities at their own skill and comfort levels. “Picture This” is a school aged art program that features a different artist in each session. Children apply what they learn about the artist and his\her work to create their own masterpiece in the style of the featured artist. Other school aged programs focus more on crafts than fine arts, allowing children to experiment with different techniques.
