Mondays at Bellevue Avenue Library
Family Storytimes @ Bellevue Avenue Branch
This program is designed for newborns through five year-olds accompanied by a favorite adult. Share books, stories, fingerplays, rhymes, and music with your children. Enjoy a story session that encourages a love of reading and fosters the development of early literacy skills. Children of all abilities welcome.
Registration required
Kids Place @ Bellevue Avenue Library, 185 Bellevue Avenue, Upper Montclair
Newborns to 5 year-olds
Mondays, July 2 & 16 at 11am
Montclair Community Farms @ Bellevue Avenue Library
Educators from Montclair Community Farms will be visiting the branch to introduce kids to composting. This workshop will be tailored to the level of participant’s experience with composting, so it’s great for kids who are new to the world of composting as well as veteran home composters!
Registration required
Kids Place @ Bellevue Avenue Library, 185 Bellevue Avenue, Upper Montclair
Grades 1-5
Monday, July 9 at 11am
Ants in the Pants: Children’s Author Jolie Della Valle
Enjoy an imaginative journey with Jolie Della Valle as she reads her children's book, Georgie and the Ants in the Pants, and plays interactive songs with her ukulele! Children will learn what it means to embrace the "ants" in their pants! Be prepared to dance and sing along with Jolie! Afterwards, there will be a book signing to follow! Della Valle is a children's author and entertainer from Wayne, NJ. She has visited over 100 schools & libraries throughout Northern NJ with her musical storytelling program and award-winning children's book, ‘Georgie.’ Visit MissJolieMusic.com to learn more.
Registration recommended
Kids Place @ Bellevue Avenue Library, 185 Bellevue Avenue, Upper Montclair
Ages 1-6
Monday, July 23 at 4pm
Read to Obi the Therapy Dog
Obi the golden retriever loves reading with kids and can solve math problems and bark out the correct answer. We'll discuss dog etiquette, the various kinds of service dogs, the different settings for pet therapy, and what makes Obi good for pet-therapy. Obi will also show of some of his skills (like "talking," "smiling," and "shaking hands!)"
Registration required
Kids Place @ Bellevue Avenue Library, 185 Bellevue Avenue, Upper Montclair
Ages 5 +
Monday, July 30 at 3pm
Monday at Main Library
Wee Kids on the Blocks: Block Play for Little Ones
Toddlers, little walkers and their adults are invited to drop in and play with the library’s new block cushions. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
No registration required
3rd floor
18 month-olds to 3 year-olds
Monday, July 23, 11am-1pm
Tuesday Auditorium Adventures
Family Movie: Wonder
Based on R. J. Palacio’s bestselling Children’s fiction book, Wonder depicts the story of Auggie Pullman - a boy born with facial differences that have prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Auggie becomes an unlikely hero when he enters the fifth grade as his family, new classmates, and the greater community all struggle to find their compassion and accept him for who he is inside. Auggie’s extraordinary journey will prove you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out. Starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay.
Auditorium
Rated PG
Tuesday, July 3 at 2pm
The Moving Architects
Join The Moving Architects for a Creative Movement class! Creative Movement is a joyful way to explore movement, develop physical skills, explore elements of dance, channel energy, stimulate imagination, and promote creativity. Creative Movement uses body actions to communicate images, ideas, and feelings, all in a fun and encouraging class setting. The Moving Architects will also be bringing their “Bubble,” an ethereal, cloudlike space to perform in. Please wear comfortable clothing.
No registration required
Recommended ages 10 +
Auditorium
Tuesday, July 10 at 3:30pm
Rizzo’s Wildlife Discovery
Rizzo’s Wildlife Discovery returns to Montclair Public Library with an array of live reptiles and other wonderful critters! Learn how they survive in and out of the water! Don’t miss this assembly of ambassadors from the bug-eating world of amphibians and reptiles!
Registration required
Auditorium
Ages 4 & up
Tuesday, July 17 at 2pm
What’s All That Jazz About? with Shenole Latimer
Clever listening games, live music, storytelling, participation, and comical demonstrations are some of the fun activities that are used to lead kids through a highly interactive and entertaining presentation that will introduce them to the colorful and expressive American music known as jazz. Shenole Latimer has been playing saxophone for decades and is passionate about sharing his love for jazz with music-lovers of all ages.
Registration required
Auditorium
Ages 4 & up
Tuesday, July 24 at 2pm
Harry Potter’s Birthday Party
Join us for a magical afternoon celebration of the Boy Who Lived! Make your own wand, take a sorting quiz, and more magical surprises! Drop in and any time between 2pm-4pm. Some supplies are limited.
No registration required
Auditorium
Kids & Teens ages 7 +
Tuesday, July 31, 2pm-4pm
Wednesday Storytimes
Toddler Time for Two-Year-Olds
Two-year-olds and the adults in their lives explore language and numbers through stories and
songs. Picture books, flannel board stories, and nursery rhymes are used to introduce the wonder
of books. Children of all abilities welcome. *Please note that registration is required for each
individual storytime.
Registration required
Two-year-olds
3rd floor
Wednesday, July 11 at 11am
Online registration is available for valid Montclair Public Library card holders. All others should call the Youth Services Department to be added to the waiting list.
Mother Goose
Mother Goose is a fun way to promote literacy among our preschool-aged patrons. Picture
books, flannel board stories, songs and puppets are used to build upon children’s natural
enthusiasm for books and reading. Children of all abilities welcome. *Please note that
registration is required for each individual storytime.
Registration required
Ages 3-6
3rd floor
Wednesday, July 18 at 11am
Online registration is available for valid Montclair Public Library card holders. All others should call the Youth Services Department to be added to the waiting list.
Babies in the Library
Babies meet babies! Parents and caregivers sing nursery rhymes together with their little ones. Songs, language activities, and board books will be introduced during each session. Make baby's first library experience a special one! Please note that registration is required for each individual storytime.
Registration required
Newborns-23 mons.
3rd floor
Wednesday, July 25 at 11am
Online registration is available for valid Montclair Public Library card holders. All others should call the Youth Services Department to be added to the waiting list.
Thursday Events & Crafts
Join us for a special screening of Muppet Treasure Island as part of our Great American Read celebration. Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzy Bear, and Animal and friends seek treasure in this rendition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure tale. Rated G.
No registration required
Auditorium
Thursday, August 2 at 2pm
Drop-In Craft Cart
Stop by the Children’s floor with your little ones and explore our craft supply cart. Help yourself and make something original and colorful with your little ones.
No registration required
Ages 3 +
3rd floor
Thursday, July 5, 3pm-5pm
Art Truck! Montclair Art Museum @ MPL
Our friends at Montclair Art Museum bring their Art Truck to the library! Your little one’s inner artist will enjoy bring color to the world at this one-of-a-kind craft station on wheels!
No registration required
Outdoors in front of Library
Ages 4 to 7
Thursday, July 12, 4pm-6pm
Montclair Community Farms Teen Edition: Seed Saving
Educators from Montclair Community Farms will bring produce from their gardens to the library, show where the seeds are found, and how to separate the seeds from the fruit to prepare them for next year's planting season.
Registration required
Grades 6 & up
3rd floor
Thursday, July 26 at 4pm
Freewheelin’ Fridays
Mini-Golf in the Library
What better way to enjoy the Library’s cool air conditioning than with 9 holes of mini-golf in the Children's Department on the 3rd floor? Join us for 'Mini-Golf in the Library,' rain or shine! Kids, teens, and their families are welcome! (Children ages 7 and under must have an adult with them to participate.)
No registration required
All ages welcome
3rd floor
Friday, July 6, 12pm-3pm
Teen Art Tour: Montclair Art Museum Visit
Interested in adding a little art to your summer? Join our teen tour of MAM to explore the galleries and get inspired! Bring a sketchpad to draw or do some creative writing, or just enjoy the exhibits! *Please note that this event takes place at the Montclair Art Museum (3 S. Mountain Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042). Please meet in front of the museum at 1pm for the tour.
Registration required
Montclair Art Museum
Grades 6 & up
Friday, July 13 at 1pm
Game On: Wii & Board Games
Are ‘wii board’ yet? Come enjoy many games that are a lot of fun and offer a little bit of friendly competition. We will provide various Wii games (including but not limited to) Wii Sports Resort, Just Dance, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl. In addition, we will also offer various board games such as Don’t Wake Daddy, Creationary, LIFE, Clue, Connect 4, Operation, Twister, Mancala, Chess, and Backgammon to those who prefer to play traditional board games. GAME ON! (Children ages 7 and under must have an adult with them to participate.)
No registration required
3rd floor
All ages welcome
Friday, July 20, 1pm-5pm
Sugar-Skull Craft with Maria Nichim Luna
To celebrate the screening of “Coco,” join us for a dynamic arts and education program that will focus on learning to decorate a traditional Dia de Los Muertos Sugar Skull. Prior to the decoration, a short educational slide show will introduce participants to the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico. The space will be decorated with traditional Papel Picado, to recreate the festive feel. After decorating the sugar skulls, participants will have the opportunity to sample Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead). Presented by arts educator Maria Nichim Luna.
Registration required
3rd floor
Ages 8 & up
Friday, July 27, 3pm-4:30pm
Outdoor Movie: Coco
Young Miguel, who dreams of becoming a great musician one day, embarks on a wondrous journey to the beyond and discovers the shocking truth behind his ancestor's stories and traditions. Steeped in the rich and many-faceted lore of Mexico’s grand culture, Coco is a beautiful work that is not to be missed! Blankets or lawn chairs recommended. Outdoors in front of Library Plaza. Co-presented by the Montclair Public Library Foundation and Montclair Film’s 2018 Summer Series.
Rated G
Outdoor in front of Main Library Plaza
Friday, July 27 at 7:30pm, film begins at sunset (rain date: Saturday, July 28)
Saturday Specials
Mariachi Oro de Mexico: An Outdoor Performance & Introduction for Kids
Join us outside at the Library’s plaza as we enjoy a traditional acoustic street performance by Mariachi Oro de Mexico. They’ll perform timeless classics from Mexico’s infinite catalog of folkloric music. Afterwards, we’ll go to the auditorium space to enjoy a brief overview about the music and instruments from the mariachis themselves.
No registration required
All ages welcome
Outdoor Plaza
Saturday, July 14 at 12pm
Secret Superhero Haberdashery: Super-Craft
Make and decorate your own superhero mask and cape! You’ll be fashionably ready for action! While supplies last.
No registration required
Ages 4+
Saturday, July 28 at 2pm
Registration is required for all Youth Services Programs unless otherwise noted.
All are welcome, Montclair card holders receive priority registration.
All Youth Services Programs Are Free.
Please have your library card ready to register for programs.