Kids out of School Next Week? Fall Into Fun at Rock Island Public Library
Looking for something for the kids to do over fall break? The Rock Island Public Library will host a variety of programs to keep children and teens occupied and learning during the Rock Island/Milan District school break, Oct. 11 to Oct. 21.
The week kicks off with a special all-ages Pokemon Go Night on Tuesday, Oct. 11,at the Rock Island 30/31 Branch. The event takes place from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in the branch at 3059 30th Street, and includes Pokemon Go gaming, trivia, crafts, snacks and prizes. The library will activate a Pokemon lure, and include a map of Poke Stops, so stop by and see what you can catch! No registration is required.
Tots who love fire trucks will find another special treat on Wednesday, Oct. 12, with a special Firefighter Storytime at the Rock Island Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. The special one-time storytime is from 10:30 am to 11:30 am, and includes firefighter stories, songs, a craft and time to look at a real fire truck. Oct. 9 to 15 is Fire Prevention Week. The storytime helps children five and under learn how firefighters keep them safe, and not to be afraid of firefighters in their personal protective equipment.
Toddlers and preschoolers from ages 2 to 5 can also get ready to learn at an October 19 Hug-A-Book learning event. The Hug-A-Book, Play-A-Book event takes place from 3:00 to 5:00 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street. The event introduces early learning concepts through stories and play. The library’s Hug-A-Book initiative offers early learning events throughout the year that incorporate the Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play model. Events are sponsored by the Merrill Harris Fund of the Rock Island Public Library Foundation, and each child receives a learning gift.
Other programs for children and teens include:
Southwest Family Craft, Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6:00 pm and Saturday, Oct. 15 at 10:00 am, Southwest Branch. Kids and parents will make paper lanterns in fall colors and themes. Registration is requested for this event. To sign up, call 309-732-7338 or go online to the library website.
STEM-Azing Science Fun, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 4:00 to 5:00 pm, 30/31 Branch. Kids will show their love of science and get in some art time, too, with a button-making project. This event is for school-age children.
Teen Anime Night, Thursday, Oct. 13, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm, Main Library. Watch anime while you learn about Japanese culture, including Japanese hiragana characters and snacks.
Teen & Tween Gaming, Thursday, Oct. 20, 5:30 to 7:00 pm, Main Library Community Room. Gaming activities for tweens (ages 8 to 12) and teens (ages 12 to 18) at the Main Library.
Adults Need a Break, Too – For adults who may need a little “me time” after having children out-of-school for two weeks, Rock Island Library is also offering a DIY class on making a Vanilla Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub. The make-and-take class for adults is from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the library’s 30/31 Branch. The event is free, and registration is required. To sign up, call 309-732-7369 or register online at www.rockislandlibrary.org.
Two library book clubs for adults also meet during the school break. The library’s 30/31 Branch book club meets at 6:30 pm on Monday, Oct. 17, and will discuss “Good Poems for Hard Times,” collected by Garrison Keillor. The library’s Last Call Book Club meets on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 7:00 pm at the Icons Martini Bar, and will discuss “Vanessa and Her Sister,” by Priya Parmar. Both book discussions are open to adults 21 and over who have read the book. No registration is required.
Library programs are free unless otherwise specified.
All Rock Island Libraries are open for regular business on Columbus Day, Oct. 10. For more information about Rock Island Library hours, services and programs, visit the library’s new website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-READ, or follow the library on Facebook or Twitter.
