Storytime – Summer 2024
June 17 – August 24
View the Summer Storytime Schedule!
500 by Five
Help your child read 500 books by age five! Reading with your child helps them get read for school, increase their vocabulary, improve logical thinking, and more. See more information about 500 by Five and get started!
Earn an Honorary MLS!
We’re offering an opportunity for aspiring librarians to learn more about what we do and earn an honorary MLS (Mini Library Science) certificate! See more information and schedule an appointment!
Virtual Storytime and Activities
Watch virtual storytimes, get ideas for playtime with your little one, and more!
If you need special accommodations for any Library event or program, please submit our Accommodations Request form as soon as possible. Join the Mobile Library for an all-ages storytime in the park followed by bubbles, music, and more! The Mobile Library will be open for library services as well. This activity will take place outdoors on the following Mondays from 9:30 - 11 a.m. Participants should bring blankets or chairs for comfort. Please register once per family group for a reminder e-mail or inclement weather notice. Walk-ins are welcome! June 3: John Baggett Park, 26929 Three Notch Rd., Mechanicsville, MD 20659 June 10: Lancaster Park, 21550 Willows Rd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 June 17: Cecil Park, 19241 St. George's Church Rd., Valley Lee, MD 20692 June 24: Seventh District Park, 23035 Colton Point Rd., Bushwood, MD 20618 July 1: Judge P. H. Dorsey Park, 24275 Hollywood Rd., Leonardtown, MD 20650 July 8: Chancellor's Run Regional Park, 21905 Chancellor's Run Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634 July 15: Cardinal Gibbons Park, 16924 St. Peter Claver Rd., St. Inigoes, MD 20684 July 22: Nicolet Park, 21770 FDR Blvd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 August 5: Chaptico Park, 2660 Budd's Creek Rd., Mechanicsville, MD 20659 August 12: Lancaster Park, 21550 Willows Rd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 August 19: Chancellor's Run Regional Park, 21905 Chancellor's Run Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634 Free, nutritious lunches for kids 0-18 and their accompanying adults. Lunches must be eaten on-site; no carry-outs. Lunches are provided by the Judy Center Early Learning Hub and St. Mary's County Public Schools through the USDA Summer Meals program, with additional support from the St. Mary's County Department of Social Services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que brinda igualdad de oportunidades. Go on an adventure at the library with an indoor campout! We will have s'mores, build reading forts, and sing songs and read stories around a "campfire." Siblings welcome. Please register each child attending. Free, nutritious lunches for kids 0-18 and their accompanying adults. Lunches must be eaten on-site; no carry-outs. Lunches are provided by the Judy Center Early Learning Hub and St. Mary's County Public Schools through the USDA Summer Meals program, with additional support from the St. Mary's County Department of Social Services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que brinda igualdad de oportunidades. We supply the “bricks,” you bring the imagination! Come and build something amazing with our thousands of LEGO and Duplo pieces. This is a drop-in style program with no registration required. Join us for learning-based crafts, games, and activities as we play our way to developing valuable school readiness skills such as fine motor control, following directions, and group participation. Activities are designed with preschoolers in mind and vary week to week. No registration required. Free, nutritious lunches for kids 0-18 and their accompanying adults. Lunches must be eaten on-site; no carry-outs. Lunches are provided by the Judy Center Early Learning Hub and St. Mary's County Public Schools through the USDA Summer Meals program, with additional support from the St. Mary's County Department of Social Services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que brinda igualdad de oportunidades. Drop in for open-ended crafting fun. Try one of our
sample crafts, or create your own design! All materials
provided. We supply the “bricks,” you bring the imagination. Come build something amazing with our LEGO and Duplo pieces! Free, nutritious lunches for kids 0-18 and their accompanying adults. Lunches must be eaten on-site; no carry-outs. Lunches are provided by the Judy Center Early Learning Hub and St. Mary's County Public Schools through the USDA Summer Meals program, with additional support from the St. Mary's County Department of Social Services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que brinda igualdad de oportunidades. Join the Mobile Library for an all-ages storytime in the park followed by bubbles, music, and more! The Mobile Library will be open for library services as well. This activity will take place outdoors on the following Mondays from 9:30 - 11 a.m. Participants should bring blankets or chairs for comfort. Please register once per family group for a reminder e-mail or inclement weather notice. Walk-ins are welcome! June 3: John Baggett Park, 26929 Three Notch Rd., Mechanicsville, MD 20659 June 10: Lancaster Park, 21550 Willows Rd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 June 17: Cecil Park, 19241 St. George's Church Rd., Valley Lee, MD 20692 June 24: Seventh District Park, 23035 Colton Point Rd., Bushwood, MD 20618 July 1: Judge P. H. Dorsey Park, 24275 Hollywood Rd., Leonardtown, MD 20650 July 8: Chancellor's Run Regional Park, 21905 Chancellor's Run Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634 July 15: Cardinal Gibbons Park, 16924 St. Peter Claver Rd., St. Inigoes, MD 20684 July 22: Nicolet Park, 21770 FDR Blvd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 August 5: Chaptico Park, 2660 Budd's Creek Rd., Mechanicsville, MD 20659 August 12: Lancaster Park, 21550 Willows Rd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 August 19: Chancellor's Run Regional Park, 21905 Chancellor's Run Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634 Join us for our summer art series! This summer, we’ll have art programs for kids to show them pieces of art from around the world and the art techniques used. After, they’ll have a chance to recreate the piece, or use it as inspiration to make their own unique piece of art! The second art piece that we’ll study and try to recreate will be A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat, and we will be making paintings using pointillism. Drop in for open-ended crafting fun. Try one of our
sample crafts, or create your own design! All materials
provided. This is a drop-in style program with no registration required. Join us for learning-based crafts, games, and activities as we play our way to developing valuable school readiness skills such as fine motor control, following directions, and group participation. Activities are designed with preschoolers in mind and vary week to week. No registration required. We supply the “bricks,” you bring the imagination. Come build something amazing with our LEGO and Duplo pieces! Drop in for open-ended crafting fun. Try one of our sample crafts, or create your own design! All materials provided. Teens and tweens are invited to come vibe with us for weekly-themed hangouts! Games, art, music and more in store. No registration required! Stay a little or awhile. Snacks, activities, and good vibes provided. Tween session (Ages 8-12): 3-4 PM Teen session (Ages 13-18): 4-5 PM Week 1: DIY Project Week 2: Games Week 3: Anime Week 4: Cozy Reading/Homework Club Visit our makerspace to make a craft with our 3D Pens. This program is for upper elementary aged children to do with a caregiver! Please register every member of your family that is attending. Due to makerspace policies, children under age 14 must be accompanied by an adult to use the space. Because of this, we ask that both parents and children register themselves for this program. Join Wolf Trap teaching artist Laura Schandelmeier for a deep dive into the world of dance... and math! Learn the elements of dance, move your body, and explore patterns and numbers in new ways. Most seating will be on the floor- feel free to bring a blanket! Space may be limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Summer Performing Arts events are supported in part by a grant from the St. Mary's County Arts Council. Free, nutritious lunches for kids 0-18 and their accompanying adults. Lunches must be eaten on-site; no carry-outs. Lunches are provided by the Judy Center Early Learning Hub and St. Mary's County Public Schools through the USDA Summer Meals program, with additional support from the St. Mary's County Department of Social Services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que brinda igualdad de oportunidades. Join Wolf Trap teaching artist Laura Schandelmeier for a deep dive into the world of dance... and math! Learn the elements of dance, move your body, and explore patterns and numbers in new ways. Most seating will be on the floor- feel free to bring a blanket! Space may be limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Summer Performing Arts events are supported in part by a grant from the St. Mary's County Arts Council. Join the Mobile Library for an all-ages storytime in the park followed by bubbles, music, and more! The Mobile Library will be open for library services as well. This activity will take place outdoors on the following Mondays from 9:30 - 11 a.m. Participants should bring blankets or chairs for comfort. Please register once per family group for a reminder e-mail or inclement weather notice. Walk-ins are welcome! June 3: John Baggett Park, 26929 Three Notch Rd., Mechanicsville, MD 20659 June 10: Lancaster Park, 21550 Willows Rd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 June 17: Cecil Park, 19241 St. George's Church Rd., Valley Lee, MD 20692 June 24: Seventh District Park, 23035 Colton Point Rd., Bushwood, MD 20618 July 1: Judge P. H. Dorsey Park, 24275 Hollywood Rd., Leonardtown, MD 20650 July 8: Chancellor's Run Regional Park, 21905 Chancellor's Run Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634 July 15: Cardinal Gibbons Park, 16924 St. Peter Claver Rd., St. Inigoes, MD 20684 July 22: Nicolet Park, 21770 FDR Blvd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 August 5: Chaptico Park, 2660 Budd's Creek Rd., Mechanicsville, MD 20659 August 12: Lancaster Park, 21550 Willows Rd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 August 19: Chancellor's Run Regional Park, 21905 Chancellor's Run Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634 We supply the “bricks,” you bring the imagination! Come and build something amazing with our thousands of LEGO and Duplo pieces. This is a drop-in style program with no registration required. Join us for learning-based crafts, games, and activities as we play our way to developing valuable school readiness skills such as fine motor control, following directions, and group participation. Activities are designed with preschoolers in mind and vary week to week. No registration required. Drop in for open-ended crafting fun. Try one of our
sample crafts, or create your own design! All materials
provided. We supply the “bricks,” you bring the imagination. Come build something amazing with our LEGO and Duplo pieces! Teens and tweens are invited to come vibe with us for weekly-themed hangouts! Games, art, music and more in store. No registration required! Stay a little or awhile. Snacks, activities, and good vibes provided. Tween session (Ages 8-12): 3-4 PM Teen session (Ages 13-18): 4-5 PM Week 1: DIY Project Week 2: Games Week 3: Anime Week 4: Cozy Reading/Homework Club Let's dance together and celebrate the culture of Mexico! Watch Corazón Folklórico DC perform traditional Ballet Folklórico dances, and then join in to learn the dance! This event takes place at Mechanicsville Elementary School, in the gym. Most seating will be on the floor- feel free to bring a blanket! Summer Performing Arts events are supported in part by a grant from the St. Mary's County Arts Council. Free, nutritious lunches for kids 0-18 and their accompanying adults. Lunches must be eaten on-site; no carry-outs. Lunches are provided by the Judy Center Early Learning Hub and St. Mary's County Public Schools through the USDA Summer Meals program, with additional support from the St. Mary's County Department of Social Services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que brinda igualdad de oportunidades. Let's dance together and celebrate the culture of Mexico! Watch Corazón Folklórico DC perform traditional Ballet Folklórico dances, and then join in to learn the dance! Most seating will be on the floor- feel free to bring a blanket! Space may be limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Summer Performing Arts events are supported in part by a grant from the St. Mary's County Arts Council. Are you an ARMY? Carat? Blink or multi-stan? Come show off your love of K-pop at our K-pop Party! Make bias buttons, try some popular Korean snacks, dance to K-pop music, and learn some intro Korean! Join the Mobile Library for an all-ages storytime in the park followed by bubbles, music, and more! The Mobile Library will be open for library services as well. This activity will take place outdoors on the following Mondays from 9:30 - 11 a.m. Participants should bring blankets or chairs for comfort. Please register once per family group for a reminder e-mail or inclement weather notice. Walk-ins are welcome! June 3: John Baggett Park, 26929 Three Notch Rd., Mechanicsville, MD 20659 June 10: Lancaster Park, 21550 Willows Rd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 June 17: Cecil Park, 19241 St. George's Church Rd., Valley Lee, MD 20692 June 24: Seventh District Park, 23035 Colton Point Rd., Bushwood, MD 20618 July 1: Judge P. H. Dorsey Park, 24275 Hollywood Rd., Leonardtown, MD 20650 July 8: Chancellor's Run Regional Park, 21905 Chancellor's Run Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634 July 15: Cardinal Gibbons Park, 16924 St. Peter Claver Rd., St. Inigoes, MD 20684 July 22: Nicolet Park, 21770 FDR Blvd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 August 5: Chaptico Park, 2660 Budd's Creek Rd., Mechanicsville, MD 20659 August 12: Lancaster Park, 21550 Willows Rd., Lexington Park, MD 20653 August 19: Chancellor's Run Regional Park, 21905 Chancellor's Run Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634 Do you have what it takes to engineer strong bridges, tall towers, and giant domes? Using only drinking straws, rolled-up newspaper, and teamwork? Learn about different types of forces, loads, and strength. Experiment to find the strongest shapes and best construction techniques. Then team up to build something awesome! Please register each child attending. Join us for our summer art series! This summer, we’ll have art programs for kids to show them pieces of art from around the world and the art techniques used. After, they’ll have a chance to recreate the piece, or use it as inspiration to make their own unique piece of art! The third art piece that we’ll study and try to recreate will be Composition 8 by Vasily Kandinsky, and we’ll be making paintings using shapes. Drop in for open-ended crafting fun. Try one of our
sample crafts, or create your own design! All materials
provided. This is a drop-in style program with no registration required. Join us for learning-based crafts, games, and activities as we play our way to developing valuable school readiness skills such as fine motor control, following directions, and group participation. Activities are designed with preschoolers in mind and vary week to week. No registration required. We supply the “bricks,” you bring the imagination. Come build something amazing with our LEGO and Duplo pieces! Drop in for open-ended crafting fun. Try one of our sample crafts, or create your own design! All materials provided. Teens and tweens are invited to come vibe with us for weekly-themed hangouts! Games, art, music and more in store. No registration required! Stay a little or awhile. Snacks, activities, and good vibes provided. Tween session (Ages 8-12): 3-4 PM Teen session (Ages 13-18): 4-5 PM Week 1: DIY Project Week 2: Games Week 3: Anime Week 4: Cozy Reading/Homework Club Get excited for the Summer Olympics and go for the gold! Enjoy Olympic themed crafts, activities and minute -to-win-it style games at the library. Please register each child participating.
This event will have activities intended for individuals with upper elementary abilities and interests. Do you love picture books? Then join the club! Read adventurously in a community of young readers and share your favorite picture book on the theme of the month! Engage in early literacy and communication with your beginning reader! Join us every fourth Friday of the month to read and share picture books with other like-minded young readers. Register for one meeting or register for all- click on "add more people" button to bring special guests! See the book club schedule below for the monthly theme: July 26th: Adventure Out of this World Is your imagination out of this world? Bring in a picture book about stellar stars, rocketing through space, and astronomical fun! Free, nutritious lunches for kids 0-18 and their accompanying adults. Lunches must be eaten on-site; no carry-outs. Lunches are provided by the Judy Center Early Learning Hub and St. Mary's County Public Schools through the USDA Summer Meals program, with additional support from the St. Mary's County Department of Social Services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que brinda igualdad de oportunidades. Do you have what it takes to engineer strong bridges, tall towers, and giant domes? Using only drinking straws, rolled-up newspaper, and teamwork? Learn about different types of forces, loads, and strength. Experiment to find the strongest shapes and best construction techniques. Then team up to build something awesome! Please register each child attending. Tackle challenging STEAM activities while laughing, learning and discovering the joy in every scientific twist and turn. Teaching artists Robin Neveu Brown & Kevin Alan Brown take us on an interactive dance and theater adventure through the story of "Caterpillar Dreams" by Clive McFarland. Henrietta is just a caterpillar, but she dreams of having an amazing, incredible, impossible-seeming adventure. But she needs your help! Join Henrietta and her friends as they embark on their incredible journey. Most seating will be on the floor- feel free to bring a blanket! Space may be limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Summer Performing Arts events are supported in part by a grant from the St. Mary's County Arts Council. Note: this is a change of program. The original program scheduled for today, "I've Got a Feeling" with Elias Schutzman, was replaced due to the performer's illness. Teaching artists Robin Neveu Brown & Kevin Alan Brown take us on an interactive dance and theater adventure through the story of "Caterpillar Dreams" by Clive McFarland. Henrietta is just a caterpillar, but she dreams of having an amazing, incredible, impossible-seeming adventure. But she needs your help! Join Henrietta and her friends as they embark on their incredible journey. Most seating will be on the floor- feel free to bring a blanket! Space may be limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Summer Performing Arts events are supported in part by a grant from the St. Mary's County Arts Council. Note: this is a change of program. The original program scheduled for today, "I've Got a Feeling" with Elias Schutzman, was replaced due to the performer's illness. We supply the “bricks,” you bring the imagination! Come and build something amazing with our thousands of LEGO and Duplo pieces. This is a drop-in style program with no registration required. Join us for learning-based crafts, games, and activities as we play our way to developing valuable school readiness skills such as fine motor control, following directions, and group participation. Activities are designed with preschoolers in mind and vary week to week. No registration required. Drop in for open-ended crafting fun. Try one of our
sample crafts, or create your own design! All materials
provided. We supply the “bricks,” you bring the imagination. Come build something amazing with our LEGO and Duplo pieces!
SPARK: Storytime in the Park
Lunch at the Library
Camp Read S'more
Lunch at the Library
LEGO Block Party at Charlotte Hall Library
Purposeful Play: Serious Fun for Preschoolers
Lunch at the Library
Crafternoon at Lexington Park Library
LEGO Block Party
Lunch at the Library
SPARK: Storytime in the Park
Art Night for Kids
Crafternoon at Charlotte Hall Library
Purposeful Play: Serious Fun for Preschoolers
LEGO Block Party at Lexington Park Library
Kids Crafternoon
Tween-Teen Thursday
Fun with 3D Pens
Dancing by the Numbers: Summer Performer
Lunch at the Library
Dancing by the Numbers: Summer Performer
SPARK: Storytime in the Park
LEGO Block Party at Charlotte Hall Library
Purposeful Play: Serious Fun for Preschoolers
Crafternoon at Lexington Park Library
LEGO Block Party
Tween-Teen Thursday
Corazón Folklórico DC: Summer Performer
Lunch at the Library
Corazón Folklórico DC: Summer Performer
K-Pop Party
SPARK: Storytime in the Park
Bridges, Towers, & Domes: Engineering Challenge
Art Night for Kids
Crafternoon at Charlotte Hall Library
Purposeful Play: Serious Fun for Preschoolers
LEGO Block Party at Lexington Park Library
Kids Crafternoon
Tween-Teen Thursday
Library Olympics
The Picture Book Club: Adventure Out of this World!
Lunch at the Library
Bridges, Towers, & Domes: Engineering Challenge
STEAMing Through Summer
Ages 4-14 are invited to join us for different STEAM activities appropriate to their skills and interests. Tackle them all, or master one, you get to choose!Caterpillar Dreams: Over, Under, & Through!: Summer Performer
Caterpillar Dreams: Over, Under, & Through!: Summer Performer
LEGO Block Party at Charlotte Hall Library
Purposeful Play: Serious Fun for Preschoolers
Crafternoon at Lexington Park Library
LEGO Block Party
Please note that library staff may be taking photos of any or all events to use for future library publications. Event participants’ photos may be used without notification or compensation. If you do not feel comfortable having your photo taken, please inform library staff when you arrive to an event.