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Programs for Tweens & Teens
Teen Summer Reading 2023: June 26 – August 19
Contests
Read Across Genres: All Year Long. Celebrate 2023 and explore the diverse world of books with the ‘Read Across Genres Challenge’! Each month a different genre will be highlighted. Read a book in that month’s genre and write a quick review. Then, drop your review off at the Young Adult desk to be entered in a monthly draw for a $25 book gift card!
Teen Summer Reading Program: June 26 – August 19. Read books, earn tickets! For every book you read you’ll earn a ticket. Add your tickets to one of the grand prize boxes for a chance to win! Reading logs will be available in the YA Department starting June 26th. This year’s grand prizes will be announced on June 26th.
‘What Is It?’ Weekly Draw: June 26 – August 19. There’s a strange nature object in the Young Adult Department. What is it? Enter your guess in the weekly draw for a chance to win a $25 gift card to a local business. A new object will be on display each week.
Design a Bookmark: July 1 – July 31. Design a bookmark based on your favorite book or your love of reading. Then enter your design in our contest for a chance to win! The winners’ bookmark designs will be professionally printed and distributed through the library. Prizes will be announced at the start of the contest.
Summer Programs
Robot Rumble – June 17 @ 10:00 – 12:00. A pile of plastic bricks, some motors, wheels, and a battery pack. Doesn’t sound very interesting… until you combine these together to make a robot! Build robots and pit them against one another in a robot rumble. Follow the instructions or design a robot of your own. This activity uses Circuit Cubes, electronic building blocks. Due to the small size of some of the parts, this program is for ages 8 and up. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Simple Sew: Wristlet Key Fobs (Session 1) – June 26 @ 1:00 – 2:30. (SESSION FULL) Looking for a sewing project that’s easy and fun? Come to the chbMAKERS’ Corner to learn how to turn strips of fabric and a swivel clip into a stylish wristlet key fob. Due to the limited number of sewing machines available, this program is being offered in two sessions. Please sign up for one session only so as many people as possible can join us. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Simple Sew: Wristlet Key Fobs (Session 2) – June 26 @ 3:00 – 4:30. (SESSION FULL) Looking for a sewing project that’s easy and fun? Come to the chbMAKERS’ Corner to learn how to turn strips of fabric and a swivel clip into a stylish wristlet key fob. Due to the limited number of sewing machines available, this program is being offered in two sessions. Please sign up for one session only so as many people as possible can join us. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Drip Painting – June 27 @ 2:30 – 4:00. Let loose your inner Jackson Pollock at the library with some drip painting! Drip painting is a form of abstract art in which paint is dripped or poured onto a canvas, creating colorful designs. Use items such as sticks, brushes, basting syringes, tape, and cups to turn a blank canvas into a work of art for your room. Please note, this is a messy activity and paint will leave stains on clothing. Dress accordingly. This is an outdoor program and may be rescheduled due to rain. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Sharpie Tile Coasters – June 28 @ 2:00 – 4:00. Come relax while making art! This week we turn plain white tiles into colorful coasters using nothing but Sharpies and rubbing alcohol. Once our coasters are dry we’ll head outside to seal them. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Science Fiction Book Club: From the Earth to the Moon – June 29 @ 6:30 – 7:30. Join us for the first meeting of the Science Fiction Book Club. This month we launch into space with Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon / Around the Moon! The Science Fiction Book Club is a monthly book club open to tweens, teens, and adults. All participants will receive a copy of this month’s book that they may keep. This is a hybrid program. You can join us in person or virtually through Zoom. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Manga Club – June 30, July 28, & August 25 @ 3:30 – 4:30 Have you read any good manga lately? If so, we want to know! Come hang out on the last Friday of each month to socialize, snack, and talk about manga. Share your favorite tiles, get reading recommendations, discuss cosplay plans, and meet other fans. This program is open to ages 10 – 17. Registration is not required.
Saturday Game Days – July 1, July 15, August 5, & August 19 @ 1:00 – 4:00. Get your game on at the library! Create wacky monsters with ‘Bears vs Babies’. Use our Nintendo Switch to challenge your friends to a race in ‘Mario Kart’. Make up strange captions to photos while playing ‘What Do You Meme’? We’ve a wide collection of board games available to play in the building! Or, check out a game to take home! This program is open to kids, tweens, teens, adults, and families. Registration is not required.
Bath Bombs – July 5 @ 3:00 – 4:00. Come relax while making art! This week we’ll create fizzy bath bombs using products you can find around the house. After making your bath bombs at the library you can take home the recipe and a mold to craft more at home. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Succulent Gardening 101 – July 6 @ 3:00 – 4:00. Succulents are all the rage. These cute little plants seem to love being neglected. While it’s true they are hardier than most plants, succulents do best when given proper care. Come choose a succulent, repot it, and learn how to help it thrive in your home! This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Paper Squishies – July 7 @ 2:30 – 4:00. Squishies are fun to smoosh and squeeze! Did you know you can make your own out of paper? It’s true! Come learn how to turn paper, tape, and poly-fil into a squishable doll. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Learn iMovie – July 10 @ 2:30 – 4:00. iMovie is an easy to use video editing program that is included free on Apple computers. Come learn how to import a video, change the background using a green screen, splice and edit, include music, and add fun effects. This program is open to ages 12 and up. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Friendship Bracelets – July 11 @ 2:30 – 4:00. Grab some embroidery floss… it’s time to make friendship bracelets! Use a series of simple knots to create a fun, colorful bracelet to keep or give to a friend. Due to the dexterity needed to tie the small knots, this program is recommended for ages 12 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Customize a Journal – July 12 @ 3:00 – 4:00. Come relax while making art! This week we use mod podge, paper, stickers, and markers to customize a journal. Once complete, you can use your journal to write down thoughts, keep notes, or doodle. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Cardboard Cacti – July 13 @ 2:30 – 4:00. Cacti are pretty, but prickly, plants. Come join us as we create a non-prickly alternative… cardboard cacti! Cardboard, paint, clay pots, and pom-poms come together to make decorative cacti that need no care. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
The Tolkien Challenge: Beren And Lúthien – July 13 @ 6:30 – 7:30. Join us as we explore the world of J.R.R. Tolkien! This meeting we read one of the great tales, Beren And Lúthien. The Tolkien Challenge is open to tweens, teens, and adults. All participants will receive a copy of Beren And Lúthien that they may keep. This is a hybrid program. You can join us in person or virtually through Zoom. Space is limited. Registration is required.
CHB Anime Club (Ages 10 – 15) – July 14 & August 11 @ 3:30 – 4:30. Do you love anime? So do we! Join us once a month as we snack, socialize, and watch anime. Is there a show you’d like to see? Let us know! We’ll research the reviews and rating of the anime to determine if it’s appropriate for our audience. If the anime gets a pass, we’ll add it to the rotation. This meeting of the CHB Anime Club is for younger viewers. Anime will be rated G to PG. This program is open to ages 10 – 15. Registration is not required.
CHB Anime Club (Ages 15 – 18) – July 21 & August 18 @ 3:30 – 4:30. Do you love anime? So do we! Join us once a month as we snack, socialize, and watch anime. Is there a show you’d like to see? Let us know! We’ll research the reviews and rating of the anime to determine if it’s appropriate for our audience. If the anime gets a pass, we’ll add it to the rotation. This meeting of the CHB Anime Club is for older viewers. Anime will be rated PG to PG-13. This program is open to ages 15 – 18. Registration is not required.
Robot Rumble – July 15 @ 10:00 – 12:00. A pile of plastic bricks, some motors, wheels, and a battery pack. Doesn’t sound very interesting… until you combine these together to make a robot! Build robots and pit them against one another in a robot rumble. Follow the instructions or design a robot of your own. This activity uses Circuit Cubes, electronic building blocks. Due to the small size of some of the parts, this program is for ages 8 and up. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Folded Book Heart – July 18 @ 2:30 – 4:00. It’s easy to upcycle a used book into a work of art! All you need is a book, a ruler, and time. Relax and watch as your series of folds turn a plain book into a heart sculpture. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Zentangles – July 19 @ 3:00 – 4:00. Come relax while making art! This week we explore the gentle art of zentangles. Slow down and destress while using simple lines to create repeating patterns and images. What will your zentangle look like? This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Mini Hanging Terrariums – July 20 @ 1:30 – 3:00. Do you want a plant but don’t have much space? Give a mini terrarium a try. Terrariums are glass or plastic containers for holding plants. Join us to learn how to create a mini terrarium to hang in your room! This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro – July 20 @ 4:00 – 6:00. A special Carm’s Classics Club event! Join us for a showing of The Castle of Cagliostro, an adventure of Arsène Lupin’s grandson, Lupin the Third! Snacks will be provided. This program is open to tweens, teens, and adults. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Carm’s Classics Club: Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief – July 20 @ 6:30 – 7:30. Join us for the next meeting of Carm’s Classics. This meeting is all about heists with Maurice Leblanc’s Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief and Roshani Chokshi’s The Gilded Wolves! Carm’s Classics Club is open to tweens, teens, and adults. All participants will receive a copy of both Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief and The Gilded Wolves that they may keep. This is a hybrid program. You can join us in person or virtually through Zoom. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Simple Sew: Beanbag Phone Holders (Session 1) – July 24 @ 12:30 – 2:30. Looking for a sewing project that’s easy and fun? Come to the chbMAKERS’ Corner to learn how to create a beanbag cell phone holder. Due to the limited number of sewing machines available, this program is being offered in two sessions. Please sign up for one session only so as many people as possible can join us. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Simple Sew: Beanbag Phone Holders (Session 2) – July 24 @ 3:00 – 5:00. Looking for a sewing project that’s easy and fun? Come to the chbMAKERS’ Corner to learn how to create a beanbag cell phone holder. Due to the limited number of sewing machines available, this program is being offered in two sessions. Please sign up for one session only so as many people as possible can join us. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Pinch Pots – July 26 @ 12:30 – 2:00. It’s easy to create a small pot using clay. Join us as we mold air-dry clay to create unique holders for jewelry and trinkets. No kiln firing required. Due to these pots needing time to dry and cure, they will still be soft by the end of the program. Care should be taken when carrying them home. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Needle Felting With Katie Stevenson – July 25 @ 3:00 – 4:30. Needle felting is the art of transforming wool into an object using a special needle that has tiny barbs on the end. The wool fibers tangle together, making felt you can shape into soft sculptures. Join us as we enjoy crafting wooly animals with Katie Stevenson! This program is open to teens and adults. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Oil Diffuser Bracelets – July 26 @ 3:00 – 4:00. Come relax while making art! This week we use beads, flexible jewelry wire, and lava rocks to make oil diffuser bracelets. These beautiful bracelets will give off a faint relaxing smell all day. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Orson Welles: The War of the Worlds – July 27 @ 5:00 – 6:30. A special Science Fiction Book Club event! In 1938 Orson Welles narrated a radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ science fiction classic, The War of the Worlds. This Halloween episode of the radio series The Mercury Theatre on the Air is famous for convincing some listeners that Martians really were invading the Earth! Come hear the original broadcast, enjoy some snacks, and see if you would have been fooled. This program is open to tweens, teens, and adults. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Science Fiction Book Club: The War of the Worlds – July 27 @ 6:30 – 7:30 (registration will open June 29). Join us for July’s meeting of the Science Fiction Book Club. This month we witness an alien invasion with H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds! The Science Fiction Book Club is a monthly book club open to tweens, teens, and adults. All participants will receive a copy of this month’s book that they may keep. This is a hybrid program. You can join us in person or virtually through Zoom. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Folded Book Hedgehogs – August 1 @ 2:30 – 4:00. It’s easy to upcycle a used book into a work of art! All you need is a book, a ruler, and time. Come learn how to turn a book into a cute hedgehog. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Bath Salts – August 2 @ 3:00 – 4:00. Come relax while making art! This week we decorate mason jars and create a calming bath salt mixture to store inside. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Macramé Plant Hangers – August 3 @ 2:00 – 4:00. Macramé is back, baby! This easy to learn craft is perfect for creating hanging homes for your plants. All you need is some jute and a few basic knots. Once you start, you won’t want to stop! Come learn the art today. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Wolves of North America – August 3 @ 4:30 – 5:30. Spend an afternoon with a wolf expert from the Wolf Conservation Center and learn about North America’s wildest residents, wolves! You’ll learn the history, ecology, and biology of wolves, as well as the current challenges facing wolf recovery across the United States, especially the critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves. This program will include pre-recorded video of WCC ambassador wolves illustrating behaviors, and will provide access to live webcams of critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves. Explore the world of these magnificent creatures and become empowered to help save them from extinction. This program is open to ages 7 and up. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Calming Glitter Jars – August 4 @ 3:00 – 4:00. We all need a little calm at times. A chance to sit back and relax. Looking at something pretty can help. That’s where glitter jars come in. Give it a shake and watch the colors and sparkles swirl as they resettle to the bottom. Join us to learn how to make one of these soothing jars. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Cord Tacos – August 8 @ 11:00 – 12:30. Cords… they’re everywhere! Cords for our phones, tablets, even headphones. How do you carry them with you without them getting tangled? Try a cord taco! This fun craft will help you keep your cords contained in style. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Radical Raptors – August 8 @ 2:00 – 3:00. Just who are those big, beautiful birds of prey you see perched atop fence posts by day or hear calling outside your window by night? Come hear representatives from the White Memorial Conservation Center discuss the hawks, owls, eagles, and falcons that call northwest Connecticut home. You’ll even get to meet one of our local raptors up close and personal! This program is open to ages 7 and up. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Gingerbread Scrub – August 9 @ 3:00 – 4:00. Come relax while making art! This week we mix up a soothing and exfoliating gingerbread scrub. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Perler Bead Cacti Keychains – August 10 @ 12:00 – 2:00. Do you want a cactus keychain? Of course you do! Join us as we use perler beads to design cute, portable cacti. Clip them on your keys or backpack to always have a bit of green with you. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Mosaic Flower Pots With Katie Stevenson – August 10 @ 3:00 – 4:00. Tired of boring terracotta flower pots? Looking for something a little different? Katie Stevenson is here to show you how to create beautiful mosaic pots, each one a unique work of art! This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Make a Mug (Session 1) – August 14 @ 12:30 – 2:30. Personalizing a mug is hard, right? Not if you use a Cricut! Come to the chbMAKERS’ Corner to learn how to use Cricut Design Space and our Mug Press to craft a unique mug of your own. Due to the time required per mug, this program is being offered in two sessions. Please sign up for one session only so as many people as possible can join us. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Make a Mug (Session 2) – August 14 @ 3:00 – 5:00. Personalizing a mug is hard, right? Not if you use a Cricut! Come to the chbMAKERS’ Corner to learn how to use Cricut Design Space and our Mug Press to craft a unique mug of your own. Due to the time required per mug, this program is being offered in two sessions. Please sign up for one session only so as many people as possible can join us. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
LED Zodiac Art With Ingrid Schaeffer – August 15 @ 11:00 – 1:00. Everyone has a zodiac sign. Many believe their sign gives hints to their personality and possibly to their future. Do you know what your sign is? Join Ingrid Schaeffer to learn more about the zodiac and create light up zodiac art for your room. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Reusable Coloring Pages – August 15 @ 2:30 – 4:00. Coloring pages are relaxing, but throwing them out once they’re finished isn’t great for the environment. With a little bit of ingenuity you can turn those non-reusable coloring pages into ones you can enjoy again and again. Stop by the makerspace and learn the secret of the reusable coloring page! This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Yarn Hearts – August 16 @ 3:00 – 4:00. Come relax while making art! This week we slow down and take it easy while making colorful yarn hearts. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Waffle Cones Flower Pots – August 17 @ 2:30 – 4:00. Move aside dull flower pots! It’s time to jazz up your plants with a waffle cone pot. A little paint and some imagination are all that’s required to create a fun and funky home for your plant. This program is open to ages 7 – 17. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Robot Rumble – August 19 @ 10:00 – 12:00. A pile of plastic bricks, some motors, wheels, and a battery pack. Doesn’t sound very interesting… until you combine these together to make a robot! Build robots and pit them against one another in a robot rumble. Follow the instructions or design a robot of your own. This activity uses Circuit Cubes, electronic building blocks. Due to the small size of some of the parts, this program is for ages 8 and up. Space is limited. Registration is required.