Children & Young People

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Holiday Activities 

MONSTER MASH-UP

Recycled Art Competition

Express your creativity through re-purposing your family’s ‘rubbish’. Create a monster using household recycled materials to win great prizes.  Submissions must be exclusively comprised of fully recycled materials. They can include elements such as painting, gluing and drawing. Collect a 'gift' for each entry plus multiple prize categories to win.

WHO: 5-15 year olds.

WHEN: Open now. Competition closes Sunday 19 July - 5pm. Winners will be announced Saturday 25 July via Facebook.

HOW: Take a photo of your creation and upload it along with your entry form. 

 
‘MINI’ MAGIC MASTERY with Joel Howlett

Online Workshop

Join international award-winning magician Joel Howlett online and learn the secret to perform two ‘Captivating Card’ tricks and 'The Magic Coin'. You’ll need a deck of cards and a coin on hand at home. Book a place to receive a link for the 15 minute session.

WHO: 8-12 year olds.

WHEN: Friday 10 July - 10am, 10.30am, 11am, 11.30am. Sessions are repeated so register for one time slot only.

TICKETS: FREE – Limited numbers.Bookings essential

BOOK NOW

NAIDOC STORY TIME  

Online

Join us for a special NAIDOC online Story Time as we read the picture book ‘Coming Home to Country’ by Bronwyn Bancroft.

WHO: 3-5 year olds and families.

WHEN: From Wednesday 8 July, 9am.

HOW: The video will be available via ourFacebook page and Youtube Playlist.

You can also find our back catalogue of short Story Time sessions on YouTube

 

YOUNG PEOPLE

TEEN BOOK CLUB  at Penrith City Library

Share your love for reading at our monthly teen book club. Books are based on a different theme chosen by book club members each month. Limited numbers and bookings are essential. For more information contact Children’s Team on 4732 7891 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

WHO:          12-16 years old
WHEN:       Last Tuesdays of the month – 31 March, 28 April, 26 May, 30 June, 4.30-5.30pm
TICKETS:   FREE – but bookings essential. Call 4732 7891 to register interest.

CHILDREN

CIRCUS FUN with Suzy Spindoll

Learn new skills and have fun in Suzy’s action-packed and playful circus class. A colourful mix of circus skills, games and movement is designed to support active kids while encouraging creative expression and building self-confidence.

WHO: 7-12 year olds
WHEN: Thursdays, 4-5pm (7 May - 25 June)
TICKETS: $80 for an 8 week term. Book tickets online at EventBrite

READING TIPS 

Are you helping your child learn to read? Watch these quick tips for practical techniques and strategies to try at home here

Story Time - suspended until further notice

Join the team for Story Time online by watching our short videos here

Story Time for preschoolers is the ideal way to nurture young children's love of stories and reading skills. It runs during school terms at Penrith, St Marys and St Clair Libraries. Sessions consist of theme-based, social activities including singing, listening to stories and doing art and craft.

Penrith: Wednesdays 10.30 - 11.30am 
St Marys: Tuesdays 10.30 - 11.30am 
St Clair: Thursdays 10.30 - 11.30am 

Little Seekers Sessions - suspended until further notice

NEW IN 2020!
Suitable for children aged 2-5 years old with social/sensory issues.
Enquiries and bookings contact the Library Inclusion Officer. Ph: 0418 664 879

PENRITH:      First Friday of every month, 10.30am-11.30am
TICKETS:      FREE – Limited places. Booking essential.

Baby Time - suspended until further notice

You can still enjoy singing with your child by watching our short Baby Time videos

Baby Time sessions include songs, games and activities to share with your baby. Guest speakers talk on interesting topics once a month.

Penrith: Mondays 10.30 - 11.30am

Toy Library - suspended until further notice

Our toy library includes study toys for under 8s and a range of family board games. There are baby toys, construction sets, puzzles, vehicles, food, animal and house play sets. 
Toy Library does not run during school holidays. 
Find a session at a branch near you:

• Penrith: Wednesday 10am-Noon and Saturday 10am-Noon
• St Marys: Tuesdays 10am - Noon and Saturday 10am - Noon  
• St Clair: Thursday 10am-Noon and Saturday 10am-Noon. 
• Apply to become a toy library volunteer.

Toy library conditions of use:

• If you bring a child to a toy library session be sure to supervise and accompany them at all times.
• Toys in the cupboards are for browsing and borrowing. Toys are made available for play during Toy Library sessions.
• Care for the toys and return them in a clean condition.
• Return damaged toys and parts as toys are repaired wherever possible.
• A replacement cost may be charged for lost toys when negligence results in damaged toys.
• The library is not liable for damage/injury resulting from borrowed toys.

Toy Library Outreach Service - suspended until further notice

We specialise in providing toys for children with disabilities and high support needs. Featuring switch-adapted, sensory and educational toys, children will delight in making them function through lighting up, playing sounds and movement. Through hands-on play, they can build valuable problem-solving, coordination, reasoning, numeracy, literacy and fine motor skills.

A specialised outreach service is available, with the Library Children’s Inclusion Officer providing home visits for families living in the Penrith area or one-on-one borrowing sessions by appointment and opportunities for extended loan periods. Referrals are required to access this service. 

For details on the referral process for the Toy Library Outreach Service This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or call 0418 664 879. 

Fox Tales

‘Fox Tales’ was developed by the DIG Creative Maker Space Program, a creative and professional development program for Greater Western Sydney digital artists/designers within their first 5 years of professional practice. Penrith Library sponsored the 2nd DiG project which was completed in late 2018, to encourage teens to visit our library and use our collections: visit penrith.city/foxtales

Studiosity

Studiosity is an online service providing live homework and study help for years 3-12.

Go to Studiosity and log on from home with your Penrith City Library card. Membership is free for all students living or going to school in the Penrith Local Government Area. Studiosity provides one-to-one academic support in English, Maths, Science, assignment research, and study skills.

Tutors are online Sunday to Friday between 3pm and 10pm.

View the Library Catalogue

Ziptales

Ziptales offers you 500+ interactive stories with voiceovers, animations, games, quizzes and more to help make reading FUN! This is available for FREE within this council area for all children, parents and schools, either at your library, school or at home. All you need is a library card.

View Ziptales here.