The Children’s events and programs offered by the Benicia Public Library are open to everyone. All events and programs are free of charge, and most do not require registration. Please join us!

Ongoing events and programs:

Baby Storytime for 6 to 18 month-olds is held every month on Mondays at 1:00 p.m. The program is free. Expect 10 to 15 minutes of fast-paced storytime fun, including stories, rhymes, bouncing songs, tickles, and feltboards. Sit on the floor, hold your baby in your lap, and play along together. One child per adult, please. Afterward there’s a chance to talk to other adults, and books suitable for babies are available for checkout. Call Allison at 746-4741 for more information. Note that this program is only for babies between 6 and 18 months old. Please do not bring other children along, since this is a highly interactive program for both adult and baby.

Preschool Storytime for 4 and 5 year-olds is every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The program is free and no registration is required. Preschoolers’ attention spans are longer, so expect 25-30 minutes of books with more complex plots, songs, fingerplays, and longer feltboards. We do a craft or activity after the librarian finishes reading books.  Some preschoolers like to have an independent storytime experience, so the child might sit on the floor while you sit in a chair nearby. Books suitable for preschoolers are available for checkout after the storytime. Come a few minutes early, so the preschooler can get a name tag and meet the librarian.

Toddler Storytime for 2 and 3 year-olds is every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The program is free and no registration is required. Toddlers’ attention spans are short, so expect 20-25 minutes of simple books, songs, easy fingerplays, and feltboard nursery rhymes. Adults and their toddlers actively participate in this storytime together, so sit close together and help the child follow along. Books suitable for toddlers are available for checkout after the storytime. Come a few minutes early, so the toddler can get a nametag and meet the librarian.

The After-School Zone happens Monday through Thursday, when school is in session, from 3:15 to 5:00 p.m. The After-School Zone is a free place for kids age 8 - 14 to drop in. It’s a place to study, play videogames, have a snack, and visit with friends.

Dial-a-story at 746-4339 Make a free local call and listen to a short story recorded by a children’s librarian. Stories are usually about 5 minutes long and are best for children aged 3 1/2 to 10.

Book clubs for kids:

• There are 3 book clubs for kids.
  • The Middle School Book Club is for kids in 6th, 7th and 8th grade.
    • Meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 4:00 p.m.
  • The Kids’ Book Club is for kids in 4th and 5th grade.
    • Meetings are the 1st Tuesday of the month at 3:30 p.m.
  • The Junior Kids’ Book Club is for kids in 2nd and 3rd grade.
    • Meetings are the 4th Tuesday of the month at 3:30 p.m.
  • Books for the next month’s read are handed out at the meeting or are at the Reference Desk after the meeting.

Tails-n-Tales is a program where children from grades 1 through 5 can come and individually read to a dog named Honey. Since each child gets 10 minutes alone with the dog, you will need to sign up at the Customer Service Desk. Honey is here Thursday afternoons at 4:00 p.m. and sign-up begins at 3:30 p.m. during the school year.