Children

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Upcoming events

Teddy Bear and Stuffed Friends 2023 Video

story time on vacation

Adventures in Story Time - On Vacation during December 2023.

Stories, songs and craft activity

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 

10 am Story Tower


Adventures in Story Time introduces young children to books, songs, crafts, and other fun interactive activities designed around a theme.  Each weekly Story Time is a chance to practice reading readiness skills like listening during stories, letter awareness and predicting. Themes for the month of November are dinosaurs, food, thankfulness and hibernation. 

Books and Babies : Classic - On Vacation During December 2023

Stories, songs and play

Thursdays, 3:15-4pm 

Story Tower


Want to foster a love of reading at an early age and build important early literacy skills for your young child (ages 0-2)? Join us in the Story Tower for stories, rhymes, and finger plays intended for our littlest pre-readers!   

books babies

music books - babies on vacation

Books and Babies: Music - On Vacation During December 2023

Stories, songs and play

Saturdays, 10:15-11am

Story Tower 


The musical edition of our Books and Babies program! Music creates a positive connection to literacy and language between your child (ages 0-2) and you! Join us every  Saturday at 10:15am in the Story Tower for books, hands-on musical play and fun!

And a BIG thank you to the Billings Library Foundation and the Friends of the Billings Public Library for supporting this program!

BPLFoundation logo transparency - 50 percent
Friends Logo

Paws to Read - Practice Reading Skills by Reading to a Dog

Story Tower


Reading aloud helps your young child expand their vocabulary and improve reading comprehension. Learning to read can be scary; a friendly face, particularly one with a wagging tail, can ease reading anxieties and build confidence. Billings Public Library is hosting two sessions a month:

1st Saturday of the month 11am – Noon with Intermountain Therapy Animals

3rd Wednesday of the month 3-4pm with Pet Partner Therapy Animals CANCELED FOR DECEMBER

Each child will be able to sign up on the day of the program and have a chance to read to one dog. Space is limited

Reading to a dog gives children the opportunity to practice their reading skills without fear of judgment. Children will share a book with a trained therapy dog; accompanied by the dog’s handler (the handlers do not correct a child's reading). Parents may sit quietly in the room with their child or take this moment to sit and relax just outside the program area.

Paws to Read
Game on!(1)

Game On!

Fridays and Saturdays

3-4:45 pm

Craft Corner

Join us for open game time.  There will be family friendly board games and lots of Legos! Children of all ages are welcome.

¡Hora de Cuentos en Español! Spanish Story Time!

1st Friday of the Month - November 3rd

4pm

Story Tower

 We will enjoy stories, songs, and more! Speakers of all levels are welcome. Your presenter has been studying the language for many years, and still improving every day.

Spanish Story Time
Krafty Kids December 2023

Krafty Kids Art Club for Kids 6-9 (Formerly Yarn Arts)

Saturdays December 2nd and 16th

2-3pm

Children's Craft Corner

These yarn craft projects selected to help develop and mature finger dexterity, fine motor skills, and self-confidence. Projects include potholders, yarn angels, yarn feather or leaf bookmarks. Registration is required and space is limited. Registration will open 2 weeks prior to each meeting. For more information on each week’s craft and to register head to the Library's calendar.

Art Explorers - On Vacation During December 2023

Art Club for Tweens (9-12)

Tuesdays

4 to 5pm

Children's Craft Corner

Unleash your inner-artist by exploring fun art concepts. Create new projects every week… Painting, zines, mixed media, still life, portraits—you name it, we’ll do it! Ages 9-12. . No pre-registration is required, unless specifically noted. Schedule of events here.

Art Explorers

ASL Social Hour 

Second Saturday Monthly 3-4 pm

Story Tower

Are you interested in meeting people who know or are learning American Sign Language? Join us at ASL Social Hour! Our goal is to foster a safe and open community for those interested in ASL. This is a way to provide access to ASL and bring people together to create new relationships by sharing stories, playing games, and more! All skill levels, ages, hearing, hard of hearing, and D/deaf people are welcome. . 

ASL second saturdays
Dolly Partons Imagination Library

Dolly Parton Imagination Library 

Sign up now!


First Lady Gianforte of Montana joins Dolly Parton to announce the Montana statewide expansion of her namesake Imagination Library book-gifting program. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books each month to children from birth to age five, free of charge through funding shared by state and local community partners. Children must be registered by a parent or guardian in order to receive the books. There is no charge to register or receive the books. Age-appropriate books are mailed directly to the homes of registered children each month.


Citizen Science Kits (1)

Citizen Science Kits

Now available for checkout!


What is citizen science? Citizen science is real scientific research done by people like you and me! Whether you are participating in squirrel watching, observing pollinators, visiting a State Park to study the relationship between milkweed and monarchs, or measuring light pollution, you can contribute!  There are projects and resources to match a variety of interests, and Citizen Science is perfect for all ages and great for family activities.  No prior scientific knowledge is required, simply a willingness to learn and participate. 

Citizen Science Kits are available through generous donations from the Friends of Billings Public Library, the Billings Public Library Foundation, Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society. The kits will be available for checkout at the Children’s desk.

Try It Yourself (TIY) STEAM Kits

Now available for checkout!

Through generous grants from the Friends of Billings Public Library and the Billings Public Library Foundation, kids and families will have the chance to explore STEAM components in a new way.

  • Children and families can enjoy  hands-on experiences in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM)
  • 12 kits are available; each kit contains a unique collection of multi-media materials including books, DVDs, games, and models chosen to appeal to a variety of learning styles and ages.

TIY Kits updated


iVox

iVox Books that Move!

iVOX is a children’s book app for ages 3-8, which engages and delights curious young minds with the latest in storytelling technology. Part eBook, part audiobook and part virtual pop-up. Children follow along with the exciting stories while interacting with 3D characters and scenes immersed in the narrative like never before (no 3D glasses needed!).

Use this link on any desktop device to access iVox Books.

Download the app, log in with your library card and watch children's books come to life! 

Android app 

Apple app

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Do you have a child not yet in kindergarten? Sign up today and foster a love of reading at an early age. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are all encouraged to participate. 

One book a day = 1000 books before kindergarten!

 Register Here

1000Books Logo - Bear with Green Book

Bright by Text _Library Promo_Updated10.19.2021

Bright by Text

Bright by Text is a free texting services that helps parents and caregivers make the most out of their early interactions by suggesting fun and easy activities, providing positive parenting tips and resources, ways to aid a child’s physical development, and much more. In addition to expert content, Bright by Text includes messages about free and low-cost events and resources specific to the Billings area, such as health clinics, preschool enrollment periods, and fun events for families.

To sign up, parents and caregivers with children under 5 years old can text 406Parents to 274448. They will receive 2 to 5 text messages per week that includes a link to a landing page with more detail, short modeling videos, and links to related resources.