We are thrilled to be able to welcome you go our newly renovated and expanded Children's Room with festivities throughout the day. 

-All day - Scavenger Hunt to help you learn your way around the newly renovated space

-9:30am - Ribbon cutting 

-10:30am - Read Beyond the Beaten Path Sunshine Storytime in our new program space!

-11:15am - Repeat of the same Read Beyond the Beaten Path Sunshine Storytime in our new program space!

-3-5pm - Face painting, balloon twisting, and cake and ice cream

-4:30pm - Read Beyond the Beaten Path stories and activities for kids ages 4-5 in the Third Floor Rear Arc

-7pm - Caravan Puppets presents Tales of Trails, a celebration of journeys in Druker Auditorium

-Please note: The temporary Children's Room in Druker Auditorium will be closed through August 3, so we can prepare to open the new room. The Children's collection will not be available for browsing or borrowing during this time. 

Hindi Bilingual Storytime: Monday, August 1 at 10:30am. A special bilingual storytime with stories, songs and movement in English and Hindi. For kids ages 0-4 and their adults.

Find us across the street from the Library on City Hall grounds: walk past the City Hall fountain and we'll be under the tree on the corner of City Hall Drive and Commonwealth Ave. Outdoor storytimes are weather permitting. If the ground is wet or the weather doesn't cooperate, this storytime might be canceled.

Virtual Pajama Time! Monday, August 1 at 7pm. Get ready for bed by listening to these stories and songs that will help you drift off to dreamland. Put on your pajamas, cuddle with a loved one and bring your favorite stuffed animal friend! For kids ages 3 and up.

Wake Up Sunshine Storytime: Tuesday, August 2 at 10:30am. Start your day with stories, songs and rhymes led by Newton Free Library children’s librarians. For children 0-4 and their caregivers.

Find us across the street from the Library on City Hall grounds: walk past the City Hall fountain and we'll be under the tree on the corner of City Hall Drive and Commonwealth Ave. Outdoor storytimes are weather permitting. If the ground is wet or the weather doesn't cooperate, this storytime might be canceled.

Dial a Story: Listen to a children’s librarian read you a story over the phone. Call 617-796-1415 to listen to a story anytime you like. A new story is recorded weekly. For kids of all ages.

Irish Dance Performance: Tuesday, August 2 at 4pm. Come see The O’Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance perform their reels and jigs! They have been teaching children ages 4 and up for over 65 years, and their dancers have won regional, national and world titles. The performance lasts 15-20 minutes, and then children from the audience will be invited to learn some steps! For kids ages 4 and up and their families.

Matt Heaton Family Singalong--Live at the Hyde Bandstand! Wednesday, August 3 at 10:30am. Bring the whole family to this fun outdoor concert! Matt Heaton brings an infectious energy to his singalongs. Peppered with well known classics and a few soon-to-be classics, and performed with panache on guitar & banjo, Matt makes music for parents and kids alike. This concert will take place at the Hyde Bandstand and Playground. Please register if you would like to receive a zoom link to the virtual performance in case of rain. This event is taking place on public grounds and does not require registration. For directions to the bandstand click here.

Your Friends' membership made this program possible. Join us! [email protected]. A big thank you to the Hyde Community Center for helping organize this event and working with us to use the space. Additional thanks to the Newton Parks, Recreation and Culture Department.

Introduction To ASL Via Storytime: Wednesday, August 3 at 4pm. Join Mosesian Center for the Arts ASL interpreter and teaching artist Arlene Velleman for a storytiem featuring Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown. We will read the book, Arlene will interpret in ASL, and then she will teach participants the signs for some of the key words from the story. Arlene will also be available to

Read Beyond the Beaten Path Sunshine Storytime: Thursday, August 4 at 10:30am. Join us for our summer reading program, Read Beyond the Beaten Path, storytimes. Each will be based on the week's theme. This week's theme is Art and the World. Start your day with stories, songs and rhymes led by Newton Free Library Children’s Librarians. For children 0-4 and their caregivers.

Read Beyond the Beaten Path Stories and Activities: Thursday, August 4 at 4pm. Come explore with us! Join us for our summer reading program, Read Beyond the Beaten Path, story and activity time for kids ages 4 and 5. Each will be based on the week's theme. This week's theme is Art and the World. 

Rock Painting For Ages 3-5: Friday, August 5 at 10:30am. Bring in a rock or two (or more) to paint! For easier painting, find rocks that are big and smooth.  

Rock Painting For ages 6-9: Friday, August 5 at 4pm. Bring in a rock or two (or more) to paint! For easier painting, find rocks that are big and smooth.  

Read Beyond the Beaten Path: Summer 2022 

Have a blast this summer by joining Read Beyond the Beaten Path with Newton Free Library from June 13 to August 31. Read books, have adventures, win prizes! Use Beanstack to keep track of your time spent reading alone or with parents, siblings or your friends. And check out all the fun adventures we've included this year. Children through rising 5th graders in the 2022-23 school year can win prizes.

Register on Beanstack, and you will be entered in a drawing to win a prize each week of summer reading (6/13-8/31) as long as you also log minutes; write a book review on Beanstack; complete an adventure; or attend a library program (and fill in the relevant adventure). 

You can find registration, summer programming and everything else summer at newtonfreelibrary.net/summer.

Flying High Dogs - Live at the Hyde Bandstand! Monday, August 8 at 4:30pm. Mike Piazza and his team of some of the most athletic Border Collies on the planet will perform a variety of Frisbee and other awesome tricks to entertain all ages! Mike is a multiple-time world finalist and world record holder in the sport of K-9 Frisbee and the current #1 Professional K-9 Frisbee performer in the world. This program will take place at the Hyde Bandstand and Playground, and takes place on public grounds and does not require registration. For directions to the bandstand click here. Rain date is August 9 at 4:30pm in Druker Auditorium at Newton Free Library.

Your Friends' membership made this program possible. Join us! [email protected]. A big thank you to the Hyde Community Center for helping organize this event and working with us to use the space. Additional thanks to the Newton Parks, Recreation and Culture Department.

Draw Along Creatures: Octopuses and Giant Squids! Wednesday, August 10 at 4pm. Draw Along Creatures continues with a focus on octopuses and giant squids! After creating a drawing of these popular animals from simple shapes, the artist instructor will show you how to create scenes from just your imagination. Space is limited. Registration (required) is only available for ages 7-10.

Spanish Bilingual Storytime: Friday, August 12 at 10:30am. Juntos Leemos! Children ages 0-5 and their adults are invited to join us for stories and songs in Spanish. This program will be led by an instructor from Pine Village Preschool, a Spanish immersion school.

Telescopes: Friday, August 12 at 4pm. Make your own telescope from recycled material and then decorate it! For ages 6-9.