Children’s Programs and Events

Welcome to our Children’s Program Page where you can find upcoming programs and events for children from Birth to 5th Grade.  To see a full list of programs for all ages, check out our Program Calendar.

Summer Reading Information

Children in 5th grade and under will earn a sticker for every 10mins of reading. Children will earn 1 raffle ticket for every 12 stickers on their reading log and place their ticket into a prize basket. Children will receive 4 raffle tickets per completed reading log and they can earn stickers for attending programming. Once you complete your reading log, you can continue reading for more chances to win prizes!

All reading logs and tickets must be turned in by 5pm on August 5th at the Marion or Old Fort branch.

Preschool Storytime

Mondays, June 12, June 19, and June 26 at 10:30 a.m.

Join Ms. Megan for Preschool Storytime at the Marion Library.

Books, songs, felt board stories, action rhymes and fun for preschool-aged children. 

Wednesdays, June 14, June 21, and June 28 at 10:30 a.m.

Join Mrs. Kelly for Preschool Storytime at the Old Fort Library.

Books, songs, felt board stories, action rhymes and fun for preschool-aged children.

Craft for Little Hands

Mondays at 11:00 a.m. – Marion Library

Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. – Old Fort Library

Each week after Story Time, preschool-aged children are invited to craft at the library. Dress for a mess because we will be using glue, scissors, paints, paper, markers, crayons and much more! Targeted age group 3- to- 5 year old, but all are welcome.

Elementary Craft

Wednesdays at 3pm – Old Fort Library

Thursdays at 3pm – Marion Library

Each week elementary students (kindergarten-5th grade) are invited to craft at the library.

Come to our “Kindness Rocks” event for Storytime and afterwards paint a rock to hide in the community.

Special Children Events

Juneteenth Festival in partnership with West Marion Community Forum

June 16th  Lake James: Paddy’s Creek  9am-3pm

Join us for a reading of “Belle, The Last Mule at Gee’s Bend: A Civil Rights” Story followed by making a quilt block for our community quilt.

Acompáñenos a leer el cuento de “Belle, The Last Mule at Gee’s Bend: A Civil Rights” seguido por una colcha comunitaria hechas por bloques de edredón.

Adopt-A-Pet Day in partnership with Mercy Animal Rescue

June 21st  Old Fort Library  12pm-5pm

Meet the animals they have available for adoption, take them for walks, give them some love, and maybe take a new fur-friend home!

Conozca los animales que tienen disponibles para adopción, llévelo a pasear, denle un poco de amor, ¡y tal vez lléveselo a su casa como un nuevo amigo peludo!

Greenhouses, Gardens, and Herbs

June 23rd  Old Fort Library  10am-11am

Learn how a greenhouse works and how to grow edible herbs with Dana from Painters Greenhouse!

¡Aprende cómo funciona un invernadero y cómo cultivar hierbas comestibles con Dana de Painters Greenhouse!

Bedtime Stories

Fridays at 7 p.m.

Bedtime Story read at 7 p.m. by either Mrs. Kelly or Ms. Megan in our CLOSED Facebook group (McDowell Children Library Services)

Juvenile Story Time

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.

Juvenile readers (2nd-5th grade) join Ms. Megan in our CLOSED Facebook group (McDowell Library Children Services) as we read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

The McDowell County Public Library have Literacy Bookbags available for checkout at the Marion and Old Fort libraries at the Children’s Circulation Desk. The purpose of the Literacy Bookbags is to help families get involved in improving their child’s literacy skills and provide families with the tools to help them become their child’s first teacher.

What’s Included:

• (4) Curated Storytime books based on a theme
• Literacy tips
• Fun learning activities to allow for communication between parent and child
• Colorings pages
• And songs (that can be used along with scarves and egg shakers)

Have a question about a program posted?  Call us at either 828-652-3858 for Marion or 828-668-7111 for Old Fort.