Programs
This year, QPL has over 200 programs to make the summer a special time for kids, teens, and families. Browse below for a list of selected programs and view all here. All programs will be held in-person at a QPL location unless otherwise noted.
QPL BABY - BABY & ME (IN-PERSON)
Children ages 6-18 months and their caregivers are invited for stories, songs, fingerplays, music, and toys! No registration required.
Mondays, August 4, 11, 18, 25
10:30am
Auburndale
25-55 Francis Lewis Boulevard
COLOR YOUR WORLD - BUILD, DESIGN, CREATE! (IN-PERSON)
Celebrate creativity, color, and global design in this hands-on series with Arch for Kids! Each session explores vibrant architecture and artistic structures from around the world — from Charleston’s Rainbow Row to towering landmarks like the Eiffel Tower. Participants will learn about bridges, pavilions, rowhouses, and world-famous towers, then use bold colors, patterns, and decorative flair to design their own unique models. Come build a world bursting with color, imagination, and fun! Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Mondays, August 4, 11, 18
3pm
Fresh Meadows
193-20 Horace Harding Expressway
SUMMER READING CLUB: COLOR OUR WORLD WITH QUEENS BOTANICAL GARDEN (IN-PERSON)
Join QPL and the Queens Botanical Garden for an exciting summer filled with exploration and imagination! Our Summer Reading Club offers four unique sessions designed to spark curiosity and creativity in school-aged children. Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Mondays, August 4, 11, 18, 25
3pm
Mitchell-Linden
31-32 Union Street
TEEN MOVIE MONDAYS (IN-PERSON)
Visit Flushing Library for our Movie Mondays! Drop by and watch a film in the Teen Center, no registration required. Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Mondays, August 4, 25
4pm
Flushing
41-17 Main Street
PAINT LIKE ALMA WOODSEY THOMAS (IN-PERSON)
Learn about pioneering Black artist Alma Woodsey Thomas and channel her creativity to express your own vision as you make your own bright, bold work of art.
Tuesday, August 5
4pm
Poppenhusen
121-23 14 Avenue, College Point
BILINGUAL TODDLER TIME (ENGLISH & SPANISH) (IN-PERSON)
Join us for fun stories, songs, and rhymes for toddlers ages 13-35 months! Full and active participation of accompanying caregivers is encouraged. Due to high demand, we require that patrons register for only one Hunters Point Wednesday Toddler Time each week (either 10:15 or 11:15). Registration is open the day before each session only. Each child attending needs to be registered; adults do not. Doors close ten minutes after the start of the program. This program will be in Spanish and English.
Wednesday, August 6
10:15am: Register here.
11:15am: Register here.
Hunters Point
47-40 Center Boulevard, Long Island City
STORYTELLING IN SIGN: EXPRESS YOURSELF (IN-PERSON)
Get ready to color the Summer with language and creativity with American Sign Language, celebrating communication, creativity, and community! Storytelling in Sign: Express Yourself will explore visual storytelling using ASL, facial expression, and movement. Children will sign parts of a story and then create their own illustrated “visual voice” panels. Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Wednesdays, August 6, 13, 20
11:30am
Rosedale
144-20 243 Street
COLOR OUR WORLD WITH AFRICAN DANCE AND LITERACY SERIES (IN-PERSON)
Hey kids! Get ready for a super fun four-session African Dance Workshop! We’re going to dance, sing, make music, play with fashion, draw, and write. It’s all about learning awesome stories through African Dance! You’ll get to share your own cool stories and even make up new ones with lots of JOY! The South Jamaica Reads Initiative is made possible with support from The Pinkerton Foundation and The Carmel Hill Fund. Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Wednesdays, August 6, 13, 20, 27
2:30pm
South Jamaica
108-41 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard
JUNK JOURNALING FOR TEENS (IN-PERSON)
Join us at Woodside Library to create your own “Junk Journal.” Using a variety of supplies, you can document your summer and decorate a journal that reflects your interests! All supplies provided, while supplies last. Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Wednesday, August 6
3pm
Woodside
54-22 Skillman Avenue
TEEN CHESS PROGRAM AT FOREST HILLS LIBRARY (IN-PERSON)
Join us for our chess program, where you can learn new skills. If you are new to the game and would like to learn the basics, our skilled instructor will be happy to offer guidance. Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Wednesdays, August 6, 13, 20, 27
4pm
Forest Hills
108-19 71 Avenue
SCIENCE EVERYWHERE! (IN-PERSON)
Science is all around us! Each Thursday afternoon, kids ages 6-12 can explore the world through different hands-on activities, including experiments, stories, and creative arts and crafts projects. Registration is not required, but supplies may be limited.
Thursdays, August 7, 14, 21, 28
4pm
Hunters Point
47-40 Center Boulevard, Long Island City
3D RAINBOW CRAFT (IN-PERSON)
Kids can have lots of fun expressing their creativity with this 3D rainbow paper craft! They can make their paper rainbows using traditional rainbow colors in rainbow order or they can choose their favorite color combinations and put them in any order they like. So, let’s get creative, get crafting, and enjoy some colorful rainbow fun! Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Thursday, August 7
4pm
Poppenhusen
121-23 14 Avenue, College Point
Thursday, August 7
4:30pm
Richmond Hill
118-14 Hillside Avenue
Monday, August 11
10:30am
Maspeth
69-70 Grand Avenue
MOSAIC ART WITH JUAN ORTEGA (IN-PERSON)
Have you ever seen pictures made out of little pieces of color? That’s mosaic art! We’re going to learn how to make colorful pictures using small pieces of all kinds of materials. Learn about the history of mosaics and how they’re made. Then, you’ll use colorful tiles, glass, or even paper to create your own mosaic design. You’ll focus on using different colors next to each other to make your mosaic picture stand out and tell a story. Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Friday, August 8
2pm
Arverne
312 Beach 54 Street
GEM ART FOR TEENS (IN-PERSON)
Create beautiful coasters and magnets using gem art! For youth ages 11-19, 5th Floor Teen Room.
Friday, August 8
4pm
Hunters Point
47-40 Center Boulevard, Long Island City
PAINTED PICTURE FRAMES FOR TEENS (IN-PERSON)
Join us at Woodside Library for a painted picture frame craft for teens! Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Monday, August 11
3pm
Woodside
54-22 Skillman Avenue
PINCH POT POTTERY FOR TEENS (IN-PERSON)
Join us at Woodside Library to make your own pinch pot bowls! All supplies provided, while supplies last. Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Wednesday, August 13
3pm
Woodside
54-22 Skillman Avenue
SYMMETRY PAINTING! (IN-PERSON)
Join us for our summer reading craft! This year the theme is Color Your World! Join us as we talk about symmetry than use paint to create our own symmetrical artwork. No registration is required. Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Thursday, August 14
4:30pm
Richmond Hill
118-14 Hillside Avenue
QPL BABY: MUSICAL PLAYDATE (IN-PERSON)
Get ready for a burst of creativity as we launch the first ever QPL Baby: Musical Playdate! We invite you to join us for a fun-filled morning of musical exploration and summer celebration featuring exciting performances from Urban Stages, hands-on play activities, face painting with Party Colors, giveaways, and more! Urban Stages’ passionate artists and educators are excited to share fun musical programming perfect for all families and their little explorers, including an Instrument Petting Zoo and an International Animals Dance Party Singalong in Spanish and English. This interactive, joyful, musical playdate will promote bonding and community for all and will nourish the musical curiosity of your early learners. We hope to see you there! Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Friday, August 15
10:30am
Ridgewood
20-12 Madison Street
“COLOR YOUR WORLD” WITH DEE CROSS (IN-PERSON)
Kids ages 6-12 can explore the history of Hip Hop art with Dee Cross in this “Color Your World” workshop. Participants will create their own Hip Hop-inspired artwork, learn about NYC’s art scene, and then take their creations home. This program is funded by New York Life.
Friday, August 15
2:30pm
Arverne
312 Beach 54 Street
PAINT LIKE ALMA THOMAS (IN-PERSON)
Stop by this open-ended painting program inspired by Alma Thomas!
Tuesday, August 19
4pm
Howard Beach
92-06 156 Avenue
PAINTED TOTES FOR TEENS (IN-PERSON)
Join us at the Woodside Library to create your own painted tote! All supplies provided as they last.
Friday, August 22
3pm
Woodside
54-22 Skillman Avenue
STORYPALOOZA & FACE PAINT FIESTA! (IN-PERSON)
Let’s end summer with a splash of color! Come to the library’s “Color Your World with Party Colors” event, our grand finale for the Summer Reading Program. Enjoy lively story times and fantastic face painting as we celebrate a summer of reading adventures. Remember to keep those pages turning all year long with loved ones! For children ages 6-9, families are welcome!
Friday, August 22
2:30pm
Arverne
312 Beach 54 Street
NOISE MAKER CRAFT FOR 3-5 YEAR OLDS! (IN-PERSON)
Join us for a story and a noise maker craft at Hunters Point Library! This program is for children ages 3-5, and their caregivers. Only the child attending needs to be registered (not necessary for caregivers). Registration opens the day before each session. This program will begin on time and the doors close at 4:10pm. We hope to see you there!
Register here.
Tuesday, August 26
4pm
Hunters Point
47-40 Center Boulevard, Long Island City
PAINT LIKE ALMA WOODSEY THOMAS (IN-PERSON)
Join us for our summer reading craft! This year the theme is Color Your World! Learn about Alma Woodsey Thomas and how she created artwork. Then make your very own art just like her. No registration is required.
Thursday, August 28
4:30pm
Richmond Hill
118-14 Hillside Avenue
COLOR YOUR WORLD CRAFT BONANZA (IN-PERSON)
All of those left over craft supplies we couldn’t get use of this summer are yours to take home with you! Were you eyeing a leftover canvas during a crafternoon? Maybe some pipecleaners? Well we have some bits and bobs that must go, Go, GO! Run away with your creativity (and new supplies)!
Friday, August 29
2pm
Baisley Park
117-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica
MOSAIC ART TILES FOR TEENS (IN-PERSON)
Create your own beautiful mosaic tile craft! For youth ages 11-19. The activity will be in the 5th Floor Teen Room.
Friday, August 29
4pm
Hunters Point
47-40 Center Boulevard, Long Island City