For the kids

The summer school holidays are upon us. Check out the activities at our libraries and register your children early.

There are various exciting free activities for 0-17 year olds at all four libraries which will provide fun, creative and educational sessions to keep your children happy during the school holidays.

Bookings essential and open Tuesday 20 December 2022.

Reading to children from the time they are born has a positive effect on the development of language and vocabulary, as well as providing the pre-literacy skills that are essential in learning to read when a child begins school. The Rhyme Time (suitable for 0-2 years) and Toddler Time (suitable for 12 months - 2.5 years) programs are designed to encourage parents and children to enjoy the benefits of reading together.

Songs, rhymes, finger plays and stories are shared in a group environment. Library staff can also assist you in finding resources to suit your needs, such as board books for babies, nursery rhyme books and parenting resources. No registration is required for this free event.

Rhyme Time (0 - 2 years)

Toddler Time (12 months - 2.5 years)

Story Time for children aged 2-5 years is held at all four libraries. Sessions include two to three stories, songs, action rhymes and a craft activity – all related to a common theme.

Older children are welcome to join story time during the school holidays and home schooling children are welcome at any time. No registration is required for this free event.

Join a librarian this summer and experience the magic of Story Time with your child in the park.

Suitable for ages 2+. 

Free event, bookings not required.

• Location: Churchill Park (located at the Rockingham Beach Foreshore) 
• Time: 9.30am - 10am 
• Dates: Thursday 5 January, Thursday 12 January, Thursday 19 January 

The Bright Tomorrows app developed by child health experts at the Telethon Kids Institute is described as a 'one-stop shop' for tips and ideas to engage a child's brain. The app uses groundbreaking research into the early years (0-5) to create a collection of tips tailored to individual family situations.

The app includes over 1000 tips for activities designed to fit easily into everyday life organised into five core categories of skill development:

• attention and focus
• responding to emotions 
• relationships and communication
• planning and routines
• taking on challenges

For more information visit Bright Tomorrows.

Drop in to the Rockingham Library and get creative using a range of crafty supplies.

Craft Time is open to all abilities and ages 2+. Adults are welcome to join in as well.

No registration is required for this free event.

Weekly sessions run every Wednesday 3.30pm – 4.30pm.

Join a librarian in the Pop-Up Story Zone at the Rockingham Shopping Centre (near the ANZ Bank entrance) for stories, songs and craft activities suitable for 2 - 5 years to celebrate special 2022 events. Free sessions, bookings not required.

Under 5's STEAM Lab sessions are for kids up to 5 years who enjoy an exciting, group environment.

Each session will be different, exploring age appropriate science, technology, engineering, art or maths to challenge the kids' creative and problem solving skills.

In the group they will meet new friends with similar interests. Bookings essential.

Mary Davies Library and Community Centre - Wednesday (fortnightly) 10.30am - 11.30am

Rockingham Library - every Monday 10am - 11am

Safety Bay Library - Thursday (fortnightly) 9.30am - 10.30am

Warnbro Community Library - Friday (fortnightly) - 10.30am - 11.30am

Register for Under 5's STEAM LAB session 

Techreate: Kids Tech Club is a self-directed and open learning environment designed for young people (7 – 17 year olds) to work on their tech skills and build creative projects of their own choice using digital technology.

This is a free, term-long program, running fortnightly at Mary Davies Library and Community Centre, Rockingham Library and Safety Bay Library.

Bookings are essential.

Register for Techreate session  

The aim of the Bookstars Club is to introduce the benefits of using the library and to promote the joys of reading to all primary school-aged children.

Bookstars is held three times during school terms at Mary Davies Library and Community Centre, Safety Bay Library and Warnbro Community Library.

Sessions include crafts, storytelling, author visits, games and puzzles.

Register for Bookstars Club session

STEAM Lab fortnightly sessions at Rockingham Library and Warnbro Community Library are for students aged 6-12 who enjoy an exciting and collaborative environment.

Each session will be different, exploring science, technology, engineering, art or maths to challenge your creative and problem solving skills.

Come and meet friends with similar interests. Bookings are essential.

Register for STEAM Lab session

Every child born in the Rockingham district will receive a toolkit as part of the Better Beginnings Family Literacy Program.

The toolkit includes a picture book and guidance material for parents to develop their baby’s early literacy.

Busy Things is a resource for the kids aged 3–11. It is a collection of fun learning activities that help children learn important skills in the key learning areas of creative development, problem solving, reasoning, numeracy, communication, language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world.

This subscription service has been provided through Better Beginnings supporting families in sharing a love of reading.                                                                                                                                                                

Kanopy Kids has a diverse selection of educational and entertaining content that range across movies, TV series, animated storybooks, live action, and animated favourites with a focus on kids aged 2-8.

View more information on this resource.

Good Reading Magazine for Kids is an online magazine for primary school children focusing on sparking any kid’s imagination and creativity.

It is full of book reviews, creative writing, videos, music, arts and crafts and interactive activities. 

(No log in required.)

The Story Box Library is a beautiful online 'reading room' - a place where the wonderful world of Australian Children's Literature is on permanent exhibit. The collection connects children with literature through the complementary medium of film, providing its audience with a vibrant, interactive experience via a diverse range of storytellers, each sharing past and present book titles.

Special collections have been developed at all of our four libraries that specifically cater for the young adult reader (12-18 years). This collection is separate from the adult and junior collections and includes novels, non-fiction, graphic novels and audio-visual material.