Play & Learn

Our Youth Services staff is thrilled to welcome you to our department.

What You'll Find Here:

Play Area

Join the fun with toy trucks, blocks, a magnetic board and lots of other toys along with our Reading Zoo, a special kid-sized room.

Games & Puzzles

Play board and card games or put together puzzles for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary-aged children.

Computers

We offer internet computers for children aged 5-12 and their parents along with our Early Learning Stations loaded with games for the younger children.

Sensory Station

Find weighted lap pads, noise-cancelling earmuffs, fidgets and other sensory tools.

Virtual Tour

Take a trip through our department with our Visual Guide to TCPL.

Upcoming Events

Baby & Toddler Playtime

10:00am–11:00am

Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library

Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room

Age Group: Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Program Type: Other

About this event::

Baby & Toddler Playtime is an unstructured play and social time for children and caregivers offering a warm, child-friendly space with books and age-appropriate toys.

Baby & Toddler Playtime

10:00am–11:00am

Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library

Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room

Age Group: Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Program Type: Other

About this event::

Baby & Toddler Playtime is an unstructured play and social time for children and caregivers offering a warm, child-friendly space with books and age-appropriate toys.

Baby & Toddler Playtime

10:00am–11:00am

Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library

Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room

Age Group: Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Program Type: Other

About this event::

Baby & Toddler Playtime is an unstructured play and social time for children and caregivers offering a warm, child-friendly space with books and age-appropriate toys.

Sit! Stay! Read!

3:00pm–4:00pm

Kids

Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library

Room: BorgWarner Full

Age Group: Kids

Program Type: Classes and Workshops, Other

About this event::

Children are invited to practice their reading skills by sharing a story with a truly non-judgmental listener -- a dog! Reading sessions will be held Mondays from 3-4 p.m. Children who attend 6 sessions will earn a FREE book of their choice!

LEGO Family Build Night

5:30pm–6:30pm

Families, Kids

Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library

Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room

Age Group: Families, Kids

Program Type: STEAM, Other

About this event::

TCPL invites families to a weekly LEGO build night! Buckets of LEGO will be provided for participants to borrow for their builds.

Spanish–English Read-Aloud & Art Making Workshop

4:00pm–5:00pm

Families, Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers, Kids

Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library

Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room

Age Group: Families, Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers, Kids

Program Type: Arts & Crafts, Storytimes

About this event::

Join Johnson Museum of Art Museum Educator in a Spanish-English bilingual read-aloud and art-making event for children!

Story + Craft

4:00pm–4:45pm

Kids

Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library

Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room

Age Group: Kids

Program Type: Arts & Crafts, Storytimes

About this event::

Story + Craft is our weekly reading + creating event for children! Join us for a read-aloud, followed by art-making or a guided craft. Best for children 5 and up, but younger are welcome with an adult to assist.

Baby & Toddler Storytime

10:30am–11:00am

Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library

Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room

Age Group: Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Program Type: Storytimes

About this event::

Caregivers and their children are invited to join Cassie for music, rhymes, movement and books. Storytime will be followed by a playtime from 11-12. Come and join the fun while building early literacy skills!