Children & Families

Frontier Life - A digital collection of primary sources including material from the Hudson Bay Archives and the Glenbow Archives. It is designed to enrich teaching and research, examining settlement, existence and interactions at the edge of the Anglophone world from 1650-1920.

Primary Search Main Edition - Main Edition provides access to popular full-text magazines for elementary school research.

World Book Online - Fill in the form, and receive access to: Early Learning; Kids; Student; Advanced; Timelines; eBooks; Activity Corner; Discover; Dramatic Learning; Kids eLearn; Science Power; Social Studies Power; Other Languages: - Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos; Banco de Contenidos aualPlanets; L'Encyclopedie Decouverte

Gratitude Tree - Friday, October 1st

• We all have something to be grateful for - create your own tree to show everything in your life that makes you happy.
• Supplies Needed: Sticks, Rocks or sand, String or twine, Vase or flower pot, a Hole punch, Scissors and Markers. If you want a more polished look, you can sand and paint your sticks.
• Watch the video on Facebook or Youtube

Virtual Storytime is back! - Mondays - October 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th - 10:00 a.m.

• Tune in on Mondays at 10:00 a.m. for a weekly Virtual Storytime! Library staff will present stories, songs and rhymes that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home. 
• Storytimes can be found on the Library’s Facebook page. 

Kids In The Kitchen - Mummy Cakes - Thursday, October 7th

• Supplies Needed: 1 rice cake, tomato sauce, 2 black olive slices, 1 cherry tomato slice, 1-2 mozzarella cheese sticks, a tablespoon and a baking sheet
• If you are looking for more great Halloween inspired recipes, be sure to check out the Junior Non-Fiction book "Little Kitchen of Horrors" by Ali Vega
• Watch the video on Facebook or Youtube

Bobblehead Bat - Take & Make Kit - Cobourg Library

• Pick-up your kit at our Curbside window starting Monday, October 18th
• It’s not Halloween without bats! Put together this fun bobblehead bat craft to add to your decor.
• Instructions and materials provided.
• Home Supplies Needed: Scissors and glue.
• Limited quantities available.  Reserve your kit online beginning Monday, September 27th.
• Or, ask at our Curbside Window (after October 18th) to see if there are still kits available.

Outdoor Book Walk - Cobourg Branch - Monday, October 18th to Sunday, October 31st

• If you enjoy reading and the outdoors, make sure you drop by the Library and read "Leaf Man" by Lois Ehlert.
• Stroll along the sidewalk on the west side of the Library to enjoy this wonderful picture book about Fall.
• Summary: A man made of leaves blows away, traveling wherever the wind may take him.
• Books generously donated by Let's Talk Books Cobourg. 

Simple Science - Hopping Corn - Wednesday, October 20th

• Hop with hopping corn!  Try this fun and easy experiment!
• Materials Needed:  2 cups water, 2 tablespoons baking soda, 1-2 tablespoons of corn kernels, 6 tablespoons of white vinegar
• Watch the video on Facebook or Youtube

Spooky Halloween Hunt - Monday, October 25th to Sunday, October 31st

• Find all 12 spooky characters hidden in the Youth Department and win a prize!
• Posted on Facebook

Artsy Spider Webs - Children's Halloween Craft - Thursday, October 28th

• Create this Halloween craft at home.
• Supplies needed: Black construction paper, a pencil, white glue, table salt, watercolour paints (alt. food colouring)
• Posted on Facebook

The Cobourg Public Library is committed to a zero tolerance policy for harassment or intimidation of any kind at our events. This harassment includes, but is not limited to: vulgar, obscene, and abusive language; name-calling; taunting; and any conduct that demeans a person/group on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, creed, age, or disability.

Any person who violates our Behaviour Policy during our events, webinars or any online convening, will be removed immediately.

Kids in the Kitchen - Back to School Bus Snack - Friday, September 3rd

• Have you ever wondered what it would be like to eat a school bus?
• Supplies needed: 1 slice of bread, 2 slices of thinly cut cheddar cheese (wide enough to cover a slice of bread), 2 slices of white cheddar or marble cheese, 1 cherry tomato, 2 chocolate chips, 2 grapes, 1 slice of bell pepper (any colour), 1 kid-friendly knife and 1 plate.

Minecraft Mondays - Mondays - September 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th

• Can you meet the challenges?  Join us each Monday in September and see what the new challenge is!
• There will be one Minecraft Challenge for the actual game, and one Hands-on one for you to create.
• Send us all your screenshots and pictures for everyone to see!
• For more details, visit our Facebook page

Virtual Storytime is back! - Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. (after Labour Day)

• Starting after Labour Day, join us on Tuesdays at 10am for a weekly virtual Storytime!
• Library staff will present stories, songs and rhymes that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home.
• Storytimes can be found on the Library’s Facebook page.

View the Stars with Dortwood Observatory - Saturday, September 18th - 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

• Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy a few different views of our awesome star The Sun.
• Join the Dortwood Observatory on the lawn of the Cobourg Library (200 Ontario Street) as they explain some of the fascinating things about our solar system.
• Kindly note that COVID-19 protocols will be in place.

Simple Science Sundial - Thursday, September 23rd

• Make this sundial and have fun using the sun to tell time!
• Supplies Needed: Paper plate, crayons, sharpened pencil, push pins, plastic straw, ruler.

Celebrate National Comic Book Day! - Saturday, September 25th

• Check out our Junior and Young Adult Graphic Novel collections and pick up a worksheet to create your very own graphic novel!

Leaf Shading - Tuesday, September 28th

• Capture the beauty of a leaf, or leaves forever!
• How many different leaves can you find?
• Supplies Needed: A leaf or leaves, crayons, blank paper

The Cobourg Public Library is committed to a zero tolerance policy for harassment or intimidation of any kind at our events. This harassment includes, but is not limited to: vulgar, obscene, and abusive language; name-calling; taunting; and any conduct that demeans a person/group on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, creed, age, or disability.

Any person who violates our Behaviour Policy during our events, webinars or any online convening, will be removed immediately.

• Week #1 - The wheels on the bus
• Week #2 - The cat in the hat
• Week #3 - Train
• Week #4 - Goodnight moon
• Week #5 - Franklin in the dark
• Week #6 - Where the wild things are
• Week #7 - Rosie's walks
• Week #8 - Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?
• Amos's Sweater
• Counting to Christmas
• My Arctic 123
• Red is best
• Simon and the snowflakes
• Stella, Queen of the snow
• The Mitten
• Thomas' Snowsuit

Try these LEGO Building Challenges!  

• Build a birdhouse
• Build a board game
• Build a bridge
• Build a castle
• Build a dinosaur
• Build a Library
• Build a pirate ship
• Build a toy
• Build a waterpark
• Build something you would find in the ocean
• Build your name
• Create a self portrait
• Create something using only 100 bricks
• Marble maze
• Something to wear
• What's cooking

• Beyond Borders - Books about Refugees
• Books and movies to celebrate Hanukkah
• Choose your own adventures
• Coding for Kids
• Dear Diary
• Explore a new series this summer!
• Just Arrived
• Kids books about Kwanzaa
• Kids Joke books
• Learn a new language - "Welcome to" series with Sesame Street
• Look! Wordless books
• New e-books for Grades K-3
• New Junior Chapter Books!
• Reading Road Trip

• Back to School Bus Snack
• Banana Sushi
• Cinnamon Raisin French Toast
• Cookie "Pizza"
• DIY Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Fruit Kabobs
• Microwave Smores
• Mummy Cakes
• No Bake Apple Cookies
• No-Bake Birds Nest Cookies
• Owltastic Snack!
• Snacks - Trail Mix
• Tea Party with Mom
• Teddy Bear Toast
• Veggie Turkey Snack
• Warm Peanut Butter & Banana Quesadillas

• Home bubble solution
• Incredible bouncing raisins
• Magic Invisible Ink
• Magnet Maze
• Make a square bubble
• Orange Fizz
• Static electricity butterfly
• Start Seeds in a Eggshell

• Awesome Audiobooks on Libby
• Bathtub sailboat
• Build a Family Fort
• DIY Stress Balls
• Flashlight Scavenger Hunt
• Kids Nail Salon
• Llama Cardboard Craft - Inspired by Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney. 
  Supplies: cardboard, scissors, yarn, tape, markers.  Optional - pompoms, glue
• Make a card for Mother's Day
• Nature Art
• Paper Ninja Stars
• Popsicle Stick Animals - Bird, Cat/Dog
• Robot Creation Lab
• Screen-free Saturdays - pledge, bingo, tracker
• Shark Book Mark
• Show and Tell
• Sidewalk Obstacle Course
• Summer Painting for Kids
• Teen Tote Bag
• Tips for Gardening with Kids
• Tumblebooks - Sloth at the Zoom
• Victoria Day Fireworks Craft

Join us on Mondays from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Drop-in and visit our unique baby story time!

A 30-minute program of fun ideas you can do with your baby.

Ages 0-24 months. Families Welcome.

Join us Thursdays @ 10:00 a.m. for this relaxed social time filled with rhymes, songs, stories and a "Cup o' Tea".

This program is for infants 0 to 24 months and a caregiver or parent.

Sessions run for 10 weeks.  

Registration is required. Register online or contact the Youth Services Department 905-372-9271 ext. 6130 or email

New sessions start in September, January and April.

Are you ready for some fun?

Join us every Wednesday @ 10:30 a.m. for stories, rhymes, songs and lively activities that help promote reading readiness skills.

This is an energetic 30-minute program with a new theme each week. 

What a great way to meet other families in our community.

Drop-in classes are ongoing.

For ages 0 to 5 years with a caregiver.

Every Wednesday - All year long.

Join us Fridays 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. for this fun family story time. 

We explore a new theme each week.  We sing songs, make a craft & share a snack.  

Drop-in (no registration required).

For ages 0 to 5 years with a caregiver.

September to June.