Summer Reading is Here!

Throughout the month of July, come into the

library and register for the Summer Reading Program! Kids entering kindergarten through grade 5 will receive a Summer Reading Log. Each week kids will bring their reading log in to the Children’s Circulation Desk to check in. They will receive a raffle ticket for each day they read that week. These tickets will go towards our weekly raffle prizes. Children will also receive raffle tickets for attending a Summer Reading Program Event. The program runs until August 1, so be sure to drop in and register!

Drop-in Open Art Lab

On Wednesday, July 1, 15, & 29 at 3:30pm, Saturday, July 11 at 10am, and Monday, July 20 at 6:30pm in the Mullen Program Room, kids of all ages are invited to bring their imagination and creativity to the Drop-In Open Art Lab. We will have a variety of supplies available for you to use to create artwork of your own design. If you miss the children's room craft table, come join us!

LEGO Club

Come build with us at Lego Club on Thursday, July 2 & 23 at 10am in the Community Room! We will have a specific "Challenge-of-the-day" to work on or you can build their own creations. This is a family event for people age 5-99. No registration is required.

Crafternoons

Kids in grades 1- 5 are invited to join us for a Crafternoon in the Mullen Program Room!

Monday, July 6 @ 3pm: Dinosaur Suncatchers (no registration required)

Monday, July 13 @ 3pm: Pinch Pots (registration required)

Please register advance for these programs by clicking the links provided. For questions, please email Karin at K.Mayer-Gottlob@dover.nh.gov.

"Drive-In" Movie Night

On Tuesday, July 14 at 2pm in the Community Room, stop in and make your own car out of cardboard, creativity, and colorful accessories, and then join us for a special "drive-in" movie. We'll be watching Pixar's Cars, of course! 

This event is appropriate for families with children ages 3 and up. Registration is required.



Please email Crystal Lisbon at c.lisbon@dover.nh.gov with any questions.

Music Makers & Shakers!

On Friday, July 17 at 10am in the Community Room, our annual kids music program, Music Makers & Shakers, is back this summer with a stomping good hour of prehistoric fun. Join us in celebrating a musical Dinosaur event, highlighting our Summer Reading theme, Unearth A Story. We'll be moving, shaking and stomping our Dinosaur feet while singing, dancing, and exploring instruments to Dino music.

Bring your big Dinosaur voices and be ready to rock the library Dino style with song.

All ages are welcome to participate and no registration is required.

Cork Sailboat Craft

Ahoy there! On Saturday, July 18 at 10am on the Library Lawn, kids in grades K-6 are invited to create and test out cork sailboats on the library lawn.

Stomp Rockets

Kids of all ages and their caregivers are invited to join us Tuesday, July 21 at 10am in the Community Room to make and launch stomp rockets. Come see how high you can make your rocket go while we learn about velocity, Newton’s 3rd Law, and why rockets have fins!  

Please contact Inga at i.gardner@dover.nh.gov with questions.

Craftermorning: Salt Dough Fossils

On Friday, July 24 at 10:30am in the Mullen Program Room, kids in grades K - 5 are invited to join us in the children's program room to make an salt dough fossils. Children in kindergarten and first grade may need help from a caregiver to complete this project.  Please register online for this event.

For questions about this program, please email Karin at K.Mayer-Gottlob@dover.nh.gov.

The Great LEGO Challenge

On your mark....get set...GET YOUR BRICK ON!

Do you have what it takes to be a Lego Master? On Saturday, July 25 at 10am in the Community Room, teams will compete in increasingly difficult timed challenges. Lego builds will be judged on creativity and imagination, fulfillment of the challenge, and teamwork. 



Register as a team or register solo and we will gather a team for you. 

Open to kids entering grades 2-5. Adults may not help with any Lego builds.

This is NOT a drop-in event, teams must be present by 10am for the start of the competition.

Series of the Month Club

Are you a fan of the Magic Tree House series? If you are going into 2nd or 3rd grade and have read Dinosaurs Before Dark (#1) come meet with other fans to talk about this popular book on Tuesday, July 28 at 3pm in the Mullen Program Room. First graders who have read Dinosaurs Before Dark are welcome to join us as well. We will also make a craft related to the book. 

Copies of Dinosaurs Before Dark will be available for borrowing. Ask at the Children's Room desk for a copy to check-out. Please register online for this event.

For questions about this program, please email Karin at K.Mayer-Gottlob@dover.nh.gov.

Earth Rocks

On Wednesday, July 29 at 10:30am in the Community Room, join us for a special event with the Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine! Rocks, minerals, and fossils are clues to what the Earth looked like millions of years ago. Act out a dramatic rock cycle and explore how the Earth has changed over time. Get up close and personal with a collection of real ocean fossils, volcanic rock, and glittering crystals. Ages 5-8, registration required. 



Please contact Crystal Lisbon at c.lisbon@dover.nh.gov with any questions.

Dino Magic Show

On Friday, July 31 at 10:30am in the Community Room, come celebrate the finale of Summer Reading 2026! The folks from Sages Entertainment will be putting on a fun Dinosaur Magic Show to conclude our 2026 Summer Reading Program. Come unearth a story with us one more time! This is an all ages event. 

Family Storytime

On Monday, July 6, 13, 20, & 27 at 10am in the Community Room, join us for a family friendly, all ages storytime! This summer our Family Storytimes will feature Unearth a Story, the nationwide Summer Reading program. Dinosaurs will rule!! We will explore books, sing songs and play games highlighting these ancient creatures. Come discover how dinosaurs lived and what they ate and how they played. Bring your big roaring voice, and big stomping feet for this fun and educational storytime.