Summer at the Library: For Kids
Read, learn, and have fun all summer long with the Library’s Summer Adventure programs! Take our reading challenge for kids, come to special events in library branches, discover activities you can do at home, and much more. Download an activity and reading tracker or pick one up in your nearest branch to get started!
Explore Summer at the Library for all ages in: English | español | 中文 | Русский | বাংলা | العربية
Go on a Journey of Discovery with our Summer Adventure Programs & Activities!
Download Your Summer Certificate!
You did it! Celebrate your summer achievements with this special certificate, which you can download and print at home. Take it into your local branch—or pick one up there—to get it signed!
Summer Downloads Center
Track your reading and activities to become a Summer Star at the Library! Head to your nearest branch to pick up your very own activity and reading tracker, book log pages, and book review sheets—or download and print them at home.
Free Events and Programs
Join us all summer long in branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island for a wide array of free events and programs. Plus, go on a journey of discovery at our special Summer Adventure programs, contribute to community art projects, and participate in a summer reading challenge!
KidsLIVE Summer Author Talks
The New York Public Library’s KidsLIVE programs introduce favorite authors, illustrators, and more to our youngest audiences. This summer, join us as we talk to authors Christina Li, Dan-ah Kim, Kate O'Shaughnessy, Stephanie Rodriguez, Zain Bandali, and Maria Gianferrar with illustrator Monica Mikai!
STEAM Discovery Kits
Build, code, and investigate with NYPL’s amazing STEAM Discovery Kits, available to borrow from 40 branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Explore robotics, coding, engineering, and more!
Summer Staff Picks
Inspired by journeys of all kinds, our expert librarians have curated a wide array of fun, thought-provoking, and inspiring books for kids of all ages to read this summer! Many are also available in accessible formats.
More Book Recommendations for Kids
Discover books for kids by and about a diverse array of people and communities, handpicked by the expert librarians and staff at The New York Public Library.
Summer Writing Contest
Contest submissions are now closed.
Enter our annual summer writing contest! This year, we want you to describe an exciting journey (real or imagined!), what adventures happen along the way, and what the characters in the story discover. Send us your entry by Friday, August 2 and find out what you could win.
Kids at NYPL
Explore everything The New York Public Library offers for kids all year round. Find free events, boost your STEAM skills, find the best new reading recommendations, and more.
Summer for Educators
The Library offers a wide range of resources to support kids’ learning and development through the summer and all year round. Learn about special opportunities for teachers offered by our Center for Educators and Schools (CES), engaging resources and reading recommendations for kids, and more.
Stay Connected
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Get a Free Library Card
Get a free library card today and explore all the Library has to offer, including books, e-books, audiobooks, music, and movies!
No More Late Fines!
Did you know? There are no more late fines at the Library, so you can borrow books and more from any branch with no worries.
E-Books & Audiobooks
Multilingual Resources
The New York Public Library welcomes speakers and readers of a wide range of languages. We are committed to helping everyone navigate our free services and resources for all ages. Get a library card, learn about Library offerings, search the catalog, and more in select world languages.
Free Exhibitions
The Library offers free major exhibitions and special displays at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Library for the Performing Arts, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, plus community showcases at many branch locations throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. See what’s on view this summer!
Explore Summer at the Library
Join us on a journey of discovery all summer long at The New York Public Library! Discover free programs for kids and teens, events and activities for adults, reading recommendations, exhibitions, and much more. Plus, use your library card to book free passes at 90+ museums, gardens, and more across NYC.
Thank You
Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2024 city-wide sponsor for the Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Additional support is provided by Jane Lauder; The Rona Jaffe Foundation; New York Yankees Foundation; Montblanc; anonymous donors; and the continuing major support of the Andreas C. Dracopoulos Family Endowment for Young Audiences.
These programs and initiatives are part of the Library’s overall commitment to our branch patrons and education programs, led by the Merryl and James Tisch Director of Branch Libraries and Education. Major support for educational programming is provided by Merryl H. and James S. Tisch.
Illustrations by Jing Wei.
