The Raymond Village Library is dedicated to providing programs that are not only fun, but also promote literacy. Join us for programs that are fun and educational!
Storytime for Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers
Mondays at 10:30 for babies and toddlers
Wednesdays at 10:30 for preschoolers
Reading, singing and playing can impact your child’s development and help provide them with the pre-reading skills they need to start school. Storytime promotes critical and imaginative thinking. It also improves intellectual and emotional development, and helps children acquire the pre-reading skills needed for reading success in school.
Preschool Storytime can and does make a difference!
Our Storytime is led by Karen Perry, Children’s Librarian, who makes every person feel welcome and an immediate part of the Raymond Village Library family.
Lego Day
First Wednesday of each month at 3:30 pm.
Did you know that Lego provides tools that develop lateral thinking in a fun environment? It teaches kids to think in three dimensions?
It improves literacy as kids work with instructions? It develops problem-solving, organization, and planning by construction? It improves creativity? It enhances communication and critical thinking? It boosts kids motor development?
And you thought it was just fun.. Join us!
Make and Take Craft
Third Wednesday of each month at 12:30 pm.
An easy-to-do craft for children to create and take home with them. This craft time is geared for ages 5 through 8.
What are the benefits of crafts?
Bilateral Coordination – Crafts such as coloring, drawing, cutting, all require your child to use both of their hands together. This skill is important in other areas including writing, tying shoes, typing and much more!
Fine Motor Coordination – In order to draw shapes, cut patterns, and write, your child is required to use their fine motor coordination. These skills similarly translate to other areas of their lives including dressing and eating.
Self Regulation – Crafts that require drying require waiting! This is a great lesson for your child to demonstrate self control and patience. Also, things might not go exactly as we hoped! Crafts are a great way to promote flexibility in your child. There is no right or wrong way in exploring one’s own creativity!
Self-esteem Booster – Although we want to challenge our kids, it is also important to initially choose arts and crafts that are at your child’s skill level. Completing the crafts successfully will give them a great sense of accomplishment and pride. As you and your child begin to explore more crafts, you can add in more and more challenges.
Bonding and Fun – Your kids will love spending time with you and their peers creating something together!
Read With Lucy
Scheduled Throughout the Year
The main objective of this program is to provide a relaxed and “dog-friendly” atmosphere, which allows students to practice the skill of reading.
By sitting down next to a dog and reading to the dog, all threats of being judged are put aside. The child relaxes, pats the attentive dog, and focuses on the reading. Reading improves because the child is practicing the skill of reading, building self-esteem, and associating reading with something pleasant. As one child says, “It’s pretty fun!”
Dr. Seuss Family Night
Every 1st Friday in March the Raymond Village Library celebrates Dr. Seuss’s birthday at Raymond Elementary School. Games, crafts, prizes – come join us for the wacky fun!
Nature Program During April Break
There’s always a big crowd at our April Break Nature Program – usually held at the Raymond Public Safety building.
We’ve had both the Chewonki Foundation and Sparks’ Arks come, showing us their various owls, turtles, snakes – even an alligator!
Summer Reading Program
Every summer starting at the end of June, the library offers an action-packed Summer Reading Program with hands-on activities and intriguing scientific information helping to keep young minds engaged during summer vacation. From building paper airplanes to learning about honey bees, making homemade goo to creating a terrarium, star-gazing to making volcanos, there’s much fun to be had!
This program is for all ages, children through teens.
Maine Wildlife Park, Portland Children’s Museum Passes and Maine Maritime Museum Passes
Thanks to generous patrons, Raymond Village Library now has membership to both the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray and the Portland Children’s Museum. These passes offer discounts or free admission but may only be used once a day. Please contact the circulation desk for more information.
