Youth Programming
STORYTIMES and
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Music and Movement with Little Spanish Scholars
Wednesday, 9/17
11:00am
Ages 1-5
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Join Ms. Anabella for a 45-minute music and movement program featuring Bilingual English-Spanish stories. Children will immerse themselves in the Spanish language and culture through music, movement, stories and play!
Sing-Along with Ms. Emily
Fridays, 9/5 and 9/19 at 11:45am
Babies through age 5
Location: CALDWELL PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Enjoy a morning of music and singing with Miss Emily at the Caldwell Public Library. Program is best for babies, toddlers, and preschool-age kids with their adults! Space is limited. Please register here.​
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A Very Gabby's Dollhouse Afternoon
Monday, 9/29
3:30pm-4:30pm
Best for ages 4-8
This is a drop-in program; registration not required
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Join us for an afternoon of Gabby's Dollhouse-inspired activities such as coloring sheets, a scavenger hunt, crafts, and more!!
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Toddler Time
Mondays at 11:45am
Ages 2-3
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This storytime focuses on practicing preschool readiness skills and is aimed at toddlers age 2-3. Caregivers/parents stay in the room.
Program features stories, hands-on sensory exploration, and fine and gross motor practice through process art activities. Program meets weekly at 11:45am and lasts about 30-45 minutes. (There is no program on Monday, 10/13.)
Lap Littles: Younger Baby Storytime
Tuesdays at 10:30am
9/9 - 10/28
Best for babies up to about 15 months old
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Join us for a morning of stories, lap bounces, rhymes, wiggles, giggles, and music time! Program best for babies who are happy sitting on their adult's laps for the program and don't have a need to move a lot yet. Program lasts about 25-30 minutes.​
Totting Toddlers: Older Baby Storytime
Tuesdays at 11:30am
9/9 - 10/28
Best for babies about 12-24 months
Join us for a fun morning of stories, rhymes, wiggles, giggles, fingerplays, movement and music! A transition between our lap littles and toddler time programs, Totting Toddlers is best for babies and new toddlers between 12-24 months. Program lasts about 25-30 minutes.
Pre-K STEAM Ahead: Glitter Jars
Thursday, 9/18 at 1:30pm ​
Ages 3-5
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Stories and STEAM exploration for preschoolers. We'll be making glitter/calm-down jars at our first program of the new school year. Space and supplies limited. Please sign-up here.
Sensory Storytime
Thursdays, 9/11 and 9/25, 11:00am-12:00pm
9/11: School Theme
9/25: Friendship Theme
Best for ages 2-5, but all are welcome
Children and their families are invited to join us twice a month for an hour of stories and sensory exploration at the Library. We'll have activities for kids to explore, including those that provide practice with fine and gross motor skills, as well as various sensory experiences like touch, smell, and spatial awareness.
Families can feel comfortable coming and going as they are able. All ages and abilities welcome.
Sensory Storytime: 11:00am-11:30am
Open Sensory Play 11:30am-12:00pm​
ENCOURAGING YOUNG READERS and LIBRARY USERS
Children's Library Card Design Contest
Two age groups: 5-8 and 9-12
Accepting entries now through 10/15
Click here for entry form
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Calling all creative, library-loving kids! We need you to draw an original children’s library card design for the Caldwell Public Library. Two winning designs will be used for limited-edition children’s library cards. Submit your entry by Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Entries may be dropped off in-person or scanned and emailed to our Youth Services Librarian: kchurchill@caldwellpl.org.​
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Sign your child up for our
1000 Books Before Kindergarten program!
Stop by the Library to get started!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Dog Tales
Tuesday, 9/16
3:30pm-4:30pm
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Kids practice reading to a therapy dog at the Caldwell Library. Advance registration encouraged to manage time slots and guarantee a slot. Please sign up here.
ELEMENTARY AGE AND TWEEN CLUBS AND PROGRAMS
Chalk the Walk drop-in program
Thursday, 9/4
After School, 3:30pm-4:30pm
All ages
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Stop by the Library after school to decorate the walking path next to the library with positive pictures and phrases for the new school year. Grab an ice pop while supplies last, too!
(One per kid.) Program is weather dependent.
Wings of Fire Book Club
Wednesday, 9/10
3:30pm-4:30pm
Grades 4-6​
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Fans of the Wings of Fire series are invited to stop by the Library for an afternoon of themed activities! We will be focusing on book 2 for this meeting: The Lost Heir.
Game Night: Tween Scene Club
Wednesdays, 9/24 and 10/29
6pm-7pm
Grades 4-7​
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Tweens spend the evening at the library gaming—video and board games—with others in a safe space. Tweens are invited to bring their own games to share or use what the Library has for the program. We supply snacks and food.
Please register each kid in your family who will attend, so we know how much pizza to get! We will also have some Halloween-themed treats at our October program.
Sign ups are greatly appreciated to help us manage space and pizza orders.
Pokémon Club
Mondays, 9/8 and 10/20
3:30-4:45pm
Best for ages 5-10
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Do you have a kid who loves Pokémon or is just getting introduced to it? Have them join us for Pokémon Club! Activities like:
- Pokémon coloring pages and drawing time
- Bring your own cards to show others
- Time to hang out with other Pokémon fans during the club!
Plus, everyone who attends will leave with 1 Pokémon card to add to their collection (while supplies last).​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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Create with Josie
Friday, 9/26
3:30pm
Ages 5-10​
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Stop by the Library for arts & crafts. More information coming soon! Supplies and space limited. Please register here.
TEENS
Follow The Caldwell Public Library Teen Action Committee on Instagram! @cplnjteens
VOLUNTEERING
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​GENERAL VOLUNTEERS
Teens interested in volunteering at the Caldwell Public Library during the 2025-2026 school year must first fill out the updated volunteer application. You will then be added to an email list to receive notifications throughout the school year when there are volunteer opportunities.
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CLICK HERE FOR THE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION
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READING BUDDIES
Teens who are at least 13 years old are encouraged to apply to be a Reading Buddy Volunteer for the 2025-2026 school year. Reading Buddies offers a flexible option for teens to work directly with a child to encourage their reading progress. You'll coordinate schedules directly with the parent/guardian of the child you are paired with in the program.
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Orientation meetings are virtual and scheduled for Mondays, 9/15, 9/22, and 10/6 at 4:00pm. Teens may email kchurchill@caldwellpl.org for the Zoom link.
Start the application process here:
CLICK HERE FOR THE READING BUDDY VOLUNTEER APPLICATION
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TEEN ACTION COMMITTEE
The Teen Action Committee is a group of teens dedicated to taking an active role in ensuring the library is central to the community. TAC members receive volunteer hours for attending and actively participating in brainstorming meetings, as well as completing projects. Learn more about TAC here.
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RECENT MAIN PROJECTS:
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JUNE MEETING—year recap and thoughts for the future
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Helped run a Lunar New Year program
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Planned and ran a "Super Secret Spy Club Program"
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Reader's Theater 2024 program
​THE BASICS:
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Open to Caldwell/West Caldwell/West Essex students in grades 8-12.
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Meets the 1st Wednesday of the month during the school year. There are no meetings in May, July, or August.
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Join our Remind group for updates about meeting dates or email the youth services librarian at kchurchill@caldwellpl.org.
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Mobile app: rmd.at/taccpl (You will prompted to download the Remind app if you don't have it already installed.)
- web browser: remind.com/join/taccpl​
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