The Old Bridge Library will kick off its annual summer reading program on June 23 with a host of activities for the entire family from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The library will welcome musical entertainer Mr. Jon at 11 a.m., with his guitar, puppets, games and magic bubbles. Friendly’s of Old Bridge will offer free ice cream starting at noon. There will be various crafts, games and activities for all ages throughout the day. The kickoff weekend will also include a return visit from the Lizard Guys at 2:30 p.m. June 24 for a live animal presentation featuring lizards, snakes, turtles, frogs and bugs.
This year’s “Libraries Rock” program will incorporate a music theme appealing to all ages. Participants can sign up for the program during the kickoff event. By following action boxes on a game board, children can receive raffle tickets for weekly prize drawings for games, building sets and electronics. Tickets can be earned by reading, attending library sessions, listening to music and playing outside, among other activities. Adults can enter weekly drawings for items such as gift cards through reading and attending library programs.
The program will conclude on Aug. 18.
Ongoing summer programs will include Reading Buddies and Math Buddies. These programs help children in grades 1-5 improve their basic skills and boost their self-confidence by pairing them up with a Teen Buddy for one-on-one mentoring and individual help. This year, the library will also offer Google’s Chrome Music Lab which allows children to try hands-on experiments with music. In addition, Battlebots fans will have an opportunity to take their bots for a spin in the library’s Hexbug arena. There will also be various materials to build different arenas and terrain to create battles between bots.
A full schedule of summer reading program events can be found at www.oldbridgelibrary.org.
The Old Bridge Library is located at 1 Old Bridge Plaza at the corner of Route 516 and Cottrell Road in the Municipal Center.