Did you know one of the best places to go with kids if you are after free, fun and entertaining activities is your local library?
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With dedicated kids programs scheduled each week, council libraries offer a range of educational and age-appropriate activities designed to get little ones learning and interacting with others. For a full overview of the free library activities your local council offers, check out our detailed list below.
We would love to hear your experiences of these free library activities, so please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Please note: All information is correct at the time of writing. We recommend you always check with the library first to confirm before visiting.
Brisbane City Council – Free Library Activities
First Five – Babies, Books and Rhymes
This is a wonderful first experience for the youngest library visitors and one of our favourite free library activities. Meet other parents and babies for a fun session of singing, clapping and dancing. Learn songs and action rhymes to nurture your baby’s pre-literacy, communication, language and social skills.
Age range: 0+
First Five Forever – Toddler Time
Ideal for toddlers, this session encourages children to learn action rhymes and songs which will help your childโs pre-literacy, communication, language and social skills.
Age range: 1 – 3 years.
Create It
Drop in to spark your childโs imagination through learning by making. Participate in hands-on activities that explore science, technology, reading and art.
Age range: 5-12 years
YA Book Chat
The YA book club is designed with high school students in mind. Teens are encouraged to come along, share the books they love and hear recommendations from others as well.
Age range: 12 – 17 years
Wrestling Fun with Edison Robot
Edison robot is ready to rumble! Use blocks to build a mighty, wrestling robot. Then, program it to compete against opponents in a fun, interactive tournament. No prior programming experience required.
Age range: 6- 10 years
Family Code Club with Sphero
Are you interested in learning about basic robotics and coding as a family, using Sphero robots? This fun and interactive session will show you how to program robots to navigate an obstacle course.
Age range: 5 – 12 years
Where is Dewey?
An interactive orientation to get to know your local library and librarians. There will be puzzles to solve using the library’s resources. You will be placed in a team and have 15 minutes to find Dewey!
Age range: 12 – 17 years
Find out when these free library activities are on at Brisbane City Council libraries
Redland City Council – Free Library Activities
First Five Forever – Baby Time
This is a wonderful first experience for the youngest library visitors. Meet other parents and babies for a fun session of singing, clapping and dancing. Learn songs and action rhymes to nurture your baby’s pre-literacy, communication, language and social skills.
Age range: 0+
First Five Forever – Toddler Time
Ideal for toddlers, this session encourages children to learn action rhymes and songs which will help your childโs pre-literacy, communication, language and social skills.
Age range: 1 – 3 years.
First Five Forever – Story Time
Share stories with your little one in this engaging and interactive session. Have fun with movement, action rhymes, songs and stories, and develop a life-long love of reading together.
Ideal for toddlers, this session encourages children to learn action rhymes and songs which will help your childโs pre-literacy, communication, language and social skills.
Age range: All ages
STEAM Workshops
Different design, coding, creating and building workshops for budding STEAM enthusiasts. Different activities offered each time. Although this is a free event, bookings are required. Note: STEAM Zone kits are available throughout the week on request, just ask!
Age range: 6 – 12 years.
Saturday Story Time
Saturday mornings a best spent with a book and a loved one. Come and read a story with the library team and enjoy a fun-filled morning of storytelling and craft.
Age range: 0 – 8 years.
Pop Up Library
Join the crew for a relaxing outdoor session Jof storytelling, craft and other fun activities. Enjoy a beautiful nature trail walk following the Pop up Library. Bring a hat, sunscreen and a water bottle. Bookings are essential.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Family Movie Screenings
You can enjoy a range of family favourites when you head along to the regular Saturday afternoon movie screenings! With welcoming spaces, and an array of classic kidsโ clicks, itโs the perfect family outing. BYO snacks.
Age range: All ages
Messy Play
Messy Play is exactly as it sounds. It is a hands-on (and messy!), sensory learning experience that helps young ones develop their fine and gross motor skills, builds confidence and lets them explore the world in a fun and child-led way. Bring along some old clothes and a towel and be prepared to get messy! This is a free event but bookings are still required.
Age range: 2 – 5 years.
Find out when these free library activities are on at Redland City Council libraries
Moreton Bay Region Council – Free Library Activities
Baby Rhyme Time
Baby Rhyme Time helps develop the skills needed to communicate and to learn to read. In a friendly and relaxed environment, you and your baby can learn rhymes, action songs and finger plays to share together.
Age range: 0 – 2 years.
Baby Rhyme Time – Outdoors
Baby Rhyme Time held outdoors. Free. No bookings required*.
* Weather permitting. Check Moreton Bay Region Librariesโ Facebook page for updates or contact your local library.
Age range: 0 – 2 years.
Playtime
Introduce your child to the wonderful world of free play. Have fun playing with your child, making up stories together and sharing in their delight as they make new discoveries.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Storytime
Storytime is a great way to develop a love of reading and introduce your child to books. Experience the magic of stories, action rhymes and songs with your child at the library.
Age range: 2 – 5 years.
Pyjama Storytime
In the evenings visit selected libraries for fun-filled Pyjama Storytime sessions. Wear your pyjamas and bring teddies and blankets to snuggle in for fairytales, stories and songs.
Age range: 0 – 8 years.
Lego Engineers Club
Develop design thinking and engineering skills as you build and create with LEGOยฎ bricks. Meet other brick fans and complete challenges, group builds, and more! Registration is required. Registration for next month’s club opens one week before the meeting. This is a club that meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Excluding public holidays.
Age range: 4 – 12 years.
STEAM Station
Get curious! Explore a world of science, tech, engineering, art and maths through hands-on discovery after school. This group meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month from 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM. Excluding public holidays.
Age range: 5- 11 years.
Quiet Hour
Moreton Bay Region Libraries offer a low sensory library setting for computer use, browsing and borrowing. For a quiet hour, lighting is reduced where possible, background music is turned off, phones and PCs are turned down, PA announcements are restricted to emergencies and closing announcements only and conversations are kept low.
Age range: All ages
Park Tales
An outdoor storytime experience offered by certain libraries. The themed story times have a mix of stories, rhymes, songs, felt stories, puppets and early learning resources.
* Due to the nature of this event being outdoors, the location and times are subject to change. Please check the website 24 hours prior to the event for any updates or cancellations.
Signed Storytime
Experience a feast of verbal and visual language in an interactive session where storytellers and AUSLAN interpreters share the magic of picture book stories, action rhymes and songs.
Age range: 2 – 8 years.
Story Dogs
When children read to a dog, the outcomes are amazing! With their calm and loving nature dogs provide a magical environment that helps children relax, improve their literacy skills, and confidence. Book your child for a 20-minute individual session on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month. Tickets are released 2 weeks before the next session.
Loud
The library stays open for you to play computer games, hang out with friends and listen to music. LOUD meets on the 4th Friday of the month from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Registration is required. Tickets are released a month before the next session.
Age range: 6 – 12 years.
Find out when these free library activities are on at Moreton Bay Regional Council libraries
Logan City Council – Free Library Activities
Play and Learn
An early literacy program that promotes the key concepts of First 5 Forever, TALK, SING, READ, PLAY, DANCE and MOVE. Discover ideas that you can take home to help your childโs brain and language development.
Age range: 2+ years.
Help Your Child to Read, Write and Spell Confidently
Discover fun tips to help your child read, write, spell, and boost their confidence. Learn simple and low-cost activities to optimise your child’s learning. Presented by Melissa Savonoff, a paediatric occupational therapist and creator of Ricardo Reading Mouseยฎ educational resources. Bookings are suggested.
Age range: 5 – 10 years.
National Stimulus Storytime
Talk, sing, read, dance and move together to some favourite stories and rhymes at storytime.
Page Turners
Page turners reading program grows the love of reading for children and young adults. Library staff listen to children read or read to children, during school term only.
Storytime in the Park
Bring your own blanket, a hat, sunscreen and water bottle and enjoy a session of outdoor story time
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Baby Time
Baby time is an early yearโs program that promotes the connection between baby and caregiver. The program includes ideas that promote brain development and support early literacy which can also be used at home.
Age range: 0 – 18 years.
Story Time
Talk, sing, dance, read and move together to some favourite stories and rhymes, with easy play ideas for home! Story time is a fun First 5 Forever program.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Kids Club
Explore and discover robots, art, craft, coding and much, much more.
Age range: 5 – 11 years.
Teen Chill
Chill out for teens with games, robots, art, music, movies and more.
Age range: 12+ years.
Homework Help
Want a quiet place to study? How about some advice on your assignments? Come along for some free help during school term.
Age range: School aged
Winter Reading Challenge
Come into the library and pick up an activity pack and passport. Great LEGOโข prizes can be won. Children can read or have someone read to them to take part.
Age range: All ages
Find out when these free library activities are on at Logan City Council libraries
Ipswich City Council – Free Library Activities
Baby Rhyme Time
Share rhymes, songs and stories to support your babyโs early language learning. This is a four week program for babies and parents / carers. Bookings are essential.
Age range: 0 – 12 months.
Toddler Time
Build language through rhymes, songs, stories and movement with older babies. Bookings are essential.
Age range: 6 months – 2 years.
Story Time
Discover the magic of stories and make new friends as you explore a different theme every month. Have fun with music, movement, stories and rhymes. Bookings are essential.
Age range: 18 months – 5 years.
Books and Blocks
Build and boost your childโs love of language through stories and block play. Meet other parents in a caring and supportive environment. Bookings are essential.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
First Five Forever Out and About
Join us to Talk, Read, Sing and Play together at our First 5 Forever Out and About Programs.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Book Beats
Music and Movement. Get into the groove of early language learning through music, movement and fun.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Dive Into Books
Nurture your childโs love of language and stories at your local pool. Delivered in Partnership with Kids Alive Do the Five and Just Sports N Fitness.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Messy Play Time
Play and explore with things that are messy and squishy, noisy, slushy, crumbly and sloshy.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Pop Up Books and Blocks
Nurture your childโs love of creativity and make new friends while enjoying stories and block play.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Storytime at Bunnings
Nurture your childโs love of language and stories at your local Bunnings store.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Storytime at the Park
Nurture your childโs love of language and stories at your local park. Learn about your local environment through a fun activity provided by the Environmental Education team.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Storytime at the Rail Museum
All aboard for stories, songs and rhymes at this special First 5 Forever event at the Workshops Rail Museum. Bookings are essential.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Toddlers and Tales
Nurture your childโs love of language and stories at your local shops.
Age range: 0 – 5 years.
Friday Games and Stuff
โSwitchโ up your Friday afternoons and take your gaming to the next level with consoles, board games, trivia and more.
Robotics, Coding and Things
Build skills to code through fun challenges with Scratch, Spheros, Ozobots and more. No coding experience needed.
Find out when these free library activities are on at Ipswich City Council libraries
State Library Queensland – Free Library Activities
The greatest Brisbane library of them all, State Library Queensland has a dedicated children’s section called The Corner. Drop in anytime 10 am โ 3 pm daily to use the space. (As you walk into the main entry of State Library Queensland, you will find The Corner to the right as you enter. In our experience there are always helpful staff there to direct you.
If you haven’t been to State Library Queensland before you will find it situated in between GOMA and The Queensland Art Gallery and Queensland Museum. We often park at South Bank and walk along the river to reach State Library Queensland which is always a nice novelty for the kids (its about a 10 minute walk from South Bank).
Read all about The Corner at State Library Queensland
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