Visit the Boise Public Library for Lots of Free Summer Fun!

Explore the Many Activities that Boise Public Library Has to Offer for Children and Adults

Visiting the library is not one of the those places that comes to mind, when searching out family friendly activities for kids. And yet, the Boise Public Library is chocked full of events and things to do that will keep kids of all ages happily engaged for hours.

The Main Branch of the Boise Public Library is located at 715 S. Capitol Blvd., in downtown Boise, just a few short steps from the Boise Greenbelt. For younger kids, the children's section is full of all sorts of activities to explore. There's wood puzzles for tots and table top puzzles for the older children, interesting magazines, computer games and of course, all those wonderful books. The children's librarians are friendly and helpful, be sure to ask for their recommendations for other library activities.

Story time is one of the most popular events for young children, with daily story hours for kids ranging from newborn to ages 5. Another family favorite are the puppet shows, generally held on the first Friday and Saturday of each month. Swing over to the media section, which holds a fantastic collection of kids' videos and DVD's. In this area are also located the read-along storybook and cassettes which are a must-have for car trips.

For young teens, there's the "Zone," a special area to hang out with friends. The Zone contains teen books, magazines and computers. Special events for teens include library scavenger hunts and visits from popular teen authors.

The summer reading program begins on June 1, 2007, which I highly recommend. Kids sign up in the children's section, and receive free bookmarks and stickers with a reading log to fill out. When they complete the log, they are rewarded with some great prizes such as free tickets to local attractions, coupons for free drinks or munchies, and a book of their choice. The reading program continues on through the summer; typically, with every book read, the child puts his name in a drawing for one of 8 terrific prizes. My children have participated for years in the Summer Reading Program and have won such cool things as pizzas and $50 gift certificates.