Rideau branch public library offers summer fun for all ages

Ann Davis

If you’re searching for things to do this summer, look no further than the Ottawa Public Library! The Rideau Branch, located at 377 Rideau Street, will be hosting a variety of activities from the beginning of July until the end of August, and all are welcome to participate.

Children can sign up for the TD Summer Reading Club, an annual library tradition dating back to 1996. TD Summer Reading Club is a bilingual summer reading program offered across Canada, helping young people develop a lifelong love of reading through fun books and activities. Drop in to the Rideau Branch any time beginning on June 9 to register your children for the program. Then, visit the branch on June 28 for the “Get Your Summer Read On” party, when the library kicks off a summer of fun! You can find more information about TD Summer Reading Club on the library website.

In addition to summer reading programs, OPL will be offering a variety of activities for all ages. Starting in July, families can look forward to Storytime every Thursday morning, with a mix of stories, rhymes and songs in French and English for children of all ages and their parents or caregivers. The library will be running crafts, games, and activities each week, presented by library staff. This includes a map-making art project (July 4), a chance to explore Canada’s past with a History Box full of replica artifacts donated by the Canadian Museum of History (July 31), and a chance to play with robots at a Cubetto Storytelling Program (August 7).

The Rideau branch will also host several visitors over the course of the summer. Parks Canada will be presenting a workshop on identifying urban Canadian wildlife (July 9), and kids can meet a variety of critters with Little Ray’s Reptiles (August 12). Families are invited to spend a magical afternoon with magician Luc Leduc when he visits the library (July 16, program offered in French). Pre-registration for these programs is encouraged and can be done online.

All information and registration for summer programs at the library can be found on the OPL website at www.biblioottawalibrary.ca, or you can visit the Rideau Branch to ask staff for more information. We look forward to seeing you this summer!

Rideau Branch Summer Activity Schedule

TD Summer Reading Club
starts June 9

“Get Your Summer Read On” party
June 28

Map-making Art Project
July 4

Parks Canada
July 9

Bilingual Storytime
Thursdays starting July 10

Magician Luc Leduc (French program)
July 16

Stay & Play with games, Lego, and/or crafts
July 18

Mini Masterpieces – Intro to Cross Stitch for ages 10 – 12
July 23

History Box
July 31

Stay & Play with games, Lego, and/or crafts
August 1

Cubetto Storytelling Program
August 7

Little Ray’s Reptiles
August 12

STEAM activities for ages 4 – 6
August 14

Stay & Play with games, Lego, and/or crafts
August 15