Hollywood, MD – There are plenty of learning opportunities at the St. Mary County’s Libraries that don’t involve books or reading.
With the “Handmade at Your Library” program, projects are offered for beginning and experienced do-it-yourselfers one Saturday a month at the Lexington Park location. The program starts at 10 a.m., and instruction and materials are provided. Participants are invited to bring their creativity to make unique crafts.
Participants can make Washi tape coasters and votive candle holders May 7. They can make twine and pearl jewelry July 9, and rope bowls and watercolor coffee mugs August 6. A craft has yet to be determined for the June 25 program.
Children and young teens can share strategies with others at Minecraft Mania. They can explore new terrain and gather raw materials. They can learn from other Minecrafters how to create amazing structures. There is no registration required at the session at 4 p.m. May 5 class at the Leonardtown location. There will be another session starting at 6 p.m. May 23, and registration is required, according to Eric Variz, assistant branch manager at the Leonardtown location.
“The Minecraft Mania sessions have been going on for over a year now, and we have so many kids that want to come in and play with their peers that we have them play in 30 minutes shifts,” said Variz. “One time I had to freeze a kid during play because he was destroying other kids creations. He, the other kids and I banded together to try to make a prison for him to get out of after I unfroze him and it was awesome watching them all work together.”
If your child is looking for math help during the summer, the Southern Maryland Math Circle provides fun and helpful math activities for middle school and high school students. Families will also learn from the class. Instruction is provided by faculty members of the St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Snacks will be provided. The session starts at 10 a.m. on June 11 at the Lexington Park location.
The Leonardtown branch location is offering Drop-In College Preparedness Classes. The “It’s a Big/Small World: Digital Identity” session will start at 3:30 p.m. May 12. The “Getting Involved: Learning Outside the Classroom” starts at 3:30 p.m. May 26.
The Leonardtown branch is also offering the Drafting Disaster: A Teen Writing Workshop for teen writers who want to share their writing talents together. The workshop will be led by a Leonardtown High School student and is available to those who want to harness the written word’s ability to empower and free people. Snacks, pens, paper and a limited number of laptops will be provided. The workshop will start at 10 a.m. May 14.
At the Lexington Park branch, anyone interested will have the chance to travel through a whimsical world and help Alice become queen at the “Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass” event. Activities include celebrating Humpty-Dumpty’s un-birthday and a game of croquet, and start at 6 p.m. on May 26.
For more information, check out their website.