Happy Valentine's Day!

Feel the library love this February! On Tuesday, February 8, children in Kindergarten through second grade gathered at the Nesconset Branch of the Smithtown Library to hear stories about Valentine’s Day, love and friendship. After stories, these budding artists created a   masterpiece influenced by pop artist Jim Dine. Dine used a lot of common images in his art, but is known for his vividly colored heart paintings.

Looking for a great book to share with your Valentine?

Try some of these:

The Giving Tree

Waking Beauty

Leonardo the Terrible Monster

Mr. Pusskins

Henry in Love

The Very Quiet Cricket

My Heart is Like a Zoo

Do you Love Me?

How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?

Looking for more Valentine's Day fun?

Print out some coloring sheets and activities  from Family Fun

Get the history on this sweet holiday from the Historty Channel

Make your own e-candy heart

Van Gogh A-Go-Go

Take a peek at the magical night time scenes inspired by Vincent Van Gogh preschoolers made during Starry Nights Storytime. Using large foam brushes and whimsical glittery tempera paint, little hands were able to make sweeping night skies.

In February, children in kindergarten through second grade are invited to create a LOVEly pop art masterpiece with vibrant in

Jim Dine Valentine.

Registration begins on Tuesday, January 25. Stop by and get creative @ your library!

Art Starts

Artistic Talent!





A masterpiece!



Art Starts is a program held at our Nesconset Branch featuring stories, songs and various art stations that allow children to explore different artistic mediums while they create open ended art and crafts that work on motor skills.

Brighten up your storytime at home with stories about colors and bust out crayons, markers, finger paints and play dough and make something wonderful. Remember, open ended art is about the journey, not the final product!

Try some of our favorite colorful stories:

Dog’s Colorful Day

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do You See?

And to Name but Just a Few: Red, Yellow, Green and Blue

Cleo’s Color Book

Freight Train

A Color of His Own

Mouse Paint

Pinkalicious

Purplicious

Cat's Colors

Paint like Pollock!



A digital Pollock inspired masterpiece!

Gray winter day got you down? Play like Pollock at the stellar website, http://www.jacksonpollock.org/, Create your own colorful, splatter painted masterpiece, digitally, leaving behind no mess!

Lavendar Mist, by Jackson Pollock, 1950

Want to learn more about this radical artist? Check out the picture book biography, Action Jackson.Get a behind the scenes look in Pollock’s studio, and learn more about his time living on Long Island! Aspiring artists and their families can visit Pollock's home, now a historical landmark, and tour the studio and home.

Happy painting!

Color Your World!

Grab your crayons and color! Check out this sweet coloring page by artist Tina Kugler!

Print this "love your library" coloring page from Kugler's Flickr page. Also, check out her rad blog for fun kid friendly illustrations and more coloring pages.

Looking to keep busy indoors during these cold winter months? Check out these arts and crafts and cooking books and get creative!

Art for Kids: Comic Strips

Beading: Bracelets, Barrettes, and Beyond

Cool Sweets and Treats to Eat

Easy Cut-Up Cakes for Kids

Fairy Tale Feasts: A Literary Cookbook for Young Readers and Eaters

Fun on a Rainy Day

Hello, Cupcake

Kids Create

The Little Hands Art Book

Play-Doh Art Projects

Sensational Snacks