We are excited to explore colors and art for this year’s Summer Learning Program. Color Our World is this year’s theme, bringing lots of color inspired crafts, dazzling programs and chromatic activities.  We will be offering a wide variety of programs this summer to encourage color exploration and community: art projects, STEM outside, baking, sewing and much more!

We will offer art and making kits to take home, drop-in crafts anytime you visit the library, and spaces to engage with technology, building and making. We will also offer outdoor STEM activities, and our Fresh Air storytimes.

You can log the books and activities you have completed using Beanstack! Beanstack can be accessed through a portal on our website or downloaded as an app to your device. This website allows users to log the books they have read, complete activities, and use tickets to participate in prize raffles. There will be a diverse group of gift cards prizes to choose from, so we encourage every member of the family to participate! Please check our website for more information about Beanstack and how you can turn your summer learning into prizes.

How to Color Your Summer Kick-Off Party:

Saturday June 7, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

  Join us for a big kick-off event for our Summer Learning Program! We will host a variety of activities and learning experiences indoors and outdoors too.  We will have STEM learning, artistic exploration and snacks. We will have several how-to demonstrations led by staff members sharing their favorite hobbies.  Play games, get crafting, and enjoy a jumping session in the bouncy castle! This event is for all members of the community and will be hosted in the lower level of the library.

Quick Links

Register for programs on our library calendar webpage here

View the online edition of the library summer newsletter here

Track reading & activities for raffle tickets on Beanstack here

Maker Mondays Take Home Kits & In-Person Programming for Tweens and Teens: MONDAYS June 9 – July 28

  On Mondays, participants 11 and up will be able to enjoy kits to take home or attend enjoy in-person programs depending on the week (every other week these will rotate; see weekly schedule below). During take-home kit weeks, kits can be requested online or by phone and will be placed in the library’s lobby for pick-up. Each kit is requested separately. For in-person programming weeks, we’ll meet on Mondays from 3:00 – 5:00 pm at the Richland branch.

• June 9: Mini Easel Art – Create a small work of art on a mini easel using watercolors. Registration recommended, this program meets in person.
• June 16: CD Wreath – Create an iridescent wall hanging with recycled discs. Registration required for this take-home kit.
• June 23: Fiber Arts – Try out different types of fiber arts, like knitting, crocheting, and more. Registration recommended, this program meets in person.
• June 30: Bird Feeder – Create a simple bird feeder from craft materials. This is a take-home kit, registration required.
• July 7: Beaded Suncatchers – Create a small suncatcher with beads. Registration recommended, this program meets in person.
• July 14: Seashell Keychain – Make a small summery keychain. Registration required for this take-home kit.
• July 21: Colorful Planter – Decorate a mini planter with paint markers, this program meets in person.
• July 28: Celestial Garland – Make a paper craft garland with shiny stars. Registration required for this take-home kit.

Dueling Fandoms: ALTERNATING MONDAYS June 16 – July 28;

3:00 – 4:00 pm 

  Every other week we will have a match between two fandoms and the biggest winners will be our guests! Enjoy some related crafts, games and activities for kids of all ages. Registration is required.

• June 16: How to Train Your Dragon vs. Smurfs
• June 30: Snow White vs. Wicked
• July 14: Bad Guys vs. Dog Man
• July 28: The Wild Robot vs. Lilo & Stitch

Beginners Only: TUESDAYS June 10 – July 29; 10:00 am

  Have you ever wanted to try a new hobby, but it felt too intimidating to start on your own? The idea behind this group that will meet this summer is the spirit of trying new things! Registration required, as mentioned, some of these will require a fee to cover some of the materials’ cost which can be paid for in person before the event.

• June 10: Texture Art ($5 fee) – Repurpose an old painting using plaster to create your own new masterpiece.  
• June 17: Tea Ceremony – Learn the basics about different types of tea, teaware and tea ceremonies, sample a variety of kinds.  
• June 24: Shadow Box and Paper Art – Henri Matisse was always fascinated by colors. He spent many years painting with a paintbrush. But as he got older, he tried a new kind of art: the paper cut-out! To try something new, he took brightly painted papers, cut them into shapes, and arranged them in designs. Try your hand at what Matisse called “painting with scissors.” 
• July 1: Mindful Art – Mindful art is a creative form of meditation. Applying the benefits of mindfulness to artistic endeavors enables us to explore emotions and thoughts in a calm, gentle and fun way. 
• July 8: Pet Illustration – Bring a picture of your furry friend or favorite animal and we will create a pop art version of them.  
• July 15: Floral Hoop ($5 fee) – Practice your floral skills with this simple floral hoop decoration!  
• July 22: Origami – Learn the basics of origami, a simple hobby, all you need is a piece of paper!  
• July 29: Calligraphy – Learn the basics of calligraphy.

Baby Playtime: TUESDAYS June 10 – July 29; 11:00am

Come enjoy a half hour of fun with your baby! We’ll share songs, finger plays, stories, and rhymes. Meet other parents and their babies, and enjoy some special time together. This program is intended for babies ages 0-18 months and will be held on Tuesdays, June 10 – July 29) at 11:00 am in the program room on our main level. Siblings are welcome, and only one registration is required for the series of eight playtimes, even if you can’t attend them all.

Tuesday Exploration: TUESDAYS June 10 – July 29; 3:00 – 4:00 pm

  Join us for an hour of discovery every Tuesday. Some weeks we will build, some weeks we will explore, and each week we will learn and have fun. View the schedule below for details. 

• June 10 – Home Depot Build-It Kits: White Board Kit. Join us at the library and bring your best building skills. We received building kits from our friends at Home Depot and you get to put these kits together using tools. Make sure to wear clothes that aren’t too fancy, they might get dust or paint on them. For children ages 5 & up. Registration is required.
• June 17- Tree Pittsburgh: Colorful Trees, Leaves and Flowers. Join Tree Pittsburgh and explore the outside world looking for color. For children ages 5 and up. Registration is required
• June 24 – Latodami Nature Center: Ruby Throated Hummingbird. Join our friends from the Latodami Nature Center and learn about this colorful little bird. For all ages. Registration is required.
• July 1- PPG Science Discovery: Colorful Science. Join us at the library and enjoy a hands-on demonstration related to the science concepts that scientists use daily in their labs. Our friends at PPG will visit and invite participants to engage in colorful scientific facts. For ages 5 & up and their families. Registration is required.
• July 8 – Graeter’s Ice Cream: A representative from Graeter’s Ice Cream will discuss the ice cream making process. There will be a take home craft and free samples to enjoy! All ages. Registration is required.
• July 15 – Home Depot Build-It Kits: Field Goal Game. Join us at the library and bring your best building skills. We received building kits from our friends at Home Depot and you get to put these kits together using tools. Make sure to wear clothes that aren’t too fancy, they might get dust or paint on them. For children ages 5 & up. Registration is required.
• July 22 – Home Depot Build-It Kits: White Board Kit. Join us at the library and bring your best building skills. We received building kits from our friends at Home Depot and you get to put these kits together using tools. Make sure to wear clothes that aren’t too fancy, they might get dust or paint on them. For children ages 5 & up. Registration is required.
• July 29 – Home Depot Build-It Kits: Field Goal Game. Join us at the library and bring your best building skills. We received building kits from our friends at Home Depot and you get to put these kits together using tools. Make sure to wear clothes that aren’t too fancy, they might get dust or paint on them. For children ages 5 & up. Registration is required.

Fresh Air Playtime and Storytime:

WEDNESDAYS June 11 – July 30; 10:30 am

THURSDAYS June 12 – July 31; 10:30 am

  Every Wednesday and Thursday, 6/11 – 7/31; 10:30 am. Enjoy some toys and games before the start of our family storytime outside. You will need to bring a blanket or camping chairs to sit on the lawn outside. All ages. Our program will move indoors in case of rain or inclement weather.

 STEAM Outside: WEDNESDAYS June 12 – July 31; 3:00 – 4:30 pm

  Every Wednesday afternoon we will offer a STEAM activity outside, weather permitting. 3:00 – 5:30 pm. Registration is required. Ages 5 and up.

• Week of June 11: Candle Making. You’ll get to choose different colors and scents for your own candle.
• Week of June 18: Clay Modeling. Use clay to make colorful jewelry or a dragon’s eye 
• Week of June 25: Mosaics. Using tile and grout we’ll create a mosaic to use around the house.
• Week of July 2: Paper Marbling. Using an old technique, we will create paint patterns in water to dye paper. 
• Week of July 9: Screen Printing. We’ll create stencils and use a silk screen to print a design. You can bring a T-shirt to print your own design.
• Week of July 16: Shrinky-Dinks. Create some art using a special paper that shrinks in heat. Preserve by covering with UV resin 
• Week of July 23: Nails & String Art. Using a hammer and nails create an outline shape in wood that can be decorated with colorful string.
• Week of July 30: Wax Art. Use pieces of crayons to melt and create a unique piece of art when you let them melt.  

Who Would Win? Cooking Challenge: THURSDAYS June 12 – July 31; 1:00 – 3:00 pm

  Four colorful meals will be crafted this summer. Each module will have two battling dishes and participants are expected to choose their favorite. Who Would Win? We will offer a new module every two weeks. 2 sessions of the same program will be offered on two consecutive Thursdays. Participants will attend one of the 2 sessions and can sign up for the date that is most convenient for each of our four modules. Ages: 7 & up.

• Module 1: Pokémon vs Minecraft – Thursday June 12 & Thursday June 19
• Module 2: Breakfast Wrap vs Mini Waffles – Thursday June 26 & Thursday July 3
• Module 3: Pastelitos vs Spring Rolls – Thursday July 10 & Thursday July 17
• Module 4: Broccoli Cups vs Butterfly Cupcakes – Thursday July 24 & Thursday July 31

Paper Art Projects: FRIDAYS June 13 – August 1

  Fun and creative works of paper art that families can enjoy making together. This year, our prompts feature color schemes! Each art kit includes instructions and paper supplies that will be available for weekly pickup inside the library’s lobby. For ages 6 and up. Please call or register online to reserve a kit, and note that each week is requested separately.

• June 13:  Complementary
• June 20:  Analogous
• June 27:  Triadic
• July 3:  Split-Complementary
• July 11:  Rectangle Tetradic
• July 18:  Square Tetradic
• July 25:  Monochromatic
• August 1:  Full Spectrum

Family Storytime @ the Pine Community Center: FRIDAYS JUNE 13 – AUGUST 1; 11:00am

Come to the Pine Center for an all-ages storytime! Sing, move, read books, and practice rhymes. A one-time registration is required for the series of storytimes. We understand that you might not attend every session. This program is for children of all ages, and registration is required.

I Survived!: FRIDAYS JUNE 13 – JULY 25; 11:00am – 12:00pm

Based on the popular book series, I Survived… by Lauren Tarshis, compete in teams with a friend or family member in science-based challenges while testing your survival skills and knowledge to see who holds up in different disaster situations. Can you survive the summer? This program is geared for older children & tweens. 

• June 13: Titanic
• June 27: Great Molasses Flood
• July 11: Shark Week
• July 25: Mount St. Helens

Teen Cookie Club: FRIDAYS JUNE 13 – JULY 25; 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Even without synesthesia, it is possible to taste the hues of the world and alter your experience with food through color. Explore different ways to add chromaticity to cookies while learning the basics of baking and earning a tasty treat. This program is geared for tweens & teens.

• June 13: Artist’s Palette Cookies
• June 27: Chocolate Stained-Glass Cookies
• July 11: Psychedelic Tie-Dye Cookies 
• July 25: Nature Cookies

Drop-in Weekly Programming: ANY TIME WE’RE OPEN

Each engaging activity will be available at the round table by the teen area during library hours. One new activity each week for all members of the family.

Week of June 9: Coloring Pages. Enjoy a selection of coloring pages, pens and markers and spend some time just coloring with others.

Week of June 16: Art is…. Tell us what art is to you, use words or drawings. Let your imagination lead you.

Week of June 23: Exotic Fish. You have discovered a variety of colorful fish in the coral reef. Make sure to add a tail for your fish using cupcake liners.

Week of June 30: Make Your Own Comic. Tell us a 3-panel story featuring some vibrant colors.

Week of July 7: Color Clues.Tell us some clues about a color you’re thinking about.  You shouldn’t mention the color in your clues to see if others can guess the color.

Week of July 14: Colorful butterflies. Using dot markers color and cut a butterfly of your choice.

Week of July 21: Write a Colorful Poem or Haiku. Use your poetic skills to write a short poem or haiku. Make sure you include colors in your descriptions.

Week of July 28: Thumbprint Art. Use your thumbprint to draw a creature, animal or someone doing a task. Get creative or use an example from our thumbprint art books.

Community Art Project: ANY TIME WE’RE OPEN

Every week we will set up a community-created art installation. Library visitors will get the chance to add an element to every project when they visit the library.

• Week of June 9: Bookworms
• Week of June 16: Flower Field
• Week of June 23: Fruit Salad
• Week of June 30: Brick Wall
• Week of July 7: Kandinsky’s Circles
• Week of July 14: Paper Quilt
• Week of July 21: Kite Festival
• Week of July 28: Squares & Dots

Art Quilt @ the Pine Community Center Branch: ANY TIME WE’RE OPEN

The library will be creating a popsicle stick quilt art piece to display at the library. Throughout the summer, library patrons have the chance to add their own piece to the project when they visit. 

Summer Storywalk: ANY TIME THE SUN IS OUT

Enjoy nature while growing family literacy with our StoryWalk® locations at Hance Elementary, Bakerstown Park, & Pine Community Center! StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier Vermont. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Stories will change weekly except for possibly the July 4th holiday week.

Northern Tier Library has partnered with the Heinz Center Affiliates Program and other Allegheny County libraries to offer free admission for up to two adults and six children (under 18) to a number of museums and historical sites around Pittsburgh.

Experience kits are passes that can be checked out for one week at a time beginning June 1. Passes must be returned to Northern Tier Library.

This year’s sites include:

• Heinz History Center (+Fort Pitt Museum & Meadowcroft)
• Historic Harmony
• William Vicary Mansion
• Historic Fort Steuben
• Gibson House Manor
• Duncan & Miller Glass Museum
• Bushy Run Battlefield
• Depreciation Lands Museum

Be on the lookout for additional virtual programs held throughout the summer with our experience kit partners!

For more specific information such as the operating hours at these locations, please visit https://aclalibraries.org/experience-kits/

Visit a museum and enter to win a prize!
Each time you visit a museum site using an Experience Kit, you can enter to win our grand prize! Complete the raffle entry form here for each site you have visited by October 31, 2025.