Activities and resources for children and young people

My library card

We offer every child in reception and Year 6 a library card to encourage their love of reading. Check our My library card page for more details.

Concorde Book Award

The Concorde Book Award is an annual award run by our schools and libraries. It returned in 2024 for the first time since 2020 when it was paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 6 shortlisted books were nominated by young people aged 11 to 14 from across South Gloucestershire. Voting took place in the run-up to World Book Day and the winner announced at an awards ceremony in March.

Winner of the Concorde Book Award 2024

• Ghostcloud (Michael Mann)

Shortlisted books

• Our Castle by the Sea (Lucy Strange)
• Skandar and the Unicorn Thief (A.F. Steadman)
• The Monkey Who Fell from the Future (Ross Welford)
• Cinderella is Dead (Kaylynn Bayron)
• This Book Kills (Ravena Guron)

All books are available to borrow from any of our libraries.

If you’re not already a library member you can come in for a first visit with a parent or carer so they can sign you up for free.

Find your nearest library and its staffed opening hours.

Art club

Free arts and craft sessions run monthly for children aged 4 and over and their families.

Sessions take place at Filton Library and Bradley Stoke Library.

Filton Library second Saturday of the month 11am to 11.45am.
14 December 2024
11 January, 8 February, 8 March, 12 April, 10 May, 14 June, 12 July 2025

Drop in or for more details email Filton.Library@southglos.gov.uk

Bradley Stoke Library third Tuesday of the month 4pm to 4.45pm.
19 November, 17 December 2024
21 January, 18 February, 18 March, 22 April, 20 May, 17 June and 22 July 2025

Drop in or for more details email BradleyStoke.Library@southglos.gov.uk

Crafternoons

Crafts for children aged 4+. Free to drop in.

Cadbury Heath Library every Thursday 3.30pm to 4.30pm
Hanham Library every Friday 3.30pm to 4.30pm
Kingswood Library every Friday 3.30pm to 4.30pm

Lego clubs

Lego® Clubs are for primary school aged children. All children must bring a grown-up with them.

Creative fun – listen to stories and poems, then make a model to display at the library. It’s FREE to come along to Lego® Club.

 

Coding clubs

Free sessions run weekly for children over 8 years old – help your child learn about coding, develop their problem solving skills and build resilience.

We work with DigiLocal, an organisation which supports local communities to run free tech clubs for young people.

Your child must register for a place before attending. Complete the online form to start their registration.

Sessions take place at:

• Bradley Stoke Library: Saturdays 10am to 11am and 11.15am to 12.15pm
• Emersons Green Library: Thursdays 6pm to 7pm

Chatterbooks reading groups

Chatterbooks groups are where children have a great time talking about what they are reading and take part in fun activities inspired by the best children’s books.

They are free and are for children aged 7 to 11 years old.

Sessions are held at the following libraries:

Bradley Stoke Library

First Tuesday of every month 4pm to 4.45pm
3 December 2024
7 January, 4 February, 4 March, 8 April, 6 May, 3 June, 8 July 2025

To book your place visit the library or email BradleyStoke.Library@southglos.gov.uk

Cadbury Heath Library

Every 4 weeks on Saturdays 10am to 10.45am
30 November 2024 (no December date due to Christmas)
25 January, 22 February, 22 March 2025

To book your place, visit the library or email CadburyHeath.Library@southglos.gov.uk

Kingswood Library

Every 4 weeks, Saturdays 10am to 10.45am
23 November, 21 December 2024
18 January, 15 February, 15 March, 12 April 2025

To book your place, visit the library or email Kingswood.Library@southglos.gov.uk.

Children’s holiday activities

Our libraries have lots of fun activities for children and families over the school holidays. They are mostly suitable for primary school aged children and it is free to come along. Children must bring a grown-up with them them. Check our holiday activities page for more information.

Library activities for young adults

Volunteering

Each year we recruit enthusiastic, friendly volunteers to work as part of the team running the Summer Reading Challenge for primary school aged children. Volunteers spend their time helping children to complete the challenge. More information can be found on our Volunteer at our libraries page.

Book groups

Talk about the books you love and meet new friends at one of our book groups. They are free to join.

The following book groups are available:

• The Bookwurms at Hanham Library

Every 4 weeks on a Saturday, 10.30am to 11.30am.
14 December 2024
11 January, 8 February, 8 March, 5 April 2025

To book your place, visit the library or email Hanham.Library@southglos.gov.uk.