In the past, children have reluctantly visited their local libraries by the command of their parents and teachers.

Nowadays, the children themselves are the ones demanding a trip to the library.

Kids have been turning out in droves to take part in the many programs and activities offered by the Warwick Public Library. Summer activities geared to children include a myriad of workshops, book clubs, performances, games, animal experiences, and storytellings that are all being provided free of charge. With over 1,000 children registered in the library’s summer learning program, attending these activities is another way for kids to experience the fun of summer and participate in the library’s community.

Several exercise activities for multiple age groups will be held. Yoga Sprouts, an activity that teaches yoga poses accompanied by music, will be held on July 6. Children ages two to five can participate in the Children’s Library at 9:45 a.m., with an adult alongside them. At 11:00, children ages six through 12 can do yoga by themselves in the Large Meeting Room.

Rising Sun Jiu-Jitsu, for families with children ages five and older, is a workshop led by Dean Watts that will get kids active and teach them skills that boost confidence and discipline. This activity will be held on Friday, July 27 at 10:00 a.m. in the Large Meeting Room.

Many special events include music, either in the form of a performance or active participation from attendees. The Shanteyman, an event for families with children age seven and older, will be hosted in the Large Meeting Room at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 11. This event plans to channel the music of the sea, and includes sing-a-longs, tug-of-war, and a pots and pans improv band. Registration for this event began on June 25th.

For kids ages six and up, an activity on July 13 will allow them to explore sound, 3D construction, and music through the construction of their own instrument. This program, known as “Be an Instrument Engineer with RISMA,” opened its sign-ups on June 25th and will be held in the Large Meeting Room.

“Fiddle N’ Fun,” an activity for families of children ages four and up, will take place on Wednesday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room. Led by Joel Beauchemin, this interactive show includes fun songs, movement, and instruments intended to encourage audience involvement. Sign-ups open on July 5th.

On Friday, July 20 two music activities will be held in the Children’s Section of the library. “Music and Movement with Miss Scott” will be held at 10:00 a.m. for children who have completed grades kindergarten through two. Children will have the opportunity to explore music through rhythm instruments, movement, scarves, and stuffed animals. The other activity, “Drumming Circle with Mrs. Gervais,” will be held at 11 a.m. for kids who have completed grades three through five. This activity will explore various percussion instruments with rhythm activities. Both activities are led by music educators and encourage learning about music through active play and experience. Sign-ups for these events began on July 2.

Meet the Music, an event for children ages nine through 12, will be held on two dates: Wednesday, July 25 and Wednesday, August 2. Both events will be held in the Children’s Library at 3 p.m. The activity involves listening to stories and music from successful musicians, and then using the inspiration to create a project based on what was learned. Sign-ups will begin on July 9.

“Sing Me a Story,” recommended for families with children up to the age of six, is an interactive event for children that celebrates songs that were made into picture books. This event is held on Wednesday, July 25 at 7 p.m. in the Children’s Library. Children are encouraged to wear pajamas to this event. Sign-ups begin on July 9.

Several book clubs and discussions are being held for middle school students in grades six through eight. Sign-ups for the middle school book clubs began on June 11, with copies of the book available at the desk in the Children’s section. The book club for Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova will be held on Tuesday, July 10 at 3 p.m. in the Teenspace section, while the book club for Scar Island by Dan Greminhart will be held on July 18, also in Teenspace at 3 p.m.

Sign-ups for Summer Book Chats & Snacks began on July 2 at the Children’s desk. Students who have completed grades two and three will discuss The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney on Tuesday, July 31 at 3 p.m. in the Children’s Library. Children who have completed grades four and five can discuss The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall on Thursday, August 9th at 3:00 p.m. in the Children’s Library.

All of the activities listed above take place at the library’s central branch, located at 600 Sandy Lane. However, several other activities take place at different branches of the library located across Warwick.

The Apponaug library, located on 3267 Post Road, will be hosting its own Jiu-Jitsu program at 3:30 p.m. on July 10, as well as a Fiddle N’ Fun program at 10:30 a.m. on August 1.

The Conimicut library, located on 55 Beach Avenue, will hold a Circus Dynamics Workshop July 18 at 10:30 a.m. The event includes a display of juggling and balloon twisting, as well as a balloon twisting lesson afterwards.

The Norwood library, located at 328 Pawtuxet Avenue, is hosting a Warm and Fuzzy Animal Adventures program on July 10 at 10:30 a.m. Children ages four and up can see and touch rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, chinchillas, and more at this interactive event.

All sign-ups and registration can be conducted at the library branch’s front desk, at the desk in the Central Library’s Children’s Section, or online at the library’s website, www.warwicklibrary.org. Space for activities is limited, with several activities such as Yoga Sprouts and Be an Instrument Engineer already utilizing a wait list.

Even more activities can be found on the website, including events for teens and adults of all ages. A complete list of children’s summer activities is available upon request at the library as well.