May flowers are blooming and so are the activities at the Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St. Here is a sampling.

Children’s programs

Project ABC Playgroup, Fridays, May 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 10 to 11 a.m. Project ABC’s playgroup in collaboration with the library offers a variety of activities for children up to age six and their families. Explore a new theme each week based on a favorite book. STEAM, ELA, and SEL activities, and a circle time with songs and stories. No registration required. 

Lego Free Build, Saturday, May 2, 10 to 11:30 a.m.  A LEGO family event. Drop in and build anything you like. LEGOs are provided. This program is for children ages four and older with a grownup partner. No registration is required.

Play Nights, Monday, May 4 5/4, 5/11, 6:30-7:30 p.m.  Drop in and play with us! We will have select themed play items for littles and their grownups to explore. Play nights are for everyone, but are geared to the preschool set and their adventuresome grownups. No registration required.

All Together Preschool Storytime, Tuesday, May 5 and 12, 10 to 10:30 a.m.  Stories, songs, and a short play activity. This story hour is geared for children ages 3 to preK5 and their grownup partner. Younger siblings are welcome as observers. Registration is required.

Toddler Time, Wednesday, May 6 and 13, 10 to 10:30 a.m. Toddlers (walkers through age 2) and their special grownups are welcome. This program features stories, songs, and stretches for the first half and special play activities for the later half. Registration is required.

Spring Special: Stomp Rockets, Thursday, May 7, 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. An afternoon of in-person crafting, creating stomp rockets. This program is for children in grades 2-5. Registration is required. 

Children’s Mental Health Awareness Craft, Wednesday, May 13, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Make a breathing wand to practice mindfulness. No registration required.

Purposeful Play, Thursday, May 21, 28, 10 to 11 a.m.  Drop in to explore tabletop activities for preschool aged children and their grownup partners. No registration required.

Bilingual Saturday Storytime: Hindi and English.  A special Saturday Storytime featuring stories, songs, and rhymes in Hindi and English to celebrate Asian American Heritage Month. This is a drop-in program and is geared toward preschool aged children and their grownups, but all ages are welcome. No registration is required.

All Ages Programs 

Friends of the Morse Institute Library Spring Book, Music, and Bake Sale, Saturday, May 16, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 17, noon to 3 p.m. Open Mic Night, Tuesday, May 12, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Singers, poets, musicians, writers, performance artists, all are welcome. Performers can sign up for a five or 10 minute time slot on a first come first served basis. No registration required.

Teen Programs 

Teen Mental Health Month Drop-In Coloring, Friday, May 1 and 22, Teens ages 11 to 18 are invited to stop by the Teen Room where a coloring supply station will be set up all month in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. All supplies provided, just come by and take a break from a busy day either individually or with friends. No registration required.

Teen Puzzle Weekend, Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3, all day.  Teens are invited to stop by and work on the puzzle on the Teen Room table. For teens and tweens, ages 11-18. No registration required.

Tween & Teen Take & Make: Mini Brick Builds, Monday, May 4, 2 to 9 p.m.  For tweens and teens ages 11-18, available in the Teen Room until the kits run out.

Teens & Tweens: Drop-In Meditative Art, Wednesday, May 13, 2 to 4:30 p.m.  Stop by the Teen Room for a meditative art activity in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. Coloring, paint by sticker art, and scratch art options will be available on this early release Wednesday. For teens 11-18, supplies are limited.

Teen MakerLab To Go: 3D Sakura Bonsai Puzzle Kits, Monday, May 18, all day.  Sign up for a Sakura Bonsai 3D puzzle kits in honor of AAPI Heritage Month. Kits for registered participants will be at the circulation desk starting Monday, May 18 and must be picked up by Friday, June 5. Teens and tweens ages 11 to 18 may register for a kit, but the puzzles are recommended for ages 14 and older so some tweens may need some assistance. Registration required.

Adult Programs

Tea & Mindfulness: A Chinese Tea Ceremony Experience, -Monday, May 4 and May 18, 2:30 to 4 p.m.  To gentle guqin music, explore classic Chinese tea ware, Yixing teapot and gaiwan, and learn how to recognize tea by sight and aroma. Participants will taste three types of Chinese tea: green tea, oolong tea, and black tea, discovering their distinctive flavors and traditions. Also explore the history of how tea traveled from China to the rest of the world, becoming one of the most beloved beverages globally. The program includes a hands-on introduction to basic tea etiquette and brewing techniques, featuring gongfu-style brewing and gaiwan tasting. Bilingual, English and Chinese. Space is limited and registration is required.

In concert, Liana Paniyeva, Monday, May 4, 7 to 8 p.m. Award-winning pianist Liana Paniyeva will present a solo recital featuring masterworks of the Romantic repertoire. The program includes Schumann’s Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Brahms’s Fantasies, Op. 116,  Amy Beach: 4 Sketches, Op. 15, and Clara Schumann: Scherzo, Op. 14, No. 2 in C minor. Registration for this event is suggested, but not required.

Lippan Workshop, Wednesday, May 6, 2:30 to 4 p.m.  Lippan is a folk art style from India that uses clay and cut mirrors to make art. Come in to learn the technique and take home tea light holders. This art form will be taught by Niloufer Rakhangi, the artist of The Water Lily Designs in Sharon. This program is for adults and registration is required.

Understanding Your Cat with Cat Behaviorist Rachel Geller, Thursday, May 7, 7 to 8 p.m.  Everyone loves a good cat video... but what if your cat isn’t acting quite as cute as the ones you see on the internet? Are you tired of your cat thinking “outside the box?” Or are you living with a hardcore shredder and not a snowboarder. And when it comes to your multi-cat household, why can’t they all just get along? Meet Dr. Rachel Geller, certified cat behaviorist, she will answer all of these questions and more. Registration is required.

Follow the Reader Book Group, Monday, May 11, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.  Introducing a new book group for adult. The group will walk around Natick and talk about a selected book. This month’s book is The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Limited copies of the book will be available at the Circulation desk of the library. Some titles are also available through Hoopla and Libby/Overdrive. Registration and acceptance of the user agreement is required.

Paint by Sticker, Saturday, May 16, 3 to 4 p.m.  Like paint by number, but with stickers. Find the sticker, peel it, and place it in the right space. Watch as an enchanted garden-themed image emerges from the original unfinished illustration. The length it takes to complete the project will depend on the design chosen. Participants are welcome to complete more than one design during the class. Registration is required.

Reverse Painting, Thursday, May 21, 6:30 to 8 p.m.  Use a centuries-old technique to create a painting of The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai. Complete the painting in reverse order (back to front) by tracing the image with black marker or paint pen. Then with acrylic paint, add the details first, then the larger areas, and finally the background. It is possible to finish the project in under an hour, however, participants will have up to 90 minutes to complete the painting. Registration required. 

An Evening with Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band Trio, Thursday, May 28, 7 to 8 p.m. Join Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band to celebrate Jewish Heritage Month with an evening of klezmer music and Yiddish song. Dance and sing with the International Jewish Music Festival winning ensemble based in Boston. Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band is one of the world’s preeminent klezmer ensembles. Registration is not required.

The library is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. The library is closed Saturday May 23, Sunday May 24, Monday May 25 and Sunday May 31. For the most up-to-date and complete schedule and to register for programs, visit morseinstitute.org.