The heat is on at Morse Institute Library with a variety of lively events. Here is a sampling.

Children’s programs

Pajama Time Stories, Wednesday,  7/1, 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Join Miss Susan for a few songs and lots of stories in the Children’s Library. 45 minutes of stories and songs. No registration is required.

Summer Explorers: Button Bug Terrariums, Thursday, July 2, 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. Join us for an afternoon of in-person crafting in the children’s department. This week we are making button bug terrariums. This program is for children entering grades 2-5. No registration is required.

Lapsit Storytime, Mondays July 6, 13, 20 and 27, 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Stories, bounces, songs, and bubbles for babies up to 24 months and their grownups. Gather in the StoryCraft Room in the Children’s Department on the Lower Level. No registration is required.

Lego Free Build!, Mondays July 6, 13 and 27, 4 to 5 p.m. Join a LEGO family event. Drop in and build anything you like, LEGOs are provided. This program is for children ages 4 and older with a grownup partner. No registration is required.

Open Art: Bird Bracelets, Tuesday, July 7, 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Drop into the children’s department and craft. This week make bird bracelets. Geared for kids from preschool through early elementary. No registration is required.

Summer Explorers: Can It Float? Pirates & Ships! Thursday, July 9, 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. An afternoon of in-person crafting. This week make pirates and ships and testing to see if they will float. This program is for children entering grades 2-5. No registration is required.

Open Art: Jungle Scenes, Tuesday, July 14, 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Drop into the children’s department and craft. This week make jungle scenes! No registration is required. Geared for kids from preschool through early elementary.

Summer Storytime on the Lawn!, Wednesday, July 15, 22 and 29, 10 to 10:30 a.m. Storytime fun on the library lawn. Share stories, songs, and free play activities. This is an outdoor family drop in event, so bring a blanket and your family. No registration is required. (In case of rain, gather in the Lebowitz Meeting Hall.)

Learn to Play the Ukulele Kids Workshop!, Thursday, July 16, 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. Learn how to play the ukulele. No experience is necessary. Ukuleles provided or bring your own. In this 45-minute program, participants will learn about tuning, strumming, fretting, and how to play some easy songs. This program is for children ages 8-12. Registration is required. 

Birds Carry the Seeds: Family Puppet Making Workshop. Monday, July 20, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. A family puppet making workshop. Puppeteers Cooperative will lead in making a variety of small bird puppets, which we will take on a short parade in front of the library. Families with children ages 4 and up are welcome to join.  Registration is required for this event; all children and adults in each attending family must be registered. All children must have an adult with them for the program. 

Summer Explorers: Sweet Potato Derby, Thursday, July 23, 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. Join an afternoon of in-person crafting in the children’s department. This week run a sweet potato derby. This program is for children entering grades 2-5. No registration is required.

Open Art: Beach Scenes, Tuesday, July 28, 3:30 to 4:45  p.m. Drop into the children’s department and craft. This week make beach scenes. Geared for kids from preschool through early elementary. No registration is required.

Summer Explorers: Fakémon Creations, Thursday, July 30, 7/30, 4:30 p.m. Join in an afternoon of in-person crafting. This week make brand new kinds of Pokémon. This program is for children entering grades 2-5. No registration is required.

All Ages Programs

Bookmobile Visit at West Hill Park, Wednesdays, July 1, 8, 22 and 29, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Morse Institute Library Bookmobile will be at West Hill Park, 52 Mill St., on Wednesdays this summer through Aug. 19. At the bookmobile visitors can: sign up for a library card, check out books and puzzles for all ages, and learn more about the library’s programs and resources. The MetroWest YMCA will be facilitating the Summer Eats program at this time as well, which is free and open to all. No registration is  required.

Bookmobile at Sherwood Village, Wednesdays, July 2 and 16East Building 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., West Building 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. At the bookmobile sign up for a library card, check out books and puzzles for all ages, and learn more about the library’s programs and resources. No registration is required.

Bookmobile at the Farmers Market, Saturday, July 18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring your library card to check out books, audiobooks, bestseller speed reads, and DVDs for all ages at the Natick Common.

Bookmobile at the Summer Performance Series, Wednesdays, July 8, 15, 22 and 29, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Visit the Morse Institute Library Bookmobile at the Natick Parks and Recreation summer performance concert series! Bring your library card to check out books and puzzles, and learn more about library programs and resources.

Open Mic Night, Tuesday, July 14, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Singers, poets, musicians, writers, performance artists, all are welcome. Performers can sign up for a five-minute or 10-minute slot on a first come first served basis. No registration is required.

Teen programs

Teen Take & Make: Mini Flower Growing Kits,  Monday, July 6, 2 to 9 p.m. Stop by the Teen Room for a take and make mini flower planter kit. Kits are available inside the Teen Room until they run out.

Teen Food Explorers: Raspberry Cheesecake Pies, Wednesday, July 8, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Join Food Explorers for a delicious dessert class making raspberry cheesecake pies with your own homemade graham cracker crust and a fruity raspberry cheesecake filling with whipped cream on top. Recipe is nut free but will contain dairy and gluten. For teens and tweens, 11 to 18. Registration is required.

Teen & Tween: Plant Your Own Herbs,  Tuesday, July 14, 2 to 3 p.m. Come celebrate the Summer Reading theme, “Plant a Seed, Read” and paint your own planter and sow herbs of your choice. For tweens and teens, ages 11-18. Registration is required. 

Teens & Tweens: Pride Ice Cream Social with OUT MetroWest, Thursday, July 23, 2 to 3 p.m. Hang out with friends and enjoy some ice cream and non-dairy frozen treats. OUT Metrowest will be here making mini mosaics. For teens and tweens (ages 11 to 18), Registration optional if you would like updates on this program (and to make sure we have enough ice cream.) 

Adult Programs

Paint by Sticker: Works of Art, Thursday, July 2, 7 to 8 p.m. Like paint by number, but with stickers. Find the sticker, peel it, and place it in the right space. Watch as a famous work of art emerges from the original unfinished illustration. Registration is required. 

Cooking Class: Caprese Bundles, Wednesday, July 8, 3 to 4 p.m. Join Food Explorers for a hands-on cooking class. Make Caprese Bundles by creating Greek yogurt based dough and stuffing with fresh tomatoes, cheese and basil and cooking on the griddle until golden and melty. Recipe is nut free but will contain dairy and gluten. This program is for adults. Space is limited and registration is required.

Walk-in Technology Help, Saturday, July 11, 18 and 25, 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Having trouble figuring out how to use your smartphone, tablet, or other devices? Unsure on how to use Libby/Hoopla/Kanopy with your device? We can help with that! First come, first served session with one of our Information Services Librarians for help on the second floor each Saturday morning (except on Holiday closures). 

Bring your questions and devices, and we’ll work through them together. Sessions are a maximum of 15 minutes. More complicated questions or longer help needed will require a later one-on-one appointment. No registration is required.

Learn How To Play the Ukulele, Thursday, July 16, 7 to 8 p.m. Want to try an instrument that is fun and easy to play? Join Julie Stepanek as she shows the fundamentals of ukulele playing. Participants will learn how to tune, strum, fret and read chord diagrams. No experience is necessary.  

This program is for adults, and registration is required if you need to borrow a ukulele; if you have a ukulele you are welcome to walk in. Ukuleles are also available to borrow through the Library of Things. 

Bachata Dance Workout, Saturday, July 18, 3 to 4 p.m. Get ready to move to the infectious rhythms of Bachata, a dance from the Dominican Republic! This class is all about having fun and moving your body.

The class will focus on high-energy follow-alongs that get your heart pumping with bachata footwork. The focus is on joy, not perfection. The goal is for you to feel energized, move your body, and get a taste of social dancing. 

Students of all abilities are welcome and physical modifications and adaptations can be made to ensure everyone can fully participate and enjoy the movement. No prior dance experience is needed, and you do not need to bring a partner. Please wear shoes you can spin in and bring water. This program is for adults and registration is required.

Chat & Chew Book Club, Friday, July 24, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Bring a lunch or snack and discuss books you’ve read recently. There’s no assigned reading, so you get to read what you want. Drop in if you have time, or register to get event reminders. Registration is optional

In concert: The Jazz Trailblazers, Thursday, July 30, 7 to 8 p.m. A tribute to the women artists who served as pioneers throughout the history of jazz music. The group will feature music written or made famous by vocalists such as Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday as well as instrumentalists such as Lil Hardin Armstrong and Marian McPartland and others. Registration for this event is suggested, but not required. 

Morse Institute 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., closed Sunday. The library is closed July 3 and 4. For more information, visit morseinstitute.org.