中文故事時間 (Chinese Storytime)

Chinese Storytime is at Walnut Street West Library on Thursday, October 22, starting at 10:30 AM. It's one of the Free Library of Philadelphia's bilingual and bicultural children's programs, and it's run entirely in Chinese. The session is open to families with children of all ages—babies and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age kids—so you can read, sing, and learn together in the language. It's part of the library's Storytimes series, which sits among more than 28,000 programs for all ages the Free Library offers each year.

The venue itself has a deep history in West Philadelphia. The Walnut Street West branch has served the neighborhood since 1906, though its roots go back further: it opened on May 28, 1895, as the fifth Philadelphia Public Library branch in the West Philadelphia Institute, and became a Free Library branch on January 1, 1896. The current building opened on June 26, 1906, as the first of thirty libraries funded by an Andrew Carnegie grant, built at a cost of $80,387.68 on land donated by banker Clarence Clark, whose will deeded the site to the city 'in perpetuity' as long as a library sat there. A mural of West Philadelphia scenes by artist Paul Santoleri now welcomes visitors.

If you're looking for a morning activity with the kids, this is a good one to keep on the radar. It's a Free Library program, so it's free to attend. You'll find it at Walnut Street West Library, 201 South 40th Street (40th & Walnut Streets), Philadelphia, PA 19104, on Thursday, October 22, at 10:30 AM.