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Pine Plains library aims to expand after-school ‘Kids Club’

PINE PLAINS — The Pine Plains Free Library’s Kids Club will reopen with new renovations this Sept. 14.

When it does, the library’s basement will take center stage. The downstairs space has been a boon to the after-school program, which serves children from Pre-K to 5th grade.

The Kids Club operates from 3:30 to 5 p.m., is free to attend, and has plans to expand. Currently, the program runs Monday through Thursday. Snacks and enrichment toys greet the kids upon entry, with a craft option for the artistically inclined. On Wednesdays, artist-in-residence Jeremiah Jones helps kids make their own take-home artwork.

“Last year is when Kids Club really took off,” said Dee Ann Campbell, Director of the Pine Plains Free Library. “We hired Cheyenne Wagner to run the program, and she’s done an incredible job.”

The success of the program speaks for itself. When the main floor of the library became crowded, Kids Club organizers requested the use of the basement. The Town Board was happy to comply, but the space needed some attention. Youth Programmer Cheyenne Wagner led a group of organizers in reimagining the basement as an area for kids. It had previously served as the wrestling club’s practice space.

The additions include a quiet reading area, a seating area for parents, and newly-painted, brightly-colored walls. Director Campbell says they’re able to keep the program free thanks to increased funding from the town, and the occasional grant.

The Kids Club is not, however, a child care program. As an after-school program, Kids Club is able to supplement child care for kids in Pre-K and older. The $20 million recently allocated for Dutchess County’s child care program is strictly for children 0-3 years old.

Still, Campbell says the response from the community has been inspiring — and made the basement expansion an easy decision. “The kids have something that they can really call their own,” she said. Looking forward, Campbell says they hope to expand the program to five days a week, and extend pick-up times to 5:30. “I think the extra half hour would make a big difference,” she said.

But for now, the library is gearing up for another Kids Club session, complete with all the crafts, games, music, and snacks that come with it.

Graham Corrigan
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