Library storytimes in Palo Alto

A library storytime is the cheapest outing in Palo Alto and one of the best. It is free, it lasts about 30 minutes and you can simply walk in. The Palo Alto City Library runs one almost every weekday morning and on Saturdays, spread across four of its five branches. Each has a slightly different audience, so a little planning helps you pick the right room.

This guide uses the library's own storytime post from August 2026 and its events calendar as of late October 2026. Schedules shift with the seasons and holidays, so always check the library's events calendar before you go. For branch hours and library cards, see our libraries guide.

The weekly schedule

These were the regular storytimes in the fall 2026 season. All morning sessions ran from 10:30 to 11 a.m.

The library does not list a regular storytime at the Rinconada branch. The "best for" column follows the age tags the library puts on each listing. In practice family storytimes welcome siblings of any age.

Little Ones Storytime for babies

Wednesday's Little Ones Storytime is the only session aimed squarely at the youngest children. The library says it is targeted at children who have not yet turned two. Its listing tags it for babies and toddlers up to about 3, which matters if you have a baby and an older toddler in tow. A children's librarian leads it with stories, songs, rhymes and movement, all built around early literacy.

The Children's Library itself is part of the appeal. It opened in 1940 as a gift from Lucie Stern and the city calls it the oldest freestanding children's library in the country. It serves children from birth through 5th grade, so there is plenty to read once the songs are over. In late fall 2026 the calendar listed Little Ones sessions on November 4, 18 and 25 and December 2 and 9.

Family storytimes

Family Storytime is the all-ages version. Four of them run each week, which gives most families a branch within a short drive and at least one weekend option.

• Tuesday at the Children's Library. The library describes it as targeted at all ages. The library sits on the same block as the Lucie Stern Community Center and the Children's Theatre.
• Friday at Downtown. Handy if you are already near University Avenue for errands or coffee afterward.
• Saturday at Mitchell Park. The only weekend storytime. Afterward, walk out the door to the Magical Bridge Playground in Mitchell Park.

Holiday weeks sometimes bring a themed edition. On October 31, 2026, for example, the Saturday session at Mitchell Park was billed as a Halloween celebration. Costumes are usually welcome at those.

Bilingual storytime at College Terrace

Bilingual Family Storytime runs every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at the College Terrace Library. The library says it is offered in Spanish, mixed with English, so it works both for Spanish-speaking families and for children learning the language. The listings tag it for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Sessions sometimes follow the calendar. On October 29, 2026 it was billed as a Día de los Muertos celebration.

College Terrace is the smallest branch and one of the oldest library buildings in town, dating to 1936. It sits in the College Terrace neighborhood near the Stanford campus.

Music and Movement in the evening

For working parents, the Wednesday evening Music and Movement session at the Mitchell Park Library is the one to know. It runs from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. and leans on songs and movement more than books. The listings tag it for babies through early grade school. It fits neatly after a daycare pickup and before an early bedtime.

Special programs and guests

Beyond the weekly sessions, the library calendar lists special events for young children through the year. Some need registration and show a deadline and number of spots. Recent examples include:

• Animal Friends. An October 2026 session at the Children's Library with a visiting rescue dog, for toddlers through grade school. It required registration.
• Guest storytimes. The city has also listed a family storytime led by Palo Alto's fire chief.
• Craft afternoons. On November 6, 2026 the library teamed with the Museum of American Heritage on a community crafting afternoon at the museum, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

To find these, filter the calendar by audience (babies, toddlers or preschoolers) or by the Kids Storytimes program.

Storytimes in nearby towns

Neighboring cities run their own library systems with separate calendars.

• Mountain View Public Library. Its January 2026 newsletter listed Baby Storytime on Wednesdays with a Friday rerun, a winter outdoor storytime on Tuesdays, a bilingual Mandarin and English storytime, a monthly Storytime Around the World series and a Magical Bridge Storytime. Programs change each season, so check its current calendar. See our Mountain View guide.
• Menlo Park Library. The library's help pages list drop-in storytimes on Thursdays and Fridays at 10:15 a.m. at the Menlo Park Library and on Saturdays at 11:15 a.m. at both the Menlo Park and Belle Haven libraries. The page is undated, so confirm on the city calendar. See our Menlo Park guide.

When storytimes take a break

The Palo Alto library pauses its regular storytimes twice a year. The first break is the whole month of August. The second runs for about a month from mid-December to mid-January. The calendar showed the last fall 2026 Little Ones session on December 9. Other library events, such as summer reading activities, keep going during the breaks.

Branches also close on some public holidays. If a storytime falls on a holiday, it is usually skipped rather than moved.

Making the most of storytime

1. Arrive five minutes early so your child can settle before the first song.
2. Sit near the door with a restless toddler. Stepping out for a minute is normal and nobody minds.
3. Join in the songs. Children copy the grown-ups in the room.
4. Stay after to borrow a few picture books from the display. Librarians often pull titles that match the theme.

Storytime pairs well with other short outings. Our toddler guide has more ideas for the same morning. On a wet day, see our rainy day ideas. If you are visiting from out of town and want a bigger outing later in the week, you can compare tickets for Bay Area museums and aquariums.

Frequently asked questions