Long Island Public Library Play Spaces in Nassau County

1. Westbury Memorial Public Library – Westbury 

The historic Robert Bacon Memorial Children’s Library, also known as the Westbury Children’s Library, is celebrating its 100th anniversary serving the community. The separate children's library building has a play space with enchanting window seats for reading, a fish tank, a Lego table, a life-sized Connect Four, a little supermarket checkout, and so much more. This destination-worthy spot also has an outside garden area with seating, easels, and stepping stones surrounding the library. 

2. Bethpage Public Library – Bethpage 

This library has a large children’s room for the youngest readers with tabletop toys, a building table, puzzles, and plenty of comfortable seating and tables for the whole family to enjoy a book together. There is a separate tween and teen room for the older kids to spend time in. The library has an outside area in warmer weather to sit and have a snack and a large auditorium for live music and theater performances. 

3. Shelter Rock Public Library – Albertson 

The large, cheerful children’s room in this library is always beautifully decorated and great to visit with kids of all ages. There is a cute play area filled with bins of trucks, doll houses, and toddler toys. There is also seating for parents to join in or relax. Tweens and teens can use a computer, read, and study comfortably at various tables. 

4. Merrick Library – Merrick 

This modern library has its children’s room located on the second floor. There is a large aquarium for animal-loving kids and visitors to enjoy. The play area has lots of toys for young patrons. iPad stations are available for kids to use. Teens can find video consoles in a separate section and multimedia room. There is also an enclosed outdoor area and benches in front of the library. 

5. Syosset Public Library – Syosset

This library’s brightly decorated children’s section features a play-and-learn center with toys, a LEGO table, a play kitchen, a reading nook, and more for little readers. Comfortable seating is available for parents. Kid-sized seating is perfect for crafts or reading a book. The Teen Space is an area to read, study, or work on the library’s computers for those 12 and older. 

Long Island Public Library Play Spaces in Suffolk County 

6. Sachem Public Library – Holbrook 

This destination library offers a great indoor children’s space and an action-packed outdoor space where kids can explore and experience the wonders of nature. The very popular Discovery Grove opened in 2018 and is a fenced-in area open year-round for the community. Kids can enjoy hands-on learning with water play, digging, climbing, music, building, and more. 

7. East Islip Public Library – East Islip 

The Discovery Backyard is an outdoor area not to be missed at this library in East Islip where kids can play and explore and burn off energy. The library has a great indoor children's section and a teen bistro section offers older kids a place to make their own. 

8. Middle Country Public Library – Centereach 

This bright and colorful library boasts an impressive Nature Explorium for kids with an interactive outdoor section designed to connect little ones with nature while learning, climbing, and playing. The outdoor space is for kids of all ages. The library also features an interactive exhibit space called the Museum Corner with hands-on exhibits for families. A tween area has computers and gaming consoles. The teen section is on the library’s lower level. 

9. Harborfields Public Library – Greenlawn

The children’s play area in this library will delight railroad-loving kids with a kid-sized wooden train set to play and climb on. Colorful decor and other hands-on toys keep little ones busy while older kids can hop on an iPad. There is a playground adjacent to the library worth exploring after choosing some books to read at home. 

10. Smithtown Library – Nesconset Branch

The children’s play area at this spot has a nice setup with a puppet show, a table for coloring or art, doll house play, a kitchen set, and more. The library shares the grounds with a town playground, perfect to enjoy and for the kids to use even more of their boundless energy after a library visit. Note: Smithtown Library has four buildings in Commack, Kings Park, Nesconset, and Smithtown. The Smithtown location is closed for repairs as of fall 2024 after suffering major storm damage in August 2024.

11. Hampton Library – Bridgehampton 

The family can take the elevator or the stairs down to the exciting lower-level children’s floor in this East End library. There is a big play area with a rug, color-changing floor tiles, and shelves of toys and building materials for the kids. A play kitchen, a magnetic easel with letters, and a kids-sized table with crayons and coloring sheets can provide hours of fun. In warm weather, there is an expansive outside area to explore.