Falls Road Library
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Belfast
What it’s like
Free rhymes, storytime and coding sessions for kids, plus quiet corners to browse, all at no cost.
This is a proper working library on the Falls Road, and the free kids' sessions are the reason to build a morning around it. Rhythm and Rhyme covers babies and toddlers up to four, all rhymes, songs and stories, while Family Storytime widens out to nine year olds with tales read aloud. There's also a Crafty Kids version that mixes the rhymes and songs with actual craft, so you come home with something sticky and glittery.
Older kids get their own things to do. Quiz Quest is trivia and puzzles pitched at seven to ten year olds, and there's a coding session for four to ten year olds that teaches the basics through an interactive game, no screen anxiety required if your child has never coded before. Creative activities pop up too, things like designing a book cover or a Halloween craft.
Every event listed is free, though the site flags that some need booking ahead, which is a small faff worth planning around rather than assuming you can just walk in. Opening hours are a bit uneven across the week: a full day Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, a late start Tuesday that runs to 8pm, then a short Friday and an even shorter Saturday morning. There's a baby change, accessible toilets and wifi if you need to sit and work while someone else reads to the toddler.
One thing to know before you go: part of the building is currently working with reduced service, and the adult non-fiction and Irish section isn't accessible while maintenance work is on. It doesn't touch the children's sessions or the general browsing, but it's the kind of detail that catches people out if they were planning to use that section specifically.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Babies to ten year olds, with sessions split by age group
- Saturday opening is short, just 9:30am to 1pm, so don't leave it too late
- Tuesday's the long day if you need an evening slot, open until 8pm
- Closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day
- Wifi and baby change are both on site if you need to settle in
Plan your visit
Is it free to get in and join the sessions?
Yes, entry and all the events are free. Some do ask you to book ahead though.
What ages are the storytime sessions for?
Rhythm and Rhyme is aimed at babies and toddlers up to four. Family Storytime widens that out to nine year olds.
Do we need to book ahead?
Advance booking may be required for some events, so it's not always a turn up and join situation.
What are the opening hours?
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday it's 9:30am to 5:30pm, Tuesday 11:30am to 8pm, Friday 10am to 2pm, and Saturday just 9:30am to 1pm.
Is there anything for older kids beyond storytime?
Quiz Quest is trivia and puzzles for seven to ten year olds, and there's a coding session for four to ten year olds using an interactive game.
Are there baby changing facilities?
There's a baby change on site along with toilets and wifi.
Is the whole library open at the moment?
The adult non-fiction and Irish section is currently closed while building maintenance goes on, though the children's areas and sessions carry on as normal.
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