For parents and caregivers working to fill their calendars with spring break activities, the Arlington Public Library is ready to entertain young and old with its first-ever Spring Break Week of Play.

The week-long program will kick off Saturday, March 12, with a Messy Play Storytime at the Southeast Branch. Programs will be offered daily for children, teens, and adults from March 14-19 at library branches across Arlington. Little ones will delight in Bubble Play Storytime and the Puppet Petting Zoo, while teens can explore their artistic talents through slam poetry sessions and origami challenges. A Make-It-Take-It program for adults will feature a variety of take-home craft projects, and Chalk-It-Arlington invites all ages to decorate the East Branch Library sidewalks in colorful chalk art.

Library program specialist Shannon Holt said she was inspired to design a week of programs that feature play after reading several studies that highlighted the benefits of play for children as well as adults.

"We already put a strong emphasis on play in our regular storytimes, but I wanted to find a way to open it up to a bigger audience," Holt said. "With so many children and adults facing a week of free time during spring break, I saw the perfect opportunity to introduce play-focused programs for all ages."

Spring Break Week of Play programs are free of charge and no registration is required.