Get Your Kids in the Kitchen This Summer at the Free Library!

By Jamie B. RSS Thu, May 17, 2018

What are your kids planning to do this summer? If they want to learn to make pasta, pizza, and other yumtastic dishes from scratch, they should apply to attend Summer Thyme Cooks at the Culinary Literacy Center – a fresh approach to learning about cooking, collaboration, and cost.

Summer Thyme Cooks is a FREE, four-part summer cooking program for kids and teens entering grades 5-12. In four weekly hands-on classes throughout August 2018, students learn basic cooking skills, including how to read a recipe, how to prepare seasonal fruits and vegetables, and how to stay safe in the kitchen. Food is meant to be shared, so every Summer Thyme Cooks class ends with a family-style meal. Students go home each week with a new recipe and a grocery bag filled with healthy, fresh, budget-conscious ingredients so they can cook with their families!

Space is limited! Apply online or pick up a paper application in the Children’s Department or the Teen Center in Philbrick Hall at Parkway Central Library. The deadline to apply is June 19, 2018.


Parents will be notified of their child’s selection by the end of June. Classes will take place at the Culinary Literacy Center, located on the 4th floor of the Parkway Central Library at 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

For other questions and information, please call 215-686-5323.


Have a question for Free Library staff? Please submit it to our Ask a Librarian page and receive a response within two business days.

Leave this field empty

Add a Comment to Get Your Kids in the Kitchen This Summer at the Free Library!

Email is kept private and will not be displayed publicly
Comment must be less than 3000 characters
Taron will be enter 5 grade he would love this
Violet smith - philadephia
Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Tiara will be a great young chef
Tamika Jones - Philadelphia
Wednesday, June 6, 2018

What a great class offering! I wish I'd heard of it last year. It sounds exciting...I wonder if they'd let me be there...maybe I can volunteer to clean up after the kids, errrr I mean cooks! Have fun kids!!!
Lorna Laster - Wynnefield
Monday, June 11, 2018

Violet and Tamika: The deadline to apply is June 19th. We hope we'll receive applications from your children. Please call us at 215-686-5323 if you have any questions.
Jamie B. - Philadelphia
Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Lorna, thanks for your interest in volunteering with the Free Library of Philadelphia. We don't currently have any volunteer opportunities for Summer Thyme Cooks. But there are opportunities throughout the Free Library system. All potential volunteers must complete a volunteer application form, available at this link: https://libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/volunteer/ Questions? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer@freelibrary.org or 215-686-5340
Jamie B. - Philadelphia
Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Just are you guys doing cooking for kids this year 2019
Jacqueline Counts - Philadelphia
Saturday, March 23, 2019

Jacqueline: We do plan on hosting Summer Thyme Cooks again this year! We will have more information over the next few months and will post the classes on our page at freelibrary.org/programs/culinary/
Caity R.
Monday, March 25, 2019