Family Activities ANIMAL ALPHABET BOOKS Make a fold-out book of ABCs; ...
ANIMAL ALPHABET BOOKS
Make a fold-out book of ABCs; Henry Luce Observatory, Belvedere Castle, Central Park, 79th St. (midpark), 212-772-0210, reg. req.; Sat. at 1, free.
CREATIVE MOVEMENT FOR KIDS
Dancer Tysan Lerner teaches kids ages 8-12 various styles; North Meadow Recreation Center, Central Park (midpark at 97th St.), 212-348-4867; Fri. 4-5:30, free [through 2/23].
FAMILY ART PROJECT
Make a percussion instrument, walk through the tropical vegetation (they have their own greenhouse) & listen to Puerto Rican music during "Carnival Rhythm"; Kerlin Learning Center at Wave Hill, 675 W. 252nd St. (Indep. Ave.), Bronx, 718-549-3200; Sat. & Sun. 1-4, free w/grounds adm.
FAMILY ART WORKS
Art activity classes for children & parent, grandparent, friend or caregiver, or legal guardian; The Educational Alliance, 197 E. B'way (Jefferson St.), 212-780-2300, ext.316; Sun. 1-2:30, free [through April].
FAMILY FUN ON THE HIGH SEAS
"Kids Week" returns w/"ASCE Celebrations," "Intrepid Explorations" & "Undersea Explorations" workshops, plus treasure hunts, paper airplane making & secret code de-coding; Intrepid-Sea-Air-Space Museum, Pier 86, W. 42nd St. (12th Ave.), 212-245-0072; Mon. & Tues. 12-3, $10, $8 st./s.c., $1-$5 kids [through 2/23].
FAMILY PROGRAMS AT BMA
Weekend activities, drop-in programs, performances, dance lessons & movies incl. screenings of Solomon Northup's Odyssey: Half Slave, Half Free (Sat. at 12 & 2) & Stories & Art: All About the President, which feat. Sergio Abate taking jabs at some of our past Presidents (Sat. at 4); Brooklyn Museum of Art, 200 Eastern Pkwy (Washington Ave.), Bklyn., 718-638-5000, ext.330; free w/mus. adm.
FREE FAMILY PROGRAM
The New-York Historical Society feat. weekly series for families. This week, learn about your family's history at "Elder Grace" workshop; 2 W. 77th St. (Central Pk. W.), 212-873-3400; Sat. at 11, free w/mus. adm.
INTERACTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT
Teaches families how to utilize digital photo equipment through workshops, sing-alongs & art projects; Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 W. 83rd St. (betw. B'way & Amsterdam Ave.), 212-721-1234; call for times, $6.
INTERNET WORKSHOP
Introduction class for parent & child (ages 7-12), in case your kid isn't motivated by free music & Britney pics; Bloomingdale Branch Library, 150 W. 100th St. (Amsterdam Ave.), 212-222-8030; Sat. at 11, free.
LEARN TO PLAY CHESS
Chess-in-the-Schools-Program sponsors chess program for kids ages six to 12; Seward Park Branch Library, 192 E. B'way (Jefferson St.), 212-477-6770 reg. req.; Fri. 3-5, free [through 2/23].
OPEN CLIMBING
Ages 8-17 are invited to take on Adventure Room's new climbing wall; Central Park North Meadow Recreation Center, 97th St. (mid park), 212-348-4867; Sun. at 11, free [through 2/25].
SATURDAYS ALIVE!
Family events incl. "Songwriting Workshop" w/composer Branice McKenzie (12:30, $2) also, Tahuantinsuyo performs South American music (Sat. at 3, $6); Arts Connection, 120 W. 46th St. (betw. 6th Ave. & B'way), 212-302-7433; Sat.
TAI CHI FOR KIDS
Kids 8-12 learn basics of ancient martial art w/Master Derrick Trent; North Meadow Recreation Center, Central Park (midpark at 97th St.), 212-348-4867; Tues. at 4, free [through 2/27].
Things to See & Hear
BETSY BLUE
Or "I Was a Nine-Year-Old Blues Diva," musical about youngster who gets the blues when she finds out her mom's having another baby; Looking Glass Theater, 422 W. 57th St. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.), 212-307-9467; Sat. & Sun. at 2 & 4, $10, $8 child [through 2/25].
CHILDREN'S CONCERT SERIES
Annual monthly concert for families, this week: Brooke Hedick & George Wurzbach perform songs & stories w/pianos & guitar; Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Ave. (betw. 120th & 122nd Sts.), 212-870-6722; Sat. at 11, $5, $2 kids.
CHOCOLATE MONTH
Celebrate the goodness of the cocoa plant w/readings of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (Sat. at 1) & I Like Chocolate Show (Sun. at 1); NY Botanical Garden, 200th St. (Southern Blvd.), Bronx, 718-817-8700 or www.nybg.org; call for info.
EVERYTHING CHILDREN'S MUSIC SHOULD BE
Singer/songwriter Kevin Roth entertains w/his hit PBS theme song, "Shining Time Station"; 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 212-996-1100; Sun. at 3, $10.
GLOBAL KIDS!
Learn about community & global issues w/high school students who might be president someday; Adelphi Univ., 75 Varick St., 2nd fl. (Canal St.), 212-226-0130; Fri. at 4, free.
NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FILM FESTIVAL
Fourth annual two-week festival feat. 44 shorts & feature length films for children & teens, incl. screenings of The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers & Mysterious Island; American Museum of the Moving Image, 35th Ave. (36th St.), Astoria, 718-784-0077; Sat.-Mon., call for times, $8.50, $5.50 st./s.c. [through 2/23].
THE LITTLE MERMAID: A MUSICAL
Will she choose a new love on land, or her old life in the sea? show's preceded by workshop at 1; YWCA, 610 Lexington Ave. (53rd St.), 212-866-5170; Sat. & Sun. at 2, $15, $5 workshop fee [through 3/4].
MAYA THE BEE
Jazz puppet play for tykes 3-9, not by Hans Christian Andersen, is based on German book about a bee who runs away from her hive; Salon Theater, 45 Bleecker St. (Lafayette St.), 212-539-6644; Sat. at 2, $7-$15.
MISS MAJESTY'S LOLLIPOP PLAYHOUSE
Sleeping Beauty (1:30); Hansel, Gretel & The Jolly Gingerbread Man (3:30); Grove St. Playhouse, 39 Grove St. (betw. Hudson & Bleecker Sts.), RSVP 212-741-6436; Sat. & Sun., $8.50 [through 2/25].
NATIONAL YUCK DAY
Scientist/magician Professor Putter creates "x-periments" & "raunchy recipes" in honor of new book, Oh, Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty; Bank St. Bookstore, W. 112th St. (B'way), 212-875-4609; Sat. 11-4, free.
OYA
The Yoruba Dance Drama produces show for Black History Month; National Black Theatre, 2033 5th Ave. (betw. 125th & 126th Sts.), 212-722-3800; Fri. at 7:30, Sat. at 2 & 7:30, Sun. at 3, $15 [through 2/25].
PLACE FOR JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS
Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts interactive classes incl. art writing workshop "Kaleidoscope" w/museum big-shot Felicia Blum; 1000 5th Ave. (82nd St.), 212-570-5121 to reg.; Thurs. at 3:30, free w/mus. adm. [through 3/29].
PUPPET PLAYHOUSE
Magic, ventriloquism & comedy come together in "Eliot, the Super Magic Man" w/Zippy the Space Puppet & Super Bunny; Mazur Theater, Asphalt Green, 555 E. 90th St. (betw. York Ave. & East End Ave.), 212-369-8890; Sat. & Sun. at 10:30 & 12, $7 [through 3/11].
RAP WRITERS & PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP
Free seminar for teens on the history & business of rap music, in case they didn't learn it from the lyrics; Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Ave. (betw. 120th & 122nd Sts.), 212-870-6739; Fri. 7-9 p.m. [through 5/11].
SONY WONDER
Romantic comedy bomb, Only You, starring Marisa Tomei screens at Sony Plaza, 550 Madison Ave. (55th St.), 212-883-7858 or www.sonywondertechlab.com; Thurs. at 6, free.
THEATERWORKS/USA 20001
Weekly performance for young audiences (ages 5-9) incl. "Reading Rainbow"; Auditorium at Equitable Tower, 787 7th Ave. (betw. 51st & 52nd Sts.), 212-627-7373; Sat. & Sun. at 12:30, $19.
VITAL CHILDREN'S THEATER CO.
"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," adapted from Mark Twain's short story (Sat. at 11 & 1); "Ricki Ticki Tavi," the adventures of a family who adopt a mongoose to rid their garden of cobras (Sun. at 12); Vital Theater Company, 432 W. 42nd St. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.), 212-592-4508; $10 [through 3/28].
WARM, WILD & WONDERFUL AT GEO ZOOM
Special holiday programming feat. Kwanza celebrations (apparently Kwanzaa lingers for a while), movies & more; plus continuing interactive exhibition on geography; Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave. (St. Marks Ave.), Bklyn., 718-735-4400; Sun. 10-5 [through 3/2001].