CENTRAL PARK CONSERVATORY
Conservancy offers basketball, climbing courses, fitness programs & more?ages 8-18; North Meadow Recreation Center, Central Park (midpark at 97th St.), 212-348-4867, reg. req.; Weds.-Tues., call for times, free.
CREATIVE MOVEMENT FOR KIDS
Learn expressive forms of dance w/Tysan Lerner; North Meadow Recreation Center, Central Park (midpark at 97th St.), 212-348-4867, ext.10; Weds. at 4, free [through 4/25].
DROP-IN WORKSHOPS
Museum educator conducts weekly program for families. This week, use pastels to create your own "Nighttime Skyline"; Queens Museum of Art, New York City Bldg., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, 718-592-9700, www.queensmuse.org; Sun. 1-4, free.
EARTH CELEBRATIONS
"Fostering Ecological Awareness Through the Arts" program feat. workshops for children 8+ at the Green Oasis Garden, 8th St. (betw. Aves. C & D), 212-777-7969 or www.earthcelebrations.com; Thurs. 3:30-5:30, free [through 5/31].
EARTH DAY 2001
Learn how to preserve the Earth's natural resources by recycling & composting; Belvedere Castle, Central Park (midpark at 81st St.), RSVP 212-772-0210; Sat. 11-4, free.
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 4/29].
FREE FAMILY PROGRAM
The New-York Historical Society feat. weekly series for families. This week, learn how to best care for your cat during "Kitty City" workshop; 2 W. 77th St. (Central Park W.), 212-873-3400; Sat. 11-12:30, free w/mus. adm.
KID'S QUEST
Annual spring break scavenger hunt utilizes interactive exhibits throughout the museum; Intrepid-Sea-Air-Space Museum, W. 42nd St. (12th Ave.), 212-245-0072; Weds. 10-2, free w/mus. adm.
LEAPING LINES!
Kids explore all kinds of lines in ABCD: A Collection of Art Brut at the Museum of American Folk Art, 2 Lincoln Sq. (betw. 65th & 66th Sts.), 212-595-9533; Sun. 2-4, $3 material fee.
LEARN TO PLAY CHESS
Chess-in-the-Schools-Program for kids ages six to 12, especially good for smart kids who will be expected to kind of know chess; Seward Park Branch Library, 192 E. B'way (Jefferson St.), 212-477-6770, reg. req.; Fri. 3-5, free [through 4/27].
MUSEUMKIDS
Film screenings, tours of the museum, gallery workshops, introduction to the encyclopedia collection & storytelling?call for complete sched.; Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave. (82nd St.), 212-570-3961; call for times, free w/mus. adm.
THE NY BOTANICAL GARDEN
Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden is now open. Discover the fun of gardening flowers & herbs; plus demonstrations & compost facility. Highlights incl. animal garden, reflection garden, row row row your boat, flower bed, plant philharmonic & shoe families; NY Botanical Garden, 200th St. (Southern Blvd.), Bronx, 718-817-8700 or www.nybg.org; Weds.-Fri. & Tues. 1-5, $4-$10.
OPEN KITCHEN
Poetry & Performance workshop for teens hosted by Annie Lanzillotto & Treva Offutt; The Kitchen, 512 W. 19th St. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.), 212-255-5793; Sat. at 1, free.
PLACE FOR JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS
Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts interactive classes incl. "The Portfolio Class," for grades 7 & 8, which teaches technical skills & art-making in the studio (Sat. through 5/12); plus "Sunday Adventures" workshops exploring African & Asian art (Sun. through 5/20); 1000 5th Ave. (82nd St.), 212-570-5121 to reg.; free w/mus. adm.
PLANT & BUNNY HUNT
Games, tales, hidden bunnies, egg-tossing & more, plus prizes; NY Botanical Garden, 200th St. (Southern Blvd.), Bronx, 718-817-8700 or www.nybg.org; Sun. & Mon. 10-6, $2-$10.
SATURDAYS ALIVE!
Family events incl. "Birds & Worms Workshop" w/artists from the International Center of Photography (Sat. at 12:30, $2); "Turn Your Words Into Pictures Workshop" & "M"Zawa Danz" African dance & hiphop (Sat. at 3, $6); Arts Connection, 120 W. 46th St. (betw. 6th Ave. & B'way), 212-302-7433.
SONY WONDER
Sony hosts weekly activities for families. This week, "Planning Your Website" gives children a professional jumpstart (Sat. at 11, $10); And learn about video technology during "Make a Techno-mercial!" for grades 4-6 (Sun. 3-5, $25); Sony Plaza, 550 Madison Ave. (55th St.), 212-883-8100 or www.sonywondertechlab.com.
SPACE ADVENTURE SWEEPSTAKES
Enter to win a round-trip all-expenses paid trip to the Parent/Child Space Camp in Titusville, Florida, incl. accommodations & spending money; log onto www.nabiscoworld.com for details; contest ends July 14.
SPRINGTIME GARDEN PARTY
Meet Mother Goose, enjoy tour of museum & grounds plus 19th-century games & music?recommended for ages 3 & up; Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, 421 E. 61st St. (1st Ave.), 212-838-6878; Sun. 1-3, $6, $4 child.
SUMMER CAMP FUNDRAISER
Creative Arts Workshops for Kids holds annual event to help send urban, at-risk children to camp; Halo Restaurant/Lounge, 49 Grove St. (betw. 7th Ave. & Bleecker St.), 212-243-8885; Tues. 7-10, $20 contrib.
YOUTH OPEN CLIMBING
Scale the new indoor wall in the Adventure Room?for ages 8-17; North Meadow Recreation Center, Central Park (midpark at 97th St.), 212-348-4867; Sun. 11-1 & Tues. at 5:30, free [through 4/29].
Things to See & Hear
AFTER SCHOOL READING
Author Ed Grimm & illustrator Ted Lewin from The Doorman read exerts for kids ages 4 & up; Bank St. Bookstore, W. 112th St. (B'way), 212-678-1654; Thurs. at 3:30, free.
THE EARTH & ME
Shadow Box Theater pres. family musical about a child's discovery of the earth & its creatures; Symphony Space, 2537 B'way (95th St.), 212-864-5400; Thurs. at 11, Fri. at 10 & 11:30, Sun. at 1, $8.
FREE-FOR-KIDS PROJECT
Fly-By-Night Dance Theater's third annual festival feat. trapeze dance, live music & debut of hiphop influenced "Spent Youth" piece w/music by DJ Carlos Martinez; performances throughout Manhattan & Bklyn., call 212-924-0077 for sched.; $15, $12 st., 18 & under free [through 5/28].
JUST KIDDING
Masked-men Kotchegna Dance Co. dance, drum & walk on stilts, as part of monthly performing arts series for children at Symphony Space, 2537 B'way (95th St.), 212-864-5400; Sun. at 11, $8.
THE LITTLE MERMAID: A MUSICAL
Will she choose a new love on land or her old life in the sea?; YWCA, 610 Lexington Ave. (53rd St.), 212-866-5170; Sat. & Sun. at 2, $15 [through 5/20].
MAYA THE BEE
Entertaining families for a year now, the jazz puppet play for kids 3-9 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
Jack & The Beanstalk (1:30); Snow White & The Seven Dwarves (3:30); Grove St. Playhouse, 39 Grove St. (betw. Hudson & Bleecker Sts.), RSVP 212-741-6436; Sat. & Sun., $8.50 [through 4/22].
MORTIMER, THE LAZY BIRD
Play addresses the friendship between a bird & worm; Vital Theater Company, 432 W. 42nd St. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.), 212-592-4508; Sat. at 11 & 1, Sun. at 12, $10 [through 4/29].
PICTURE BOOK & STORIES
For ages two to four; Donnell Library Center, 20 W. 53rd St. (5th Ave.), 212-621-0636, res. req.; Tues. at 11, free [through 4/24].
RAP WRITERS & PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP
Free seminar for teens on the history & business of rap music, perhaps w/a spotlight on Jay Z's most recent PR event; Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Ave. (betw. 120th & 122nd Sts.), 212-870-6739; Fri. 7-9 p.m. [through 5/11].
RUMPLE WHO?
Revival of children's classic Rumplestilskin at Thirteenth St. Rep, 50 W. 13th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-675-6677; Sun. at 3, $7.
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCKS LIVE! JR.
NY Youth Theater's adaptation of popular 70s cartoon series; 593 Park Ave., 7th fl. (64th St.), RSVP 212-888-0696; Fri. & Sat. at 7, mats. Sat. at 2, Sun. at 3, $12 [through 5/20].
STORY TIMES
Reading of Vladimir Vagin's The Enormous Carrot! at Scholastic Store, 557 B'way (betw. Prince & Spring Sts.), 212-343-6166; Thurs. at 4, free.
WISEACRE FARM
A birthday on the farm at Thirteenth St. Rep, 50 W. 13th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-675-6677; Sat. at 1, $7.