FAMILY BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN Brooklyn’s lovely Botanic Garden offers free admission to ...

Brooklyn's lovely Botanic Garden offers free admission to visitors entering before noon on Saturdays, free for under age 16 at all times & Tuesdays are free all day; Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave. (Eastern Pkwy.), 718-622-4433, ext. 216; Weds.-Fri. & Tues. 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 10-6.

 

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF ART

Museum feat. daily activities & exhibitions incl. children's' art shows & art studio, interactive computer art station, creative playroom, actor's studio, costume shop, community group workshops, after-school art programs, summer art camps & birthday parties. Interactive play, "Fred the Caterpillar" (Sun. 2-4); 182 Lafayette St. (betw. Broome & Grand Sts.), 274-0986; Weds. 12-7, Thurs.-Sun., 12-5, $5, s.c. & kids under 1 are free.

 

Activities

CHESS WORKSHOP

Chess lessons by Central Park Conservatory staff; The Dairy at Central Park, 64th St. (midpark), rsvp 794-6564; Sun. at 1-2:30, free.

 

FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER

Four & five-year-olds compete in Karate tournament to benefit breast & ovarian cancer support organization, SHARE; West Side YMCA, 5 W. 63rd St., 4th Fl. (Central Pk. W.), 875-4106; Sat. 8:30 a.m.-12, $3-$5.

 

FITNESS WORKSHOP

Learn the importance of exercise & proper nutrition; North Meadow Recreation Center, Central Park (midpark at 97th St.), rsvp 348-4867; Sat. 11-1, free.

 

MONUMENTAL STATUES

Learn about the monuments of Central Park & then create your own; Dana Discovery Center, Harlem Meer in Central Park, 110th St. (5th Ave.), 860-1370, res. req.; Sat. 1-2:30, free.

 

ON THE HOME FRONT

Discover inventions, stories & creations during mid-1900s as kids recreate life during W.W.II; Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum, W. 42nd St. (12th Ave.), 957-7055; Sat. 12-2, free w/mus. adm.

 

RAP WRITERS & PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP

Free seminar on rap music at Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Ave. (betw. 120th & 122nd Sts.), 870-6784; Fri. 7-9 p.m. [through 12/17].

 

ROCK CLIMBING CLASSES

Offered by Central Park Conservancy, free for ages 9 & up?learn rope management, anchor set-up, knot tying & more; North Meadow Recreation Center, 97th St. (midpark), 348-4867, res. req.; Sat. at 1:30 & Tues. at 3:30, free [through 11/30].

 

TRIP TO THE FARM

Veteran's Day field trip for children ages 6-11?collect eggs, groom the horses, plant seeds & pick apples; 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 996-1100; Thurs. 8:30-5:30, $50 incl. transportation.

 

WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR TEENS

Learn how to generate ideas & explore different writing styles with filmmaker K. Wise's "Casting Your Net" (Thurs. 4-6), Adam Nadler's "Writing & Producing the Screenplay" (Mon. 4-6) & Marcelle Karp's "Making the Zine" (Mon. 4-6)?ages 13 & up; Writer's Voice at the West Side YMCA, 5 W. 63rd St. (Central Pk. W.), 875-4124; free [through 12/16].

 

Things to See & Hear

THE ART OF DISNEY STORYBOOKS

Exhibition feat. seven decades of children's books. Disney storybook illustrator Gil DiCicco speaks about his career, followed by Q&A during opening on Sat.; 7A N. Park Ave. (betw. Merrick Rd. & Sunrise Hwy.), 516-536-6886; call for hours, free [opens 11/13, through 12/24].

 

BIG APPLE CIRCUS

Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center, B'way (64th St.), 307-4100 or 800-922-3772; call for times, $15-$60, $200 & up for gala tix. [through 1/9].

 

BIRDWATCHING WORKSHOP

Educator Leslie Day teaches kids about bird migration & how to identify them during walk at Belvedere Castle, Central Park (midpark at 81st St.), rsvp 772-0210; Sat. 11-12:30, free.

 

CAROLINE KIDS KLUB

Fun & magic with Silly Billy the clown; Caroline's Comedy Club, 1626 B'way (49th St.), 757-4100 res. req.; Sat. & Sun. at 2, $14.

 

CHILDREN'S TELEVISION FESTIVAL

Eight annual festival at The Museum of Television & Radio. This week, join Blondie, Dagwood, Babar, Sylvester & others for an afternoon of international movies, storytelling & workshops; 25 W. 52nd St. (5th Ave.), 621-6600; Sat. & Sun. at 1, free w/mus. adm. [through 12/5].

 

CLASSICAL MAGIC

Jarrett Parker's 19th-century magic performed to classical music; Rose's Turn, 55 Grove St. (7th Ave. S.), 875-7785; Thurs. at 7:30 & 9:30, $12, $6 child. [through 11/11].

 

THE CRAZY ADVENTURES OF DON QUIXOTE

New LES puppet & children's theater for Latino children; SEA @ Los Kabayitos Puppet & Children's Theater, 107 Suffolk St., 2nd Fl. (betw. Rivington & Delancey Sts.), 260-4080 ext.14, Sat. & Sun. at 3:30, $8, $6 kids.

 

FACES OF NEW YORK

Teen photography exhibit sponsored by E. Harlem Community Against Drugs/Mount Sinai Narcotics & Rehabilitation Center; Julio De Burgos Cultural Center Gallery, 106th St. (Lexington Ave.), 996-8112; Fri. & Sat. 12-6, free.

 

FILMS AT MOMA

Eli Noyes' Bad Dog?ages 5-10; Museum of Modern Art, The Roy & Niuta Titus Theater 2, 18 W. 54th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 708-9400; Sat. 12-1, $5 per family.

 

KEYBOARD CONVERSATIONS

Jeffrey Siegel pres. one hour concert, "Keyboard Conversations for the Young & Young-at-Heart;" 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 996-1100; Sun. at 11 a.m., $10.

 

MANHATTAN FORUM & RESOURCE FAIR

Afternoon of free workshops on disabilities & where to seek services; P.S. 163, 163 W. 97th St. (betw. Columbus & Amsterdam Aves.), 979-9700 ext.237 or 273-6289; Sun. 11:30-4.

 

MISS MAJESTY'S LOLLIPOP PLAYHOUSE

Cinderella (1:30) & The Three Little Pigs (3:30); Grove St. Playhouse, 39 Grove St. (betw. Bleecker & Hudson Sts.), rsvp 741-6436; Sat. & Sun., $8.50 [through 11/21].

 

NIGHTLIGHT READING SERIES

John Bemelmans Marciano reads from Madeline in America & Other Holiday Tales at The Drawing Center, 35 Wooster St. (betw. Canal & Greene Sts.), 219-2166; Sun. at 3, free.

 

RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR

Radio City Rockettes, dancers & Santa Claus continue to entertain families during a 90 minute production incl. "Parades of the Wooden Soldiers" & "The Living Nativity;" Madison Square Garden, 2 Penn Plaza (34th St.), 465-MSG1, call for schedule, $29-$77 [through 1/2].

 

READINGS AT BOOKS OF WONDER

T.A. Barron reads from The Mirror of Merlin (Thurs. 6-8), new works read by John Bernelmans Marciano, Mary Ann Hoberman, Holly Hobby & Kevin Hawkins (Sat. 12-2) & Lois Lowry, author of Zooman Sam reads from new work (Tues. 5-7); Books of Wonder, 16 W. 18th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 989-3270; free.

 

REEL TO REAL

Monthly weekend series for families feat. films & live performances. Today, "Latin Mania" incl. pilot screening of I Love Lucy, cartoons & live tapping by Feet Two the Beat; Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, 165 W. 65th St. (B'way), 875-5370; Sun. at 11:30 & 2, $12, $6 child. 4-14.

 

THREE BEARS & A BABE

Musical fairy tale for children; Vital Theater, 432 W. 42nd St., 3rd Fl. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.), 592-4508; Sat. at 11 a.m., $8 [through 11/20].

 

WEST END CHILDREN'S THEATER

Magic Al entertains audience with magic, stories & fun at West End, 2911 B'way (betw. 114th & 113th Sts.), rsvp 877-6115; Sat. at 1:30, $12.