Family Activities CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY Conservancy offers basketball, climbing ...
CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY
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.
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG
Lands in his new dog house at the just-opened Scholastic Store in Soho. They'll be birthday cake eating (Mon. at 10), readings from Clifford's Spring Clean-Up (Tues. at 11), workshops & more?plus they really do trot out a giant red inflated dog; 557 B'way (betw. Prince & Spring Sts.), 212-343-6166; call for info, free [through 3/8].
FAMILY ART PROJECT
Observe spiders close up & then make your own "Spider's Dream Catcher" to bring home; 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].
FREE FAMILY PROGRAM
The New-York Historical Society feat. weekly series for families. This week, learn the history of clothing during "Weaving Wonders" workshop; 2 W. 77th St. (Central Pk. W.), 212-873-3400; Sat. at 11, free w/mus. adm.
LEARN TO PLAY CHESS
Chess-in-the-Schools-Program sponsors 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 3/30].
OH TODAY WE'LL MERRY, MERRY BE
Purim celebration w/kids acting out the Book of Esther biblical story, plus sing-a-long, costumes & charity projects; Museum of Jewish Heritage, 18 First Pl. (Battery Pl.), 212-945-0039; Sun. 1-3, free w/mus. adm.
OPEN KITCHEN
Afternoon of movement w/dance ensemble Magbana; The Kitchen, 512 W. 19th St. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.), 212-255-5793; Sat. at 1, $10, $5 kids.
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].
SATURDAYS ALIVE!
Family events incl. "Muppets Make Puppets" workshop (12:30, $2) & dance performance by Diane Scott (12:30, $2); later on, puppeteer Michael Cooper tells traditional tales (Sat. at 3, $6); Arts Connection, 120 W. 46th St. (betw. 6th Ave. & B'way), 212-302-7433; Sat.
Things to See & Hear
CIRCUS
Over-the-top puppet/theater buffoonery about an 83-year-old tightrope walker & his grandson; The New Victory Theater, 209 W. 42nd St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-239-6200; Fri. at 7, Sat. at 2 & 7, Sun. at 12 & 5, $10-$20 [through 3/18].
FROG & THE TOAD
Inspired by the classic book, theatrical performance is part of Family Folk & Fairy Tale Series at Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St. (betw. Greenwich & West Sts.), 212-346-8510; Sat. at 1:30, $13, $8 kids.
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.
JUST KIDDING
Monthly performing arts series for children screens Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, starring Dick Van Dyke; 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? 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 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].
MUSICAL MADNESS
Dan Zanes & the Rocket Ship Review perform for families at the Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 W. 83rd St. (betw. B'way & Amsterdam Ave.), 212-721-1233; Sun. at 1:30 & 3, free w/mus. adm.
PUPPET PLAYHOUSE
Penny Jones & Co. make a storybook come alive during "Peppi & the Pop-Up Dragon" puppet show; 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].
REEL TO REAL FOR KIDS
Family series pres. "Jump & Swing" w/Ann Hampton Callaway feat. rare footage from early swing films like Hellzapoppin'; Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, 165 W. 65th St. (B'way), 212-875-5370; Sun. at 11:30 & 2, $15, $7.50/under 14.
THEATERWORKS/USA 20001
Weekly performance for young audiences (ages 5 & up) incl. "Ramona Quimby," based on Beverly Cleary classic; 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.
"Mortimer, The Lazy Bird," addresses the friendship between a bird & worm (Sat. at 11 & 1); "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," adapted from Mark Twain's short story (Sun. at 12); Vital Theater Company, 432 W. 42nd St. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.), 212-592-4508; $10.
WARM, WILD & WONDERFUL AT GEO ZOOM
Special holiday programming feat. Kwanza celebrations (apparently Kwanza 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].
YENTL
Film stars Barbra Streisand, disguised as a boy in order to study Torah, screens in honor of Purim; Museum of Jewish Heritage, 18 First Pl. (Battery Pl.), 212-945-0039; Mon. at 6:30, free w/mus. adm.