BIG SWIM
Free organized swim event for kids ages 6 to 16 in NYC's only 50-meter Olympic size pool?all swimmers will be congratulated by Olympians (Sat.); In conjunction w/the Big Swim, Asphalt Green hosts dinner/dance & rock 'n' roll musical aqua show to benefit the Waterproofing program (Mon.); 800-NYC-SWIM for more info.
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.
CINÉKIDS
New film series for kids feat. "Blink!: The Art of Moving Pictures," in which childrens' drawing come to life; Guggenheim Museum, 1071 5th Ave. (88th St.), 212-423-3840; Sat. at 12, free w/mus. adm.
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.
DROP-IN WORKSHOPS
Museum educator conducts weekly program for families. This week, create a puppet during "Puppets" workshop; 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].
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.
FOCUS ON PHOTOGRAPHY!
Families explore images by Andreas Gursky then venture outdoors to document what they see w/their own camera; Museum of Modern Art, 18 W. 54th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-708-9805, res. req.; Sat. 9:30-11:30 a.m., $20 per family.
JACK & JILL SPRING FAIR
Games, hayride & performance by Imagination Workshop Band at 2; 209 E. 16th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-475-0855; Sat. 12-4, $3.
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.
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.
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.
PROGRAMS IN THE PLAYGROUND
Series continues w/drumming, masks, music & movement plus reading of On the Wings of a Story, which incorporates exerts from two stories; Prospect Park's Imagination Playground, Ocean Ave. (Lincoln Rd.) Bklyn., 718-965-8943; Sat. at 3.
SONY WONDER
Sony hosts weekly activities for families. This week, "Create Your Own Circuit-Wear" for every child's techno-fashion wardrobe (Sat. & Sun. 2-5, $5); Plus, screening of Little Women (Thurs. at 6, free); 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.
TERRARIUM FUN
Conservatory staff teaches kids of all ages how to make a well balanced ecosystem w/plants & flowers; Henry Luce Observatory, Belvedere Castle, Central Park, 79th St. (midpark), 212-772-0210, reg. req.; Sat. at 1, free.
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, free [through 4/29].
WAMPUM MAKING
Learn how to make beads from 17th & 18th centuries; King Manor Museum, Jamaica Ave. (betw. 150th St. & 153rd St.); 718-206-0545; Sat. 12-4, $1-$2.
Things to See & Hear
FAMILY MUSIC DAY
Musical versions (w/interpretation) of classics such as Little Red Riding Hood; Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 157 W. 57th St. (7th Ave.), 212-697-2949; Sun. 10:30-1, call for price.
HISTORIC TIME MACHINE
The 48-foot interactive machine comes to the Children's Museum, 212 W. 83rd St. (betw. B'way & Amsterdam Ave.), 212-721-1234; Sat. & Sun. 10-5, free w/mus. adm.
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
The Princess & the Pea (1:30); Pinnochio (3:30); Grove St. Playhouse, 39 Grove St. (betw. Hudson & Bleecker Sts.), RSVP 212-741-6436; Sat. & Sun., $8.50 [through 6/17].
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 5/29].
POETRY READING FOR KIDS BY KIDS!
Celebrate national poetry month w/kids 6 & up; Bank St. Bookstore, W. 112th St. (B'way), 212-678-1654; Sat. 1-3, free.
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].
REEL TO REAL FOR KIDS
In honor of the 437th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, this family series pres. "The Bard's Birthday Bash" w/screen footage, live reenactments & excerpts from popular Shakespearean plays; 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.
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 Circle of Thanks about survival in the Alaskan tundra (Thurs. at 4) plus Miss Spider's Tea Party (Sat. at 12) at Scholastic Store, 557 B'way (betw. Prince & Spring Sts.), 212-343-6166; free.
TRANSIENT GLORY: THE VOICES OF CHILDREN
Concert feat. Young People's Chorus of NYC; 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 212-415-5500; Sat. at 8, $25, $12.50 s.c., $5 st.
YOUNG ARTISTS OF TOMORROW
Local teen dance & theater groups perform, dance party follows, as part of Local Produce 2001 Festival; Old First Church, 7th Ave. (Carroll St.), Bklyn., 718-857-5158; Fri. at 7:30, $15.
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.