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 the arts

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. Opening of "Stories from Tibet" exhibit feat. drawings of Panchen Lama, 11-year-old abducted political prisoner [Thurs. 6-8]. Sat. & Sun. celebrate Tibetan culture [12-5]; 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

KISS ME KATE

Theater production to benefit The Manhattan League of Helen Keller Services of the Blind programs for children, preceded by cocktails (5:15) & dinner (6:15) at Barbetta; Martin Beck Theater, 302 W. 45th St. (8th Ave.), 285-7029 for res. & info; Fri. at 8, $175-$300.

 

MINI MARATHON

Former NYC Marathon runners offer tips for kids; Great Hill in Central Park, 1106h St. (Central Park W.), 860-1370, reg. req.; Weds. 10-12, free.

 

MONUMENTAL STATUES

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

 

OPERATION CHICKEN SOUP

Teens gather to prepare & deliver kosher food to those in need; Jewish Community Center, 15 W. 65th St. (betw. Central Pk. W. & B'way), 580-0099; Thurs., call for info.

 

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].

 

SATURDAYS ALIVE!

Family events incl. reading with author Faith Ringgold & Diane Wolkstein (12-1), "Muppets Make Puppets" with artists from The Jim Henson Foundation (12:30-2:30), "Make a Pop-up Book" (12:30-2:30) & black light production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar & the Very Quiet Cricket (3-4); Arts Connection, 120 W. 46th St. (betw. 6th Ave. & B'way), 302-7433 ext.1440; Sat., $2-$6.

 

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

BIG APPLE CIRCUS

Annual gala held Fri. at 6 feat. new production of Bello & Friends; 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].

 

CAROLINE KIDS KLUB

See dancing, miming & acrobatics during Super Silly Circus at Caroline's Comedy Club, 1626 B'way (49th St.), 757-4100 res. req.; Sat. & Sun. at 2, $14.

 

CHILDREN'S HEALTH SERIES

Series of five discussions focuses on children's health issues. Today, orthopedic surgeon Lon Weiner, MD, on "Sports Medicine: Maximizing Performance, Minimizing Injury;" 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 996-1100; Sun. at 2, $20.

 

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. at 3:30, Sun. at 2, $8, $6 kids.

 

FILMS AT MOMA

Ellen Besen's Sea Dream & Gene Deitch's Where the Wild Things Are?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.

 

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].

 

RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR

Radio City Rockettes, dancers & Santa Claus continue to entertain families during a 90 minute production feat. "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].

 

RAGGEDY ANN

Meet the red hair wonder for storytime at Borders, 461 Park Ave. (57th St.), 980-6785; Thurs. at 10 a.m., free.

 

RAISING AN ONLY CHILD

Patti Wolamn offers advice to parents at 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 996-1100; Thurs. at 8 p.m., $20 per family.

 

READINGS AT BOOKS OF WONDER

Joan Aiken reads from new works incl. Nightbirds on Nantucket (Thurs. 6-8) & John Scieskza, author of The Stinky Cheese Man & Other Stupid Tales reads from new work entitled It's All Greek to Me; Books of Wonder, 16 W. 18th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 989-3270; free.

 

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

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

 

YUEH LUNG SHADOW THEATER

Learn ancient legends of the East through puppetry, part of "Super Saturday Family Performance" at Guggenheim Museum, 1071 5th Ave. (88th St.), 423-3587; Sat. at 4, free w/mus. adm.