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, always free for those 16 & under & Tuesdays are free all day. "Blooming Lights" light up the Garden with holiday displays, entertainment & refreshments [Weds.-Sun. 5:30-9, through 1/2, $5, $2 child./s.c.]; Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave. (Eastern Pkwy.), 718-623-7200; 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 & birthday parties. On Saturday, explore the world of sand during "Sand Casting & Creating Workshop" with Andrea Guttman (1-4); 182 Lafayette St. (betw. Broome & Grand Sts.), 274-0986; Weds. 12-7, Thurs.-Sun., 12-5, $5, s.c. & kids under 1 are free.

 

NY BOTANICAL GARDENS

"A Victorian Holiday" celebrates the holidays with a 30-foot glowing tree, miniature trains, caroling & holiday puppet show. Watch bunnies skate & ice fish at "City Bunnies' Winter Wonderland" [through 1/9]. Get your picture taken with Thomas the Tank Engine from Fox [call for times, through 1/9]; NY Botanical Garden, 200th St. (Southern Blvd.), Bronx, 718-817-8773; noon-5, free w/grounds adm., free after 4.

 

Activities

CALENDAR CREATIONS: HELLO YEAR 2000!

Paint scenery from Wave Hill for a 2000 calendar; Kerlin Learning Center at Wave Hill, 675 W. 252nd St. (Indep. Ave.), Bronx, 718-549-3200; Sat. & Sun. 1-4, free w/grounds adm.

 

kids in the kitchen

Poetry & performance workshop for teens, hosted by Annie Lanzillotto & Treva Offutt; The Kitchen, 512 W. 19th St. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.), 255-5793; Sat. 2-4, free.

 

1000 PAPER CRANES

Celebrate the holidays with a stroll through the church to see Keith Harring's silver-toned-triptych & a huge tree covered with paper cranes, then make your own to take home; Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Ave. (112th St.), 932-7347; Sat. 10-12, $5.

 

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.; Weds. 3:30-5:30, free [through 12/22].

 

TEA WORKSHOP

Learn about "tea culture" & brew tea from leaves, roots & plants?ages 7 & up; Dana Discovery Center, Harlem Meer in Central Park, 110th St. (5th Ave.), rsvp 860-1370; Sat. 1-2:30, free.

 

WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR TEENS

Learn how to generate ideas & explore different writing styles with filmmaker K. Wise during today's "Casting Your Net" workshop (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 12/20].

 

Things to See & Hear

ARTIME

Every Saturday Sensation artist, Rachel Whiteread leads 90-minute gallery tour, discussion & activities in Chelsea; meet at Luhring Augustine, 531 W. 24th St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.) 718-797-1573, res. req.; 11 a.m., $20 per child & adult, $5 each add. child. [through 12/18].

 

BIG APPLE CIRCUS

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

 

HOLIDAY PUPPET THEATER

Ralph Lee pres. The Little Engine That Could at NY Botanical Garden; 200th St. (Southern Blvd.), Bronx, 718-817-8700; Sat. & Sun. at 1, 2 & 3, $2 [through 1/2].

 

MISS MAJESTY'S LOLLIPOP PLAYHOUSE

Santa & the Snow Queen (1:30) & The Three Bears' First Chanukah (3:30); Grove St. Playhouse, 39 Grove St. (betw. Bleecker & Hudson Sts.), rsvp 741-6436; Sat. & Sun., $8.50 [through 1/2].

 

NEW YORK NEW YEAR

TADA! youth theater's musical celebration of NYC; TADA! Theater, 120 W. 28th St. (betw 6th & 7th Aves.), 627-1732; Fri. at 7, Sat. & Sun. at 2 & 4, $12, $6 child. [through 1/17].

 

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].

 

RUMPLE WHO?

Musical adaptation of Rumplestilskin; Thirteenth St. Rep, 50 W. 13th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 675-6677; Sat. & Sun. at 1, $7 [through 1/22].

 

SONY WONDER

Sony hosts holiday activities for families. This week, screening of the classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; Sony Plaza, 550 Madison Ave. (55th St.), 883-8100; Sat. & Sun. at 2 & 4, free.

 

SUN SETS AT THE CASTLE

Learn how sunsets occur with Central Park Conservatory, then watch one from the roof of Belvedere Castle, Central Park (midpark at 81st St.), 772-0120; Sat. at 3:15, free.

 

WISEACRE FARM

Marianna Loosemore directs production about Clifford the Pig's birthday; Thirteenth St. Rep, 50 W. 13th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 675-6677; Sat. & Sun. at 11 a.m., $7 [through 1/22].

 

WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Part of "Just Kidding!" series at Symphony Space, 2537 B'way (95th St.), 864-5400 or www.symphonyspace.org; Sat. at 11 a.m., $8.