BOOKS

MO HOPPING
Mo Willems reads from and gives a drawing demonstration based on his book “Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale” (Hyperion), which tells of the horror of a lost stuffed animal. Saturday, 11 a.m., Barnes & Noble Upper East Side, 240 E. 86th St. at Second Avenue, 212-794-1962, free.

GARDENING

HERB BLURB
Horticulturalist Cynthia Reed teaches a herbology class that teaches children ages 7 and older (and their parents) how to make dream pillows, charm bags, and lotions with herbs. Workshop topics include transplanting and caring for herbs, harvesting the plants, and how to prepare them in traditional “medicine-woman” style. Saturdays, October 9 and 23, November 13 and 20, and December 4, 1-2 p.m., Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St. at Dahlia Avenue, Flushing, Queens, 718-886-3800, $10 each class, $5 members, registration not required.

HEALTH

SMART SET
A free demonstration of SMART – Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques – for children and teens introduces the method to stressed-out young people. SMART-4-Kidz is an after-school program of yoga-inspired poses, breathing exercises, storytelling, and other techniques intended to encourage concentration and calmness. Wednesday, 3:30-4:30 and 4:40-5:30 p.m., ArtsCetera, 212 Smith St., between Butler and Baltic streets, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Also: Thursday, 4-5 and 5-6 p.m., Namaste Yoga, 77th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, 212-595-5439, free, reservations requested.

WALKING TALL
The Go Kids! weekend launches a national children’s health initiative undertaken by six leading children’s museums. The first 2,000 visitors receive a free pedometer. Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave. at St. Marks Avenue, 718-735-4400, $4.

NATURE

RAINBOW BRIGHT
One of the American Museum of Natural History’s most popular exhibits, the Butterfly Conservatory, arrives at the museum for the seventh year in a row. The spectacular exhibit features more than 400 live, free-flying butterflies housed in a walk-in vivarium. The tropical collection will fly all the way through fall, winter, and spring. Opens: Saturday. Runs: Saturday through Monday, May 30, daily, 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m., American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, 212-769-5200, $12 general, $9 students and seniors, $7 children.

SCHOOL

GETTING IN
Parents who are interested in enrolling their children in gifted and talented programs and high-performing elementary schools can attend a workshop in getting into the city’s best public schools. Topics include an overview of some of Manhattan’s school districts, the qualities that gifted and talented programs look for in candidates, and how to improve a child’s chances of admission. All attendees at the Smart City Kids workshop receive a copy of “Getting in: Parent’s Survival Kit for getting into New York City’s Best Public Schools.” Wednesday, 6-8:30 p.m., Friends Seminary, 222 E. 16th St. at Third Avenue, 212-979-1829, $195.

THEATER

PRINCESSES IN TRAINING
The new World of Disney store includes “Cinderella’s Princess Court,” an interactive show that lets young girls become princesses through music, storytelling, and games. At the end of the show, each participant is crowned a princess by Cinderella herself. Opens to the public: Wednesday. Runs: Mondays-Saturdays, 12:15, 1:45, 5, and 6:30 p.m., Sundays, 1:15, 2:45, and 4:45 p.m., World of Disney, Fifth Avenue and 55th Street, 212-702-0704, $80 general, $75 online.

WRITING

DIGGING FOR STORIES
A workshop in “Writing the Possible Past” teaches children ages 8 to 10 the elements of fiction writing and helps them produce their own short stories. This is no lecture, though: Students should dress for the weather, bring a small digging tool, and come prepared to act like archeologists in order to write the history of an “unknown people.” Writer and former archeologist Zach Zorich and Jason Kellermeyer lead the class, which takes place at 826NYC, a nonprofit writing center. Saturdays, October 9 and 16, 2-4 p.m., 826NYC, 372 Fifth Ave., between 5th and 6th streets, Park Slope, Brooklyn, 718-499-9884, free. To sign up, parents should send an email toworkshops@826nyc.org,including the student’s name, age, and school, and the parent’s name and phone number. See www.826nyc.org for more information.

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