ART

COURTYARD CONSTRUCTION
The next installment of the Metropolitan Museum’s drop-in program “How Did They Do That?” focuses on the Chinese Garden Court. The museum’s garden court is a replica of a 17th-century courtyard in Suzhou in southern China. Saturday, 1-4 p.m., Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. at 82nd Street, 212-570-3961, $15 general, $10 seniors, $7 students, free for children under 12 and members.

WHEN PIGS FLY
Modernist painter Milton Avery (1885-1965) painted the illustrations in the exhibit “Milton Avery: The Flying Pig and Other Winged Creatures” at the encouragement of his friend Mark Rothko. Avery created the works to accompany a text by children’s author Karla Kuskin. The story features a flying pink pig, a giant caterpillar, a singing cat, and a young boy. It will be published again this year under the title “The Flying Pig and Other Winged Creatures.” The works in the exhibit, which include drypoints, woodcuts, and gouache paintings, are on view publicly for the first time. Through Friday, May 27, Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, 1-6 p.m., New York Public Library, Stokes Gallery, third floor, Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, 212-869-8089, free.

CREATIVE CHILDREN
“Through Kids’ Eyes: Exploring the Creative Process” features interactive paintings and sculptures that children can touch, hear, and even smell. Curator Cheryl McGinnis collaborated with artists including Mary Ting, who contributed a Chinese cut-paper installation; Margaret Evangeline, who works with aluminum; and Tony Gonzales, who made photographic three-dimensional Banyan trees. Each work is accompanied by companion pieces that explain the artist’s inspiration and the steps they took to create the piece. Several artworks allow viewers to add their own contributions. The exhibit is a production of the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts. Through Thursday, June 12, open daily, noon-5 p.m., Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Boulevard at Linden Place, Flushing, Queens, 718-463-7700 ext. 222, free.

BENEFIT

CONEY ISLAND IN MANHATTAN
The Children’s Museum of the Arts will be decked out like the Coney Island boardwalk for a family benefit and art auction. There will be Nathan’s hotdogs, steel drumming by Dane Gulfson, carnival rides, and games, and, for parents, beer from the Brooklyn Brewery. Kimberly Marrero conducts a fine-art auction that benefits the museum’s education programs. A sneak-peek cocktail party takes place the night before (Thursday, 7-9 p.m.). Friday, 4-8 p.m., Children’s Museum of the Arts, 182 Lafayette St., between Grand and Broome streets, 212-274-0986 ext. 11, $75 general, $25 children.

BOOKS

TOOTH TRUTH
Actor Jason Alexander signs his children’s book “Dad, Are You the Tooth Fairy?” (Scholastic), about a young boy who needs his father’s reassurance to keep believing. Thursday, 1 p.m., Barnes & Noble Rockefeller Center, 600 Fifth Ave. at 48th Street, 212-765-0593, free. Also: Thursday, 6 p.m., Borders Books Time-Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle at 59th Street, 212-823-9775, free.

HUGS AND MANNERS
Author Karen Katz reads several of her children’s books at a story-time event for toddlers. Her books for preschoolers include “Daddy Hugs 1 2 3” (Margaret K. McElderry), “Excuse Me! A Little Book of Manners” (Grosset & Dunlap), and “Where Is Baby’s Belly Button?” (Little Simon). Saturday, 11 a.m., Bank Street Bookstore, 610 W. 112th St. at Broadway, 212-678-1654, free.

ART SMART
Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith give an illustrated reading and sign their children’s book, “Seen Art?” (Viking), about a young boy exploring the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The illustrations nod to the works of Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and others. (Saturday, 11:30 a.m., Museum of Modern Art, Roy and Niuta Titus 1 Theater, 11 W. 53rd St. at Fifth Avenue, 212-333-6570, reservations required by this evening.) The pair read from and sign the book later that day at an informal bookstore event (Saturday, 3-5 p.m., Books of Wonder, 18 W. 18th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-989-3270, free).

BIG SHOT
In the children’s baseball book “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World” (Simon & Schuster), the “shot” is Giant Bobby Thomson’s hit that ended the Brooklyn Dodgers’ hopes for the 1951 pennant. Phil Bildner reads from and signs his book, illustrated by C.F. Payne. Saturday, noon, Barnes & Noble Park Slope, 267 Seventh Ave. at 6th Street, 718-832-9066, free.

DESIGN

TIME FOR DESIGN
Cooper-Hewitt presents a design festival for families. Attendees can enjoy a clock-making workshop, architectural tours of the Carnegie Mansion and environs, music, and storytelling. Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden, 2 E. 91st St., between Fifth and Madison avenues, 212-849-8349, $20 general, $15 members’ children, free for one accompanying adult, $10 additional adults. Rain date: Sunday.

FESTIVALS

MATERFAMILIAS
The outdoor Mamapalooza festival celebrates all things maternal. There’s crafts, food, and performances by the Housewives on Prozac, Momsense, and the Motherlode Trio. Saturday, noon-4 p.m., Riverside Park South, enter at Hudson River at West 68th or West 72nd streets, call 311 for information, free. Please seemamapalooza.comfor the full schedule.

WILD THINGS
The Jewish Museum spotlights its exhibit of art by children’s illustrator Maurice Sendak. The “Sendak Spectacular” includes storytelling, the hands-on creation of a mural, and Jewish children’s musician Shira Kline performing the Sendak-inspired Carol King tunes “Really Rosie” and “Chicken Soup with Rice.” Sunday, noon-4 p.m., Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave. at 92nd Street, 212-423-3200, $4 each child.

FILM

SHORTS FOR SHORTIES
Ocularis presents an afternoon of early short films for children. The program includes George Melies’s “A Trip to the Moon” (1902), an excerpt from the Charlie Chaplin film “The Circus” (1928), and the Laurel and Hardy short “The Music Box” (1932). The associate curator of the department of film and media at the Museum of Modern Art, Charles Silver, introduces the screening. Sunday, 3 p.m., Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St., between Kent and Wythe avenues, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-782-5188, $6.

THEATER

HAIR-RAISING
The new all-ages production at the Manhattan Children’s Theatre is a twist on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Rapunzel.” In this musical version, the long-haired captive and her rescuer, who is not who he seems to be, work together to defeat the witch. Saturday and Sunday, noon and 2 p.m., Manhattan Children’s Theatre, 380 Broadway at White Street, 212-226-4085 for information, 212-352-3101 for tickets, $15 general, $10 children.

WORKSHOP

WRITING FOR CHILDREN
Authors Eric Suben and Maureen Johnson conduct a workshop on writing children’s books. The event is presented in conjunction with the Gotham Writer’s Workshop. Saturday, 2 p.m., New York Public Library, South Court Auditorium, Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, 212-930-0641, free.

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