Gallery Valentine, a contemporary art gallery with space in East Hampton and Bridgehampton, will have a silent auction Saturday for Project Rousseau at its East Hampton location at 63 Main Street.

    Project Rousseau is a nonprofit organization that pairs college students with talented but underprivileged high school students in order to optimize their educational development and best prepare them for college. The nonprofit provides scholarships as well as other mentoring programs, which include S.A.T. preparation, job shadowing and pen pal programs, and enrichment electives to give “students the opportunity to reach their full educational potential.”

    Alexandra Fairweather, who is a serving mentor for the project, is Gallery Valentine’s director and also sits on Project Rousseau’s board, allowing her to help create the partnership. Ms. Fairweather spoke of a student she mentors who got essay, résumé, and S.A.T. help that enabled him to score “several hundred points higher than was his previous score” on the S.A.T. and was accepted into New York University.

    Auction items for the event will include a $500 gift certificate and a personal styling session from Saks Fifth Avenue, a $250 gift certificate and personal styling session from Intermix, a three-month membership to Equinox Gym, and a weekend stay for two at the Lowell Hotel in New York City, among other inviting items. The silent auction will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Those planning to attend have been asked to R.S.V.P. by today to [email protected] or by calling the gallery in East Hampton.    M.S.

    The Ross School will start this year’s Adult Learning @ Ross program on Wednesday. Residents can enroll in a variety of courses — painting and drawing, bridge, ceramics, creative writing, sewing, jewelry design, journal writing, poetry, foreign languages, media, defensive driving, feng shui, belly dancing, and hypnosis, among other offerings. The courses cost from $35 to $750.

    The adult classes will be held on weekday evenings or Saturday mornings at the Upper School campus in East Hampton this fall — with some sessions continuing into January and February.

    The school will begin another of its programs, Afternoons @ Ross, on Sept. 17. Students ages 5 and up can enroll in classes that include art, dance, gymnastics, noncompetitive athletics, theater, robotics, and more. Under the direction of the school’s faculty and other instructors, the courses will convene during after-school hours at the Lower School campus in Bridgehampton as well as the Upper School. Many of the classes, which range in cost from $240 to $725, can be taken in the fall or the winter.

    More information can be had by calling 907-5555 or visiting ross.org/community.

    With a new school year under way, the Child Development Center of the Hamptons has appointed a new leader. Patricia A. Loewe, who has more than 20 years of combined classroom and administrative experience, replaces Maria A. Taliercio as the school’s education leader. For the past eight years, Mrs. Loewe worked for the Montauk School District, where she was the director for pupil personnel services. She lives in Springs.

    Dawn Zimmerman founded the school in 1997 after her son was diagnosed with autism. For many East Hampton Town residents, the school’s Wainscott location is a welcome alternative to daily bus rides west to the Eastern Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services.

    A charter school, C.D.C.H. now enrolls 130 children from preschool through grade five. Besides children with autism, the school also provides services to special education students and gifted students.

    “I am very excited to have joined C.D.C.H. and look forward to working closely with the students and teachers to enrich the educational experience for each child,” Mrs. Loewe said in an e-mailed statement. “I am so impressed by the academic excellence that C.D.C.H. has achieved over the years, and I am committed to implementing teaching strategies that continue to result in successful outcomes for every student at C.D.C.H.”

    Heavy rain and overcast skies greeted teachers and students returning to school this week. Overnight, there was an abrupt change from the idyllic days of summer to the new demands, and earlier bedtimes, of the oncoming fall. At the South Fork’s public schools, where teachers reported for duty on Tuesday and students returned yesterday, new faces and high expectations ruled the day.

    During a breakfast Tuesday morning for teachers and administrators, Richard Burns, the East Hampton School District’s superintendent, waxed philosophical. 

    He first spoke about the impermanence of life. “It also holds true for students in our classes,” said Mr. Burns. “The time we have with them is so brief.” Time and again, he emphasized the power of the classroom to transform young minds. “Let’s all agree that we can make a difference in the lives of students,” Mr. Burns said. “Let’s all unite with a promise that we will give our best to our children every day.”

    At that evening’s East Hampton School Board meeting, Mr. Burns ticked off the numbers of enrolled students to date; more will trickle in over the coming days and weeks. Between the elementary, middle, and high school, the district will accommodate nearly 1,900 students. The high school, as of Tuesday night, had registered 919 students, an increase of 22 over the previous year.

    At the East Hampton Middle School, 347 students were registered for the first day of classes, 8 more than last year. At John M. Marshall Elementary School, on the other hand, enrollment was down by four, with 622 students set to begin.

    In addition to announcing Robert Tymann as the district’s new assistant superintendent, Mr. Burns introduced each of the three principals to highlight staffing changes that had occurred over the summer.

    Gina Kraus, in her first full year as principal of John M. Marshall, expressed excitement that Keith Malsky, formerly the middle school principal, was now associate principal. While Daniel Hartnett will return to his former post as the district’s bilingual social worker, he will now work out of the elementary school for ease of access to parents and students in need of his services.

    In other staffing news, Diane Curtin will work full-time at the elementary school, Kristina Rozzi is back to teaching kindergarten, and Taryn Brennan will now teach second grade. Amy Christensen and Jonathan Bowe have joined the staff as leave replacements in the first and fourth grade, respectively. Finally, Barbara Bock and Barbara Murray will work as paraprofessionals.

    Ms. Kraus said her building was at capacity, with five classes in each grade. Kindergarten classes range in size from 18 to 20 students, but the fifth grade has swelled to around 24 to 25 students per class. In addition to implementing a new math curriculum, her teachers are simultaneously transitioning to a new “balanced literacy” program.

    Charles Soriano, the principal of the Middle School, announced that John Ryan would return as a sixth-grade teacher and Christine Sullivan as a paraprofessional. Sherri Ross, he said, will now report to the main office. Dr. Soriano was enthusiastic about the appointment of Phillip Pratt, who will serve as assistant principal for both the high school and middle school.

    Finally, after praising the hard-working custodial staff of East Hampton High School, its principal, Adam Fine, announced two new appointments: Heather Dodge to the foreign language department and Sheila Batiste to the art department. Bridget LeRoy will be the district’s new public relations consultant and Anthony Hayes the district-wide nighttime custodian.

    Mr. Fine described his core academic classes as “bursting at the seams,” with up to 27 students per class. While AP Statistics attracted just a handful of students and is therefore being canceled, 31 students are set to begin AP Calculus. Among his goals for the year, Mr. Fine said he aimed to make every student “college- and career-ready.”

    Eric Casale, principal of the Springs School, similarly expressed excitement and optimism about the upcoming year.

    “We want every child to leave here in June at a much higher level than when they entered,” he said. “We want our kids to leave here as critical leaders.”

    Enrollment at Springs is 629 to date, about a dozen more students than were enrolled at this time last year. But with several others still finalizing their registration, Mr. Casale predicted the number might eventually top 640.

    Mr. Casale, who is in his eighth year at Springs, described a shifting demographic in recent years as more Spanish-speaking students have enrolled. “It was 36 percent when I got here and now it’s at 49 percent, with the younger grades a little bit higher,” he said. As in East Hampton, the average class size has increased.

    Because of budget constraints, only three new staff members will join the school this year. Besides Dominic Mucci as its new superintendent and Katherine Byrnes as its new assistant principal, Springs added one teaching assistant, and only to fill an existing vacancy.

    Back in East Hampton, overseeing a smaller district is partly what attracted Mr. Tymann to his new role as assistant superintendent. For the past three years, he was the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in the Lindenhurst School District, which has nearly 7,000 students. He pointed to the new common-core curriculum and a new state-mandated evaluation system for teachers and administrators as challenges in the year ahead.

    Early Tuesday morning, Mr. Tymann jotted down a remark that his boss, Mr. Burns, had made to teachers and administrators, saying he hoped it might provide inspiration. It was an excerpted quote from John Maynard Keynes: “The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas, but in escaping from the old ones.”

    “It really sums up where education is at today,” reflected Mr. Tymann. “We have a ton of work to do and a lot of change that the state is requiring. But if we do it right, it will be a very good thing for the students.”

    After several months of interviews and a new administrative model, the Springs School Board announced on Friday that Dominic Mucci, the Springs superintendent from 1999 to 2002, will return to the role as interim superintendent, effective July 2.

    In a release, the school board president, Kathee Burke Gonzalez, said, “We are thrilled to have Dominic back serving in the new role of part-time superintendent. Dom is a professional committed to excellence. He brings energy, passion, and a wealth of experience back to Springs. He knows our district and is familiar with the issues we face, including the complexities of working under the 2-percent tax levy cap. With Dom’s 12 years of experience as a superintendent, he should prove to be an outstanding mentor for our principal, Eric Casale. The team of Dominic and Eric promises to be a dynamic force at Springs next year.”

    “It’s not often in your career that you get a second chance,” Mr. Mucci said on Friday evening. “Last time I was here, I was just a puppy.”

    “I’m thrilled to death,” he said, as he signed his new contract with the school board.

    Mr. Mucci’s role as part-time superintendent is part of a new initiative at Springs to create a different administrative model, one that also includes a full-time assistant principal, who is yet to be named. Mr. Mucci retired from the North Bellmore school district in 2008 and then served as superintendent for the Englewood Cliffs school system in New Jersey. He and his wife, Debi Holmes-Mucci, who was known as “Miss Debi” and formerly operated a dance school in East Hampton, already have a home in Springs.

    The departing Mr. Hartner’s most recent salary was $190,000 a year, not including benefits, retirement package, and health insurance, which brought the total closer to $238,000. Mr. Mucci is beginning his re-entry to Springs at $105,000, without additional benefits, sick days, insurance, or pension program.

    Between the heat and the thunderstorms, East Hampton High School’s 2012 commencement ceremony was held on Saturday in perfect weather, under a tent on the front lawn of the Long Lane location.

    At 11 a.m. the graduates, in the requisite maroon robes, filed into the tent, led by the faculty and administrators, also in robes. Adam Fine, the school’s principal, was the first to take the podium and welcome “our guest of honor: the class of 2012.”

    He described the graduates as “respectful, hard-working, and passionate” and referred to the “diverse student body.”

    “We are Amagansett, East Hampton, Springs, Montauk, Sagaponack, and Wainscott,” he said to one of many outbursts of applause. Referring to the community service performed by the exiting seniors, Mr. Fine said, “This class clearly thinks more of others than of themselves.”

    He stressed to the graduates that rather than focus on the tests they’ve taken over the past four years — “God knows you’ve taken enough of them” — they should instead concentrate on the “special moments” they have experienced during their high school years.

    “Now go forward,” he urged. “And although we will always be here for you, don’t look back.” He paused. “But you can visit!”

    “If you don’t listen to what is whispering to you, who will?” said Tania Uruchima, the class salutatorian. “Find your life’s worth, and don’t be afraid to let yourself grow,” she told her classmates.

    “Four years ago we came to East Hampton High School as a segregated unit,” Cameron Yusko, the valedictorian, said. “Today we stand as one. The best is yet to come.”

    As the students came up to receive their diplomas, each of them placed a string of beads around Mr. Fine’s neck, continuing a tradition of giving  the principal a departing token of appreciation.

    “We leave here today proud to be called Bonackers,” Cameron said.

Family Fun at CMEE

    The Children’s Museum of the East End will host its annual family fair, called CMEE in the Great Outdoors, on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  The fair, the museum’s largest fund-raiser of the year, is a day of nature-themed arts and crafts, water slides, entertainment, games, music, food, and more. Tickets bought in advance start at $150 for adults and $100 for children, and increase by $25 each at the door.  CMEE is at 376 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike in Bridgehampton.

Kids at Guild Hall

    KidFEST at Guild Hall will present a hands-on arts and crafts workshop on Wednesday from 3:30-4:30 p.m., for children age 5 and up. Tickets are $10; $8 for members.

    Also on Wednesday, the summer’s second KidFEST will feature Mr. Molecule’s Science Show, with performances at 1:30 p.m. and again at 5. Mr. Molecule uses science, magic, puppets, and audience participation in a fast-paced and highly visual demonstration of core-curriculum science principles. The show is recommended for children ages 4 to 12. Tickets are $16 for adults or $14 for adult members; $13 for children or $11 for the children of members.  A four-hour video workshop for ages 10 to 13 will be held on Friday, July 20, starting at noon. Students will use Flip cameras and tour Guild Hall’s current “ESCAPE: Video Art” exhibit. The workshop is free, but reservations must be made in advance by e-mailing [email protected].

By Air, Sea, and on Film

    The Amagansett Library has a big new fish tank, where children can learn about local marine life. It will be on display all summer. Or, if they prefer to be aloft, they can imagine flying high in the sky as they take a story trip in a hot air balloon, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Kids can make a hot air balloon of their own following the story. The library will host G-rated movies each Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. for children of all ages. This week, “Secret World of Arrietty” will be shown. Movies for tweens, ages 8-12, will be shown on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. This coming week’s is “Dolphin Tale.”

Poetry for Teens

    An intensive poetry workshop with Erin White will be held at the John Jermain Memorial Library in Sag Harbor today and next Thursday from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. for those 12 to 18. The two-session workshop will explore poetry as an art form and consider sound, imagery, structure, and concise language. Both sessions will include sharing of individual work and writing prompts intended to expand participants’ understanding of poetry. Ms. White earned an M.F.A. in creative writing and literature from the State University at Stony Brook.

Eat What You Grow

    Ellen Greaves, a chef, will lead an interactive garden-to-table cooking workshop for children 8 to 12 on Wednesday at Bridge Gardens in Bridgehampton. Kids will harvest, prepare, and taste creations fresh from the garden, which is overseen by the Peconic Land Trust.

    The program, which runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m., costs $15 per child and is limited to 10 participants, with a parent or caregiver. Advance registration is required through the land trust.

Art in Springs

    Space is still available in the Community Arts Project’s art classes for kids at the Springs Presbyterian Church. The classes, taught by Roisin Bateman on Mondays and Tuesdays this month, are for kids 6 to 12 and cover all mediums and disciplines. There are morning sessions from 11 to noon and afternoon sessions from 2 to 3. The cost is $25. Reservations can be made by e-mailing Ms. Bateman at [email protected].

At the Goat

    Liz Joyce and a Couple of Puppets will present “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” today, tomorrow, and Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre in Sag Harbor. Next Thursday at the same time, Randy Kaplan will play music to appeal to kids as well as adults. He performs again on Friday, July 20, and July 21. Tickets for all performances are $10, $9 for members and grandparents, and $5 for children under 3. The theater is on East Union Street, behind Christ Episcopal Church.

Magic at John Jermain

    Allan Kronzek, a magician, will let a lucky few in on some of his trade secrets during a crash course in magic starting Monday at the John Jermain Memorial Library in Sag Harbor. The class is open to just 10 students, 12 and up, including adults, and will be held each Monday through Aug. 6 from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. Reservations are required.

“Shrew” Too

    The Hamptons Shakespeare Festival will be at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center tonight at 7 to present a family performance of “The Taming of the Shrew.” Tickets cost $15.

Ahoy, Matey!

    Whether it’s tying knots, singing a sea chantey, or reading a treasure map, pirate wannabes can learn the ropes (or walk the plank) at Pirate Summer Camp offered at the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum Monday through Friday, July 27, and again from Aug. 13 to 17, from 1 to 3 p.m.

    During the weeklong program, designed for Kidds 6 to 12, campers will also learn about Long Island’s maritime history and prepare to stage a maritime musical accompanied by a pirate feast. The cost is $150 per week. Reservations can be made through the museum.

Make a Movie, Tame a Shrew

    Budding young filmmakers can work on an original production of their own during two workshops at Guild Hall starting on Monday. An introduction to filmmaking for children 8 to 11 will be offered Monday through Friday, July 27, from noon to 3 p.m. Students will learn what it takes to make a film, from development and writing to acting, cinematography, and editing. The cost is $300, or $280 for members.

    Older kids 12 to 15 will have the chance to write, shoot, and edit a short film next week during a five-day afternoon session that runs from 4:30 to 7:30. The intermediate workshop costs $400, or $380 for members. Both programs will culminate with a screening for friends and family on July 28. Advance registration is required.

    On Wednesday, the Hamptons Shakespeare Festival will make its way to the John Drew stage for a condensed family-friendly version of “The Taming of the Shrew” from 5 to 6 p.m. The show is recommended for kids 6 and older. The performance, part of the KidFest series, costs $16 for adults and $13 for kids, or $14 and $11 for members. An arts and crafts workshop for kids 5 and up will be held before the show from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The cost is $10, $8 for members.

At the Goat

    With releases like the blues CD “Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie,” Randy Kaplan plays music for kids that’s not just for kids, and today, tomorrow, and Saturday at 11 a.m. he’ll be doing his thing at the Goat on a Boat Puppet Theater in Sag Harbor. Tickets cost $10, $9 for members and grandparents, and $5 for kids under 3.

    Next Thursday, Friday, July 27, and July 28, puppets return to the theater for three performances of “Cinderella,” all at 11 a.m. The theater is on East Union Street next to Christ Episcopal Church.

Out of Your Gourd

    Sarah Shepherd, an herbalist, and Colette Gilbert, a storyteller and the curator of education for the East Hampton Historical Society, will help kids 5 to 10 years old make their own percussion instruments during Wednesday’s Fun on the Farm program at the Mulford Farm on James Lane. The program, which runs from 10 a.m. to noon, costs $20 per child. Advance registration has been requested.

Stimulating the Senses

    Jeff Negron, a gardener and educator, will head up a five-senses walk through Bridge Gardens in Bridgehampton for children ages 3 to 7 and their caregivers on Saturday from 9 to 10:30 p.m., weather permitting. Participants will taste, smell, and make dye from herbs, look for creatures that live in the garden, listen to the breeze rustling through the tall bamboo, and feel the many textures of the plants cultivated in the garden. There is a $5 fee for the program.

“Peter and the Wolf’”

    The young dancers of the Hampton Ballet Theatre School will be joined by the Hampton Chamber Orchestra when they present “Peter and the Wolf” at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center next Thursday and at the Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton on July 31. Melissa Errico, an actress, singer, and recording artist, will be the guest narrator for the Montauk performance, which will start at 7 p.m.

    Sara Jo Strickland, the school’s director, choreographed the ballet, and Yuka Silvera designed the costumes. Andrew Perea conducts the chamber orchestra. Tickets for next Thursday’s performance cost $15. For the CMEE show, tickets cost $17 in advance, $15 for members, and $20 at the door.

For Young Explorers

    Children who like exploring the natural world can indulge their curiosity during a series of nature safaris at the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton starting today. A shorter program for kids 3 to 5 will be held today and tomorrow from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and on Aug. 2 and 3 at the same times.

    Participants will go into the field to observe the plant and animal worlds around the museum and then conduct hands-on science investigations. The three-day programs for older kids cost $80, $65 for museum members. The program for younger children costs $60, or $45 for members.

    On Saturday at noon, Frank Quevedo, the museum’s executive director, will lead kids 8 and older in dissecting a small shark called a spiny dogfish. Kids will learn how to identify the fish’s anatomical parts and how it eats, swims, and “breathes.” A $20 materials fee will cover tools, gloves, and eye protection. That afternoon at 3:30, Crystal Possehl will introduce kids 4 to 10 to the creatures and sounds of the summer night. Advance registration is required.

Movies and Masks

    Parents who remember “The Borrowers,” about a family of teeny tiny people who borrow what they need from big folk, might appreciate Tuesday’s family movie at the Amagansett Library, “The Secret World of Arrietty,” an animated film based on the “Borrowers” story. The film will be shown at 3:30 p.m.

    The library’s “tween” movie on Wednesday at 6 p.m. will be “Hugo,” the 2011 feature directed by Martin Scorcese about an orphaned boy who lives secretly in a train station and keeps its clocks running.

    Children 5 and older can take part in a mask-making session at the library on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. Advance registration has been requested for most library programs.

Monster’s Lair

    Jason Edwards will lead kids 6 to 12 on a “monster hunt” through the John Jermain Memorial Library in Sag Harbor on Saturday morning from 10:30 to 11:45. Teams of hunters will use their library research skills to find hidden clues that will lead them to a monster lurking somewhere in the library. Advance registration is required.

CMEE Family Fair

    Kids can paint birdhouses, tackle a rock wall, plant a garden, bounce to their hearts’ delight, try out the water slide, go on a scavenger hunt, and hone their camping skills on Saturday at the Children’s Museum of the East End’s Great Outdoors Family Fair. The fund-raiser runs from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets in advance start at $150 for adults and $100 for children. At the door, people will pay $25 more.

    Inside the museum will be closed on Saturday. In case of rain, the fair will be held on Sunday. An incorrect date for the fair ran in last week’s issue.

“Peter” Times Two

    The young dancers of the Hampton Ballet Theatre School will stage two shows of “Peter and the Wolf” this week, with musical accompaniment by the Hampton Chamber Orchestra. The ballet will be performed tonight at 7 at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center, with narration by Melissa Errico, an actress, singer, and recording artist. Tickets cost $15.

    On Tuesday at 6 p.m., the show moves to the Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton, where Susan Galardi, a singer, songwriter, actor, and playwright, will be the guest narrator. Tickets cost $17 in advance, $15 for members, and $20 at the door.

Camp Shakespeare

    Shakespeare wrote that “All the world’s a stage,” and the Hamptons Shakespeare Festival will help children 8 to 15 prove him right during Camp Shakespeare, a theater program beginning on Monday at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Amagansett. The camp runs Monday to Friday through Aug. 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children can enroll for one or two weeks; the cost is $400 per week.

    Campers will do acting, improvisation, movement, and voice exercises as well as theatrical arts and crafts. Each week will culminate in a performance for friends and family. Advance registration is required by phone at 267-0105 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Oodles of Fables

    “Aesop Bops,” a funny, fast-paced collection of classic fables with plenty of audience participation, is the next offering in Guild Hall’s series of KidFest performances. The show, on Wednesday at 5 p.m., is ideal for all ages. In an arts and crafts workshop that day from 3:30 to 4:30, kids 5 and up will make edible art in the form of decorated cookies. The workshop costs $10, or $8 for members. The performance costs $16 for adults and $13 for kids, or $14 and $11 for Guild Hall members.

Free Swimming Classes

    Parents, mark your calendars, the East Hampton Town Recreation Department is offering free swimming classes for children 3 and older at Albert’s Landing beach in Amagansett from Aug. 6 through 17. Registration will take place at the beach that morning at 10. Parents have been asked to estimate their children’s swimming abilities, and children will be divided into classes based on that ability. Times vary throughout the day. Goggles and water shoes are required.

    On Mondays to Thursdays from Aug. 6 through 17, the department will offer sailing instruction at Fresh Pond in Amagansett for kids 12 and older and adults. Classes will run from 9 a.m. to noon or 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., with class size limited to 15 students. The cost is $200 per week. Advance registration is required at the Recreation Department, which is on Pantigo Road behind Town Hall.

Plover Day

    The Morton National Wildlife Refuge in Noyac is offering families a chance to learn about piping plovers and other endangered and threatened bird species on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be free games, crafts, puzzles, and prizes for kids, and information for visitors young and old about the importance of protecting these birds and the role the United States Fish and Wildlife Service plays in doing so.

The Princess and the Racer

    Princess Katie and Racer Steve, who play “fun, witty music that parents can enjoy with their kids,” according to their Web site, will get kids moving at the Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton on Tuesday. The duo and their band offer up kid-friendly rock, swing, reggae, country, funk, dance, and rockabilly tunes.

    The gate opens at 6 p.m. for this outdoor concert, part of the museum’s Twirligig Tuesdays series. Tickets cost $17 in advance, $15 for members, and $20 at the door for everyone. In case of rain, the show will be on Wednesday night.

This Time, With a Frog

    Liz Joyce and a Couple of Puppets will perform “The Princess, the Frog, and the Pea,” today, tomorrow, and Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre in Sag Harbor. The show, which is for all ages, features tabletop puppets made by Ms. Joyce telling stories that most kids know well.

    Next Thursday, Friday, Aug. 10, and Aug. 11 at the same time, Ms. Joyce and Abby Levin will bring “Puppets of the High Seas,” a tale about the importance of recycling, to the theater. Tickets to all shows cost $10, $9 for members and grandparents, and $5 for kids under 3. The theater is on East Union Street behind Christ Episcopal Church.

Congo Snake, Flamingo Limbo

    Jabali Acrobats, a team from Mombasa, Kenya, will show off their acrobatics, tumbling, human pyramids, contortions, and fantastic feats of chair balancing in a family program at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center next Thursday at 7 p.m.

    The audience has been advised to come ready to participate as the acrobats do the Congo Snake Dance, the Flaming Limbo Bar Dance, and Skip Rope Footwork. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased in advance by calling the Playhouse or visiting its Web site, montaukplayhouse.org.

Baby-Sitting 101

    Kids who have set their sights on baby-sitting as a way to raise some extra pocket money can learn some of the basic skills required for the job during a program at the Hampton Library in Bridgehampton on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.

    Taught by educators from the Cornell Cooperative Extension, the course will cover child safety, developmental stages, and planning age-appropriate activities for little ones. It is open to young people entering sixth grade and older. Advance registration is required with the library for this free course, which will run only if there are at least 10 participants registered.

    On Tuesday at the library, kids 5 to 8 can hear stories about the Tooth Fairy and make keepsake treasure boxes for their baby teeth from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Registration is required in advance.

Circus Acts

    Guild Hall in East Hampton has invited kids to “discover all the wow factor and star quality of the circus tent, concert hall, and Broadway stage in one fantastic show,” when “Cirquetacular!” comes to the John Drew Theater stage on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

    The aerial acrobatic variety show for children 4 and older features aerialists and acrobats, of course, as well as contortionists, illusionists, singers, dancers, and feats to boggle the imagination. Tickets cost $16 for adults, $13 for kids, and $14 and $11 for Guild Hall members.

    To gear up for the performance, kids 5 and older can make circus flipbooks during a workshop from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The class costs $10, $8 for members.

Birdhouses, Pedicures, Pets

    The East Hampton Library is hosting a slew of special programs for kids in the lead-up to its annual Children’s Fair on Aug. 12. On Monday, kids 8 and older can paint and decorate their own birdhouses from 3 to 4 p.m.

    Children 11 and older will learn how to use household items for hand treatments and get instruction on basic nail care, filing, and “natural-look” polishing on Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m. Next Thursday, educators from the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead will talk with kids 4 and up about “good” and “bad” pets and introduce them to a few critters, too. The program runs from 3 to 4 p.m.

    In an art program on Friday, Aug. 10, from 3 to 4 p.m., children 4 and older will learn about the art of Max Ernst, who lived on the South Fork, and his technique of making rubbings of textured objects, and then they’ll try their hand at it with crayons. Advance registration is required for all programs.

Regatta Time

    Sailors (of small paper boats, that is) will show off their prowess at the Amagansett Library on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. when the library hosts its annual Paper Wishing Boat Regatta. The family event is free, although reservations would be appreciated.

Fan Fiction

    Matthew Miranda, who has published flash fiction, short fiction, memoir, poetry, and book reviews, will lead a class in fan fiction for teenagers at the John Jermain Memorial Library in Sag Harbor next Thursday and Aug. 16 at 5:15 p.m. Fan fiction, in which writers can elaborate on the stories of their favorite characters and worlds, offers a sort of built-in inspiration for aspiring scribes. Students will spend two sessions brainstorming and writing short pieces. They have been asked to bring a book or story they would like to work from. Advance registration is required.

At the Players Club

    Children and their parents have been invited to the Players Club, a restaurant on Montauk Highway in East Hampton, for an early evening of family activities, crafts, and food tonight from 5:30 to 7:30. Kids can make pipe cleaner crafts with Wendy the Pipe Cleaner Lady, and eat whole wheat pizza, pastas, and veggies, then finish the meal at a make-your-own-sundae station. The gathering includes a screening of “The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.” The cost is $20 per child.

Future Phelpses

    Southampton Youth Services is offering semiprivate swimming classes for kids 3 and older. Swimmers will be divided by age and ability into groups of two to three. The cost is $45 for a 30-minute lesson or $35 for members of S.Y.S., which is on Majors Path. Private 30-minute lessons are also available for children and teenagers for $55, or $45 for members. Parents will not be permitted in the pool area during lessons.

    In East Hampton Town, the Recreation Department is offering free swimming classes Monday through Aug. 17 at Albert’s Landing Beach in Amagansett. Registration is at 10 a.m. Monday, at which time students will be divided into classes according to ability.