The Sagaponack School Board appointed Lynn Schwartz of Miller Place as the district’s part-time superintendent on Aug. 14.

    Mr. Schwartz began his job the following day, at an annual salary of $43,000.

    The Sagaponack School District serves grades one through four in one of the last remaining one-room schoolhouses in the state. The district has tuition agreements with the East Hampton and Sag Harbor School Districts for its students in kindergarten and 5th through 12th grades. There are 12 students enrolled at the school, with an additional 25 attending the East Hampton and Sag Harbor School Districts.

    Mr. Schwartz, formerly of the Westhampton School District, where he served as superintendent for 10 years, replaces Lee Ellwood, who retired last month.   

Stories and Song

    Jack’s Waterfall will offer a mix of songs and storytelling during a family concert on Saturday at Miss Amelia’s Cottage in Amagansett.

    The group was founded by the singer-songwriter Jack Licitra, whose pop, blues, jazz, folk, and gospel influences will lead kids on a melodic adventure starting at 1 p.m.

    The Amagansett Library is hosting the show and in case of rain, it will be held in the library’s community room.

Go, Suzi!

    Suzi Shelton, a Brooklyn songstress and “all around children’s rock goddess,” will bring down the house at the Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre in Sag Harbor next Thursday, Friday, Aug. 31, and Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. Suzi and friends will play tracks from their CDs “No Ordinary Day” and “Simply Suzi” — catchy songs like “Scooter Boy” and “Going on a Road Trip.”

    This morning, tomorrow, and Saturday at 11 a.m. Gustafer Yellowgold will entertain kids at the Goat. Tickets for all shows are $10, $9 for members and grandparents, and $5 for kids under 3.

Mosaics, Wildlife, and Cupcakes

    Mosaic’s origins can be dated back 4,000 years. On Monday from 3 to 4 p.m., at East Hampton Library kids 8 and up will learn to make a faux version of the ancient art form to hang at home.

    High school students will get tips for writing the perfect college essay on Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. This will be the last of the three-session series, so new attendees have been encouraged to come with already-written essays. The instructor will critique and inform students on how to create an expressive, unique, and well-crafted piece that will make admissions representatives stand up and take notice.

    A Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons educator will teach kids 4 and older what to do when they find an injured animal on Wednesday from 3 to 4 p.m. Kids will also get to meet a hawk, an owl, and an opossum.

    Kids 4 to 7, accompanied by an adult, will learn the fine art of decorating cupcakes next Thursday, from 11 to 11:45 a.m. Budding pastry chefs will sprinkle, sweeten, and pour perfect, tasty confections. All ingredients will be provided.

    Budding artists 4 and older will study famous hard-edged paintings and then create their own on Friday, Aug. 31 from 3 to 4 p.m. Participants will use tape and paints supplied by the library.

    Advance registration is requested for all library programs.

Tennis and Art

    On Saturday, East Hampton Indoor Tennis will host Free Arts NYC and Kidsfest: Hamptons, a family celebration in which kids will be encouraged to explore their individual creativity through tennis, art, and culture. The event will be co-chaired by Kelly Rutherford of “Gossip Girls” fame. Tickets are $75 kids, $100 for adults and free for toddlers under 2. Proceeds will support mentoring programs for underserved youth.

    The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. The tennis club is on Daniel’s Hole Road.

Pirates!

    Pirates will take over Guild Hall on Wednesday afternoon.

    First, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., kids 5 and older will create their own pirate maps and hats in the education center. The workshop costs $10, $8 for members.

    The buccaneers will continue their revelry at 5 p.m., when Captain Courage and the Maritime Pirates Stage Show pay a visit to the theater. Kids from ages 5 to 105 will listen to the pirate storyteller as he shares “The Legend of Captain Courage” and the story behind the Maritime Pirates. Songs will roar, sword fights will ensue, and imaginations will soar. Prices are $16 for adults, $13 for kids, $14 and $11 for members. Argh!

    On Monday night, at the second Springs School Board meeting of the fiscal year, tensions quickly erupted as a packed house argued against the elimination of the sports program that seventh and eighth graders have enjoyed at East Hampton Middle School. 

    Last year, 39 students participated in the combined program, which included football, cross-country, track and field, wrestling, and lacrosse, which Springs could not provide by itself, according to Kathee Burke Gonzalez, president of the board. The program cost $19,562, plus an additional $14,000 for transportation.

    The school had previously budgeted for the program. But since the imposition of a 2-percent cap on any increase in property taxes, all that has changed.

    Districtwide, adhering to the tax cap resulted in a 30-percent cut, or nearly $800,000 in the 2012-13 budget. Besides the cut for the combined sports program, the board eliminated five teachers, two teaching assistants, and an educational summer school, among other things.

    “With all of the cuts we were making across the board, everything was on the table. At the time, $120,000 for middle school sports was more than we could afford,” said Ms. Gonzalez. The $120,000 figure includes the roughly $34,000 for the combined sports program and another $86,000, which remained in the budget, for sports on campus, such as after-school tennis, volleyball, basketball, soccer, softball, and baseball.

    A few weeks ago, the new Springs School superintendent, Dominic Mucci, was told by the school’s attorney that, legally, the district would not be able to fund the program season by season and that busing would be mandatory. The fate of the program apparently now rests on whether $35,000 can be raised privately.

    Earlier this summer, Janice Vaziri and Mary McPartland, Springs parents, started a booster club to raise the necessary funds. Ms. Vaziri said that while they have already raised around $8,000, with less than three weeks to go until the start of school, the clock is ticking — and not necessarily in their favor.

    Ms. Vaziri remains cautiously optimistic. Her older son, who now plays football at East Hampton High School, had previously participated in the combined sports program. Her younger son, who will soon enter the eighth grade, hopes to resume football practice come fall. Mostly, she sees the program as helping to bridge the gap between the two communities.

    “It’s hard enough as a Springs student to go into high school because you’re always considered an outsider,” Ms. Vaziri said. “This program helped make for an easier transition.”

    But Tom Talmage, who sat on the Springs School Board for six years, disputed the need for a booster club. In forceful language, he said the money could be found in the budget.

    “I know the money is there, but it’s now just a matter of them deciding whether or not to spend it,” Mr. Talmage said. He has three children in the Springs School, one of whom is about to enter seventh grade and is hoping to play football.

    “They’ve eliminated a program as essential as athletics during an era when children are becoming more and more sedentary and getting less and less physical activity at school,” Mr. Talmage said. “It’s crazy. And it’s especially crazy when the money is just sitting right there in the school budget.”

    As talk of money continued, a handful of parents openly bristled at the announcement of Springs’s new assistant principal’s salary. At $120,000 plus benefits, Dr. Katherine Byrnes will assume a three-year probationary post later this month. One parent intimated that had she been paid less, the combined sports program might have escaped the chopping block.

    Later in the evening, one parent wondered why waivers could be used to send students on field trips with parents but not for private transportation for after-school sports. After hearing that busing by the district would be mandatory, another member of the audience said Montauk parents had shuttled their children back and forth to practice and games privately for a long time.

    While the nearly three-hour meeting remained contentious at times, Ms. Gonzalez urged for a more balanced perspective.

    “Depending on who you are and what grade your child is in, different things and different priorities change your perspective,” Ms. Gonzalez said. Her daughter is also set to begin seventh grade at Springs.

    “It’s been a heart-wrenching year, and we’ve had to make some difficult decisions,” she said. “We’re balancing the needs of the students with the pocketbooks of the taxpayers. These are challenging times.”

At the Library

    The East Hampton Library will hold its annual Children’s Fair at the Gardiner Farm on James Lane on Sunday from 2 to 5:30 p.m. This year’s pirate-themed spree will inspire literacy and the love of reading through a host of fun “bookaneer” activities including pirate chanteys by Bradley True, illusions by Magic Al, and a special performance by the Story Pirates, a nationally recognized educational sketch comedy troupe that will enact winning stories from the Young Author Search writing contest.

    Tomorrow, kids 4 and older will get a lesson in Max Ernst’s “frottage” (French for “rubbing”) technique from 3 to 4 p.m. Monday at 3 p.m., kids 8 and up will learn how to make their own macramé pieces. Older kids can hone their writing skills at a college application essay workshop on Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Next Thursday, kids age 3 to 5 can make their own silly slime to take home, from 11 a.m. to noon. Finally, there’s more goo to be had in “It’s About Slime,” next Thursday from 3 to 4 p.m., where kids 6 and older will learn the difference between solids and liquids, as well as create quicksand and slippery ooze to take home.

Laughing Pizza!

    Guild Hall will host a hands-on arts and crafts workshop, at which kids age 5 and up can create their own musical instruments, Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The cost is $10, $8 for members.

    Then, at 5 p.m., families can put on their dancing shoes for Laughing Pizza, a mom, dad, and daughter band that writes and performs energetic, interactive, dance-filled shows for all ages. Their music videos can be seen on PBS stations and TV on demand. They’ve played at music festivals, schools, theaters, museums, and even the White House. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for members; kids’ admission is $13, and $11 for members.

At the Water Mill Center

    International artists working at the Water Mill Center will offer a children’s art workshop on Sunday as part of a free community tour of the art and performance center from 3 to 6 p.m.

    Artists from over 25 countries are participating in this summer’s international program at the center. Adults will have a chance to tour the center and see some of the installations and performances created for its annual benefit last month.

Monkeying Around

    Bridgehampton’s Children’s Museum of the East End’s weekly Twirligig Tuesdays this week will feature Meredith LeVande, an acclaimed children’s music performer who appears regularly on PBS as part of Monkey Monkey Music. Ms. LeVande plays songs about bubbles, belly buttons, and opposites. The concert begins at 6 p.m., and costs $17 in advance, $15 for members, and $20 at the door. The rain date is Wednesday.

Wicked Scenes

    A Class Act NY, a Manhattan acting studio for kids and teens, is coming to Pierson High School in Sag Harbor for a one-day workshop based on the musical “Wicked” on Aug. 18.

    The workshop, from 1 to 5 p.m., will give budding thespians the chance to work with Lauren Gibbs, an actor in the Broadway show, and a musical director. Kids 7 to 17 will practice scenes, songs, and dances from the show. The cost is $150. Advance registration is required by e-mailing [email protected].

Go Fish

    The Montauk Chamber of Commerce will sponsor free educational fishing expeditions aboard local charter boats for kids ages 6 to 18, Tuesday, Wednesday, and next Thursday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Fishing equipment and life vests will be supplied; adults must accompany children and will be charged $10 per group. Availability is quickly dwindling, so make haste to sign up at the chamber office.

Puppetry on the Sea

    Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre will welcome “Puppets of the High Seas,” presented by Liz Joyce and Abby Levin this week. The show is a musical adventure that features hand puppets and costumed characters as they hit the high seas in search of the creatures of No Footprint Island. Performances are at 11 a.m. Admission is $10, $9 for members and grandparents, $5 for children under 3.

Sounds of the World

    The Ross School’s summer camp is offering a music and movement program for campers ages 2 and under. Both caregivers and little ones will listen to the sounds of the world, through which they discover multicultural musical traditions, instruments, singing, and movement. Besides building a larger understanding of the world, each class is constructed to foster motor development in infants and toddlers. Classes are $120, and will be held through next Thursday, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 to 11 a.m.

Sketchy Tour

    Janet Sygar, an architectural educator and tour director, will lead a walking and sketching tour of historic Sag Harbor for 8 to 12-year-olds. Kids will take an educational and lively stroll through the town’s most interesting streets, starting at the Sag Harbor Custom House.

    Ms. Sygar will provide sketching materials and teach kids how to observe architectural details on Sag Harbor’s most prominent buildings. Although the tour will be held Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., it is has been requested that those interested make reservations as soon as possible. The cost is $10 per child. The Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities is sponsoring the tour; more information can be found at its Web site, splia.org.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

Sag Harbor Library

    The John Jermain Library in Sag Harbor hosts Stories, Songs and Playtime every Thursday from 10:30-11:30 p.m. for children ages 1 to 4. On Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. it’s Playdough Time for ages 3 to 9, and on Monday, children of all ages are invited to a half-hour Pajama Story Time, starting at 6 p.m. Kids should wear pajamas and bring books home for their own bedtime. 

    Games Unplugged! is offered for an hour on Sunday afternoons, starting at 3:30, for children ages 3 to 9, who can challenge friends and family to a friendly board game competition. The library provides the games.

Rockin’ and Rollin’ at CMEE

    “You won’t be able to resist the urge to sing along pretending your hairbrush is a microphone,” The Washington Post wrote of Joanie Leeds’s CD “I’m a Rock Star.” On Tuesday at the Children’s Museum of the East End, families can see the musician live in concert with her band, the Nightlights, at the museum’s first Twirligig Tuesday event.

    Ms. Leeds plays everything from funk and blues to country, pop, and hip-hop, all with a family-friendly bent. Her outdoor concert at the museum in Bridgehampton is presented in collaboration with the Jewish Center of the Hamptons. The gate will open at 5:30 p.m. and the show will start at 6. Families have been encouraged to take a blanket and a picnic dinner. Tickets cost $17 in advance, or $15 for members of the museum.

    Tickets will be $20 at the door. The museum has started to serve lunch in its lobby on weekdays through the summer. The cost is $15, including admission, or $5 for museum members.

Bay Street Kids

    Only a few spots are left for the Bay Street Theatre Kids summer theater camps, July 30 to Aug. 3 and Aug. 6 to 10. Children ages 8 to 12 will work with seasoned professionals on improv, vocal instruction, dance, and more. The camps will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Studio 3 in Bridgehampton. One week of camp is $425, and two weeks are $800. Payment can be made at baystreet.org.

Fish and Ferns

    Children have been invited to make a fish print T-shirt Saturday at 10 a.m. at the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton, and to take a smock for the hands-on workshop, where they will learn about the variety of fish in local waters. There is a materials charge of $10 for T-shirt and supplies. Reservations are required, through [email protected].

    Children ages 5 to 8 can discover the beauty and diversity of ferns at 10 a.m. Sunday in Sapaponack, on a walk sponsored by the South Fork Natural History Museum. Kids will create artwork and do fern rubbings to learn the parts of the frond. Again, reservations can be made by e-mailing [email protected].

Juggling, Jokes, Arts and Crafts

    The Education Center at Guild Hall will have a KidFest arts and crafts workshop from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday for children ages 5 and up. Tickets are $10, $8 for members. At 5 p.m., the Gizmo Guys will perform in the first of eight KidFest shows. Tickets cost $16 for adults and $13 for kids, or $14 and $11 for members, and can be purchased at GuildHall.org. 

Wicked Workshop

    A Class Act NY will visit Sag Harbor on Aug. 18, when an actor from the show “Wicked” will work on a song-and-dance combo and scene work from the show with children ages 7 to 16 of all skill levels. Feedback and coaching on audition technique will also be provided.

    The cost for the workshop is $150. More information at [email protected].

Amagansett Library

    The library will host Ladybug, Ladybug! Story and Craft Time at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

    Monday at 3:30, a Cornell University professor will explain why ladybugs are so important to the environment, and will train volunteers for organized ladybug hunts Tuesday and July 31 at Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett.

    Children can help Cornell Cooperative Extension staff set up the library’s discovery tank and learn about local marine life on Wednesday at 3 p.m. The tank will be on display all summer.

Free Fishing in Montauk

    Children ages 6 to 18 can learn fishing techniques from experts on party boats in Montauk Tuesday through next Thursday and Aug. 14 to 16. Bait, fishing equipment, and personal flotation vests will be provided. Children can attend for free but must be accompanied by a $10 fee-paying adult. Sign-up is at the Montauk Chamber of Commerce office on Main Street.

    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.