KIDS CAN PIER INTO SCULPTURE

When children take an art expedition to explore the outdoor sculptures of PIER ’97, they may wonder why Ted Garner called his work made out of steel and wood “Eyes of Newt,” and how David Robert Nelson turned a column of crudely textured wood into a piece called “Porcupine II”, what tools Michael Dunbar used to create “Katmandu” and how Rojelio Tijerina transformed aluminum into the shape of a goat. They can find answers to these questions during a series of workshops at the Chicago Children’s Museum called “Meet the Sculptors,” where artists will talk about their inspiration and teach technique.

“Meet the Sculptors,” Ted Garner, 1 p.m. Saturday; David Robert Nelson, 1 p.m. Oct. 5; Michael Dunbar, 1 p.m. Oct. 18; Rojelio Tijerina, 1 p.m. Oct. 19. Chicago Children’s Museum, Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand Ave., 312-357-1000.

It might be said that the music of Poi Dog Pondering has a groove-pop sound, but children at the group’s morning Ravinia concert will discover that it defies definition. The 11 members of the band will perform some of their early, simple acoustic songs such as “Ancient Egyptian” and “Metaphysical” and bring in a bagpipe player to join them on “Big Walk.” A group of youngsters called House-o-Matic from the Robert Taylor Homes will come on stage to show off their street dancing moves. Members of the audience can get into the groove by playing kazoos, maracas and other toy percussion instruments.

Poi Dog Pondering Concert, 11 a.m. Saturday; Ravinia, Lake-Cook and Green Bay Roads, Highland Park. $5. 847-266-5100.

“Let’s Dress Up” is a dress-up playhouse and lives up to its name. It has approximately 1,500 costumes and the collection is still growing. But co-founder Jody Nardinia says, “The best toy here is the children’s imagination.” When children arrive they can get glitter put on their fingernails, make-up on their faces or have a mustache painted on if they want to be a cowboy. Or they can get camouflage for make-believe military men or whiskers to become wild animals. Girls love to parade around in wedding dresses or in glamourous gowns. “MTV has done a lot for dress-up,” says Nardini. At Tea Time, the guests are an eclectic mix. Says Nardini, “You see brides next to a Hulk and Dorothy of Oz.” But anything goes. “You see a little girl in a lovely pink ballerina outfitwearing a Viking hat with horns,” says Nardini. “They put combinations together we could never conceive of.”

“Let’s Dress Up,” 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; 1222 S. Highland Ave., Lombard. $6 for one hour playtime, $8 for one and one-half hour playtime, $1.25 additional for Tea Time; 630-932-7529.

Art Lieb is nosey. When he comes to Zany Brainy he will want to know what children care about and what they like to do. Are they soccer players, book buffs, animal lovers? Once he finds out their hobbies and interests, in a matter of minutes he will turn their names into cartoons that vividly say who they are.

Nametoonist Art Lieb, 1-3 p.m. Sat., 18 Blanchard Circle, Wheaton, 630-653-4332; 1-3 p.m. Sun. 1943 Glacier Park Ave., Naperville, 630-420-7889; 1-3 p.m. Aug. 30, 9275 W. 159th St., 708-403-6917. Free.

You might say that Frank Kay knows how to pull the past out of the hat. When he comes to Kline Creek Farm on Sunday he will perform a show called “Mastery of Illusions and Magical Tricks,” which will recreate a turn-of-the-century magic show. It will include not only card and rope tricks that were popular back then, but Kay will also try to make someone float in thin air and saw a lady in half.

“Frank Kay’s Mastery of Illusions and Magical Tricks,” 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Kline Creek Farm, 2N168 County Farm Road West Chicago. 630-876-5900.