NATURE

Cormack Planetarium, Museum of Natural History, Roger Williams Park, 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. 785-9457. Museum open daily 10 am-5 pm. Special event: A New Perspective on Mars: Detailed Views of Mars in 3-D, images from the European Space Agency’s recent Mars Express Mission viewed with 3-D glasses. Exhibit runs through Oct. 28. $3, $2 children under 8; under age 4 are not admitted to the planetarium.

Rhode Island Audubon Society, Powder Mill Ledges, 12 Sanderson Rd, Smithfield. 949-5454, www.asri.org. $4 member child, $6 nonmember child. For ages 3+.

• Nature Tales: Box Turtle at Long Pond, hear the tale and meet a live box turtle. Oct. 12, 1-2 pm.

•Animal Clothes, find out how animals protect themselves from the elements and survive the season and meet a live animal visitor. Nov. 2, 10:30-11:30 am.

•Turkey Tales, learn about the amazing antics of turkeys and make a turkey craft. Nov. 14, 10:30-11:30 am.

Owls of Rhode Island, Pawtucket Public Library, 13 Summer St. 725-3714. Students in grade 3 and older learn about owls that live in Rhode Island and meet a live owl. Oct. 9, 6:30 pm. Audubon Society of Rhode Island program. Registration required.

PERFORMANCES

All Children’s Theater. 728-1222, www.actinri.org.

•The Pirates of Rhode Island, Met School Theatre, 325 Public St., Providence. Nov. 10-11, 17-18. Sat 7 pm, Sun 3 pm. $10.

•Snow White, Vartan Gregorian School Theatre, 455 Wickenden St., Providence. Oct. 27-38; Nov. 3-4. Sat 10:30 am, Sun 3 pm. $8.

Dittydoodle Works Pajama Party Live, Veterans Memorial Auditorium Arts & Cultural Center, Avenue of the Arts, Providence. (800) 919-6272, www.tickets.com. Sept. 29, 2 pm. $20-$35.

Playhouse Disney Live!, The Ryan Center, University of Rhode Island, Route 138, Kingston. 331-2211, (ground discounts), www.TheRyanCenter.com. Show includes stars from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny and My Friends Tigger and Pooh. Oct. 28 at noon and 3 pm. $24-$38.

Secret World of Bubbles, Blackstone River Theatre, 549 Broad St., Cumberland. (800) 730-6676. Keith Michael Johnson event. Sept. 22, 11 am. $7, $5 child.

SteveSongs, Barrington High School, 220 Lincoln Ave. (800) 937-3397, www.stevesongs.com. Singer, musician Steve Roslonek and his band The Sensational Sillies perform Oct. 5, 5 pm. $10 advance, $12 at the door. Proceeds benefit the Barrington Early Childhood Center.

ETC.

American Girl Fashion Show and Tea, Crowne Plaza, 801 Greenwich Ave., Warwick. 781-9199, www.awish.org. Nov. 10, 10 am; 1, 4 pm. $45. Proceeds benefit A Wish Come True.

Blackstone Valley Polar Express. 724-2200, www.tourblackstone.com. 90-minute train ride aboard the Providence & Worcester Railroad departing from Ann & Hope, Broad St., Cumberland. Nov. 3-4, 10-11 and 17. 10:45 am, 1:45 pm. $29.50 includes the train ride, hot chocolate and cookies, a visit from Santa, sing-a-long, and a special Christmas remembrance.

Family Fun Day, Save the Bay Exploration Center, 175 Memorial Blvd., Newport. 331-1244. Sept. 23 1-3 pm. $10, $5 child, $25 family max. Registration. Proceeds benefit the Adoption Options program at Jewish Family Service.

Maze, Escobar’s Highland Farm, 251 Middle Rd., Portsmouth. 683-1444, 864-1064; www.cornfieldmaze.com. More than two miles of twists and turns in the shape of the original barn on the farm. Fri, 3 pm-dusk; Sat 10 am-dusk; Sun 11 am-dusk through Nov. 3. $7, ages 5-11 $5, children 4 and younger free.

Providence Childrens’ Museum, 100 South St., Providence. 273-5437, www.childrenmuseum.org.

•Fetch! Fest Weekend, celebration of the opening of the new Fetch Lab where ages 5-11 design a hook to pull a space capsule out of the water, trick, tease and train their brains, and more science and engineering challenges Sept. 22-23, 1-4 pm.

•Sign a Story, ages 5-11 learn about sign language, storytelling with voice interpreters to help them follow along and learn to spell their names using sign language. Sept. 29, 1-3 pm.

Rhode Island Festival of Children’s Books and Authors, Lincoln School, 301 Butler Ave., Providence. 331-9696, ext. 3135; www.lincolnschool.org. Presentations, autographs, activities with authors Blue Balliett, Sy Montgomery, Peter H. Reynolds, Chris Van Allsburg and David Wiesner. Performance by Big Nazo Puppets Oct. 13, 9:30 am-5:30 pm. $3. Proceeds benefit the school scholarship fund.

Touch a Truck, Warwick Mall, Warwick. Kids can climb on, sit in, ring bells and toot horns on cranes, dump trucks, moving vans, back hoes, fire trucks, police cars and more. Sept. 22, 11 am-4 pm. $10 donation per family. Proceeds benefit Let There Be Christmas.

Touch a Truck, Chariho SkillsUSA, 459 Switch Rd., Wood River Junction. 364-6869. Kids can touch and talk to the operators of fire engines, track trailer rigs, tractors, helicopter, dump truck, mail truck, tree service vehicles, police vehicles about their jobs. Oct. 6 10 am-2 pm. $3 per child, parents free. Tickets available at the gate. Proceeds help send local SkillsUSA winners to the national competition in June.

Traveling Theatre Young Actors Playground Workshop, Providence Public Library, 150 Empire St., Providence. 455-8025. Ages 5-14 will be introduced to acting, improvisation, character development, voice and articulation through participation in theater games. Oct. 6, 1-3 pm. Free. Registration required.