http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/31/arts/spare-times-for-children-for-oct-31-nov-6.html 2014-10-30 23:31:31 Spare Times for Children for Oct. 31-Nov. 6 A selected guide to cultural events for children, teenagers and families in New York City. === Obake Family Day Vampires, zombies, werewolves: So overdone. So pop culture. So Western. But how about the one-eyed little boy, a long-tongued prankster? Or the bathtub licker, a monster that thrives on soap scum? Or my personal favorite, the haunted umbrella, an abandoned accessory with a taste for vengeance? “If it gets left behind, it becomes animated and takes on its own life and comes looking for its owner,” said Jeffrey Miller, director of education and family programs at Japan Society. These supernatural entities and others will be celebrated on Sunday at “We selected some that we thought would be more fitting in a Western context and some that we thought would be just fun to share,” said Mr. Miller, who explained that these beings were often invoked to teach children lessons, like not to forget their belongings. Obake Family Day, the society’s first, will offer activities like making obake masks with the cartoonist Older children seeking sophisticated thrills won’t be disappointed. Japan Society plans to show animated short films rated on a scariness scale of 1 to 5, and Shuhei Morita’s But “there’s no emphasis on trying to frighten the children,” Mr. Miller said. “It’s more an exploration of this other world.” That’s reassuring, but I’m still worried about that umbrella I left on the train last week. (From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 333 East 47th Street, Manhattan, 212-715-1258, For Children ‘Archaeology Zone: Discovering Treasures From Playgrounds to Palaces’ Asphalt Screams! Boo at the Zoos Brownstone School’s Fall Fun Fair ‘The Butterfly Girl’ ‘Dan Zanes Song Gusto Hour’ and ‘PhilharMonster!’ Fall Forest Weekend Field Station: Dinosaurs Film Forum Jr.: ‘Annie’ ‘The Gazillion Bubble Show: The Next Generation’ ‘Great White Shark’ Halloween Celebration at the American Museum of Natural History Halloween at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan Halloween at the New-York ‘Haunted’ Society Halloween: A New York Treat at the Museum of the City of New York ‘Hansel and Gretel’s Halloween Adventure’ Haunted Pumpkin Garden Hot Peas ‘N Butter ‘Ivy + Bean, the Musical’ ‘Jazzed! The Changing Beat of 125th Street’ ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ ‘The Love Note’ ‘Lumpy Bumpy Pumpkin’ ‘The Magic Flute: Impempe Yomlingo’ ‘Monday Night Magic’ ‘Peace, Love, and Cupcakes: The Musical’ ‘Sing Back, Brooklyn! With Lloyd H. Miller’ ‘Skeletons ... A Day of the Dead Bedtime Story’ ‘Sleepy Hollow’ ‘Somebody Come and Play: 45 Years of “Sesame Street” Helping Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger, and Kinder’ ‘Tico Tales’ Tinkerbell Theater ‘Tunes With Tina’ ‘A Voyage Through Jewish History’ ‘Which Came First? The Chicken Museum’ Whodunnit Family Scavenger Hunt ‘Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! Music Is Awesome!’