Looking for a homemade gift that's not mostly construction paper?

Try the free tile making workshop at Colby College in Waterville.

It'll be 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Colby College Museum of Art and Freshwater Arts, Waterville.

Children will begin with a tour of the museum galleries focusing on decorative ceramic art, followed by the workshop at Freshwater Arts.

Attendance is limited and pre-registration is required. To register, call 207-680-2055.

During the holidays, there's lots of entertainment, but not all of it is affordable to everybody.

So here's an idea: school concerts. Even if your kid doesn't go to that school, a holiday concert is always fun.

In December, the Portland schools are hosting a bunch of free concerts, open to the public.

The first is by the Portland Public Schools' orchestra, on December 9, at 7 p.m. in the Portland High School auditorium.

Other school concerts include: Moore Middle School - December 15 from 6 to 7 p.m. : Deering High School - December 16 from 7 to 8 p.m.; Lincoln Middle School - December 17 from 6 to 7 p.m.; King Middle School - December 18 from 6 to 7 p.m.: Portland High School - December 22 from 7 to 8 p.m.

For more information, and addresses of the schools, go to the Portland schools Web site.

Books featuring characters and cultures from around the world will be showcased at a book fair Saturday sponsored by the Chinese and American Friendship Association of Maine's Chinese School.

The children's books depict the cultures of China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East; African Americans, Native Americans, Latino Americans, Jewish Americans and Muslim Americans.

But it's not just a book fair. Children who attend can learn to make their own origami butterfly to take home, and there will be other activities as well. On sale will be baked goods and lunch food, plus used traditional Chinese clothing for kids and adults.

The fair is free and open to the public. It will be held at Breakwater School's gymnasium, 856 Brighton Ave., Portland, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The town of Standish has a great family-friendly event each month: A free movie night specifically for toddlers.

It's the second Friday of each month, in the town council chambers, at 6:30 p.m. The movies are G-rated. The next one is Friday.

The town advertises the event as a place where you can bring your youngsters to a movie without worrying about them "making noise, fidgeting, and getting up."
The organizers ask that you bring a blanket or something to sit on, and say that parents are required to stay.

There's even a concession stand, and refills on popcorn are free.

As of Wednesday, this week's movie hadn't been picked out. But you can try calling 642-2875 closer to show time, for more information.

The movies are at Standish Town Hall, 175 Northeast Road.

With rain in the forecast this weekend, you're probably looking for some indoor place to take the kids to get them out of the house.

Here's an idea for Saturday: The Children's Nursery School in Portland's West End will host its annual Grand Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Williston-West Church, 32 Thomas Street.

It's a fund-raising event, with free admission and lots of free things to do.

There'll be storytelling, music, a magician, children's activities, face painting and a play space. Money will be raised through a giant silent auction and raffles. Call 780-0226 for more information.

Raising Readers, the Maine group that gives out free books and bookbags to promote reading, will be having a party Friday to celebrate its latest anthology.

The party will be held at the Children's Museum of Maine on Free Street in Portland from 5 to 7 p.m.

Children will be able to meet and talk to some of the Maine authors and illustrators who worked on "Raising Readers: Stories for Maine Children." The authors and illustrators will read from their works, sign books and talk about what they do.

Children who attend can also take advantage of the regular exhibits in the museum, which has free admission on the first Friday evening of each month.