KIDS CREATE AN OPERA. Tucson Museum of Art, Education Building. 166 W. Alameda St. Third St. Kids wants budding young composers and writers to put their imaginations and input together with that of Carroll Rinehart, teacher and composer, at a new class for kids of all ages and abilities from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday evenings, beginning October 17. Classes are $20 per month, with scholarships available. Call Marcia Berger or Frank Hernandez at 622-4100 for registration and information. HAUNTED HAYRIDE. La Mariposa on Houghton Road, north of Speedway and south on Tanque Verde Road. Get ready for spooks and surprises on 30 Minutes of Mayhem, a 30-minute haunted hayride filled with skits, sketches, special effects and fun for the entire family. Rides are available beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday through October 27, and Monday through Thursday, October 28 through 31. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Comstock Children's Foundation. Call 795-8333 for information. SCARE TACTICS. ArtExpress. 601 E. Sixth St. 791-2995. ArtExpress has art scraps and ideas for great Halloween decorations. Kids ages 4 to 12 can create spiders, ghosts, pumpkins and more. All materials provided. Cost is $3 per child. Call 791-2995 for information. SPOOKY FUN. Valley of the Moon. 2544 E. Allen Road, north of Prince Road and east of Tucson Boulevard. 323-1331. The George Phar Legler Society is proud to present a new "old-fashioned" Haunted Ruins show that's big on fun and not too scary, for children and adults of all ages. Tours leave from the gate every 30 minutes beginning at 7 p.m. and continuing through 9:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays through October 30. Admission is $5, $3 for kids ages 7 to 12. Goblins 6 and under are free. Proceeds aid the restoration and maintenance of this registered Arizona historic site. Call 323-1331 for information. WOW! Tucson Parks and Recreation Department, the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and others introduce urban children to the Wonderful Outdoor World (WOW) overnight camping program. Once a month for the next several weeks, Parks and Recreation counselors will set up camp in urban settings and let children experience the excitement of hiking, camping and fishing--right in their own backyards. Call 791-4873, ext. 142, for information. Parents' Corner AT HOME MOMS. At Home Moms is a national, non-profit network of at-home mothers. Local chapters offer meetings, playgroups, outings and more. See what they're all about at an informational meeting for the East/Central chapter at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 24. Call Amy at 721-5787 for information. CENTERS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN. The Tucson Centers for Women and Children offers educational workshops on domestic violence and weekly support groups. Call 795-4266 for information. PARENT TALKS. The Tucson Association of Child Care, The Parent Connection, Parents and Children Together, M.I.K.I.D. and the Center for the Difficult Child present a series of free fall lectures for Tucson's moms and dads. On Thursday, October 17, Peter Lusche, M.D., talks about The Gift of Parenting Through Storytelling. Free childcare is available. Call 798-6736 for information. TICKET ALERT. Barney, that cloyingly sweet, singing purple dinosaur, is coming to town for three shows on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 29 and 30, at the Tucson Convention Center. Tickets range from $12.50 to $25 and are available at all Dillard's outlets (800) 638-4253, or at the Tucson Convention Center box office 791-4266. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Children To Children, a non-profit grief support center for children and their families, needs volunteers to train as support group facilitators. Our next volunteer training begins soon. Call 322-9155 for information. THE PARENT CONNECTION. 5326 E. Pima St. 321-1500. Help new families get off to a good start. Use your time and talents to work with newborns and their parents. Volunteers are needed to offer support, advice, and a caring ear to new parents. Comprehensive training provided. Call Sheryl Thomasson at 321-1500 for more information.

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