KIDS/SNEAK PEEK BETTER WATCH OUT - SANTA'S CHECKING HIS LISTSERV.

Byline: - Nancy Hewitt

'Tis the season for kids and parents to visit Santa Claus' own Web site: www.claus.com.

This free Web site has oodles of activities for kids and their parents to enjoy together. Kids can pick their own elf buddy, attend elf school and even print out an honorary elf diploma.

Even parents will enjoy checking out the naughty and nice meter monitored by the one and only Grinch. It's an inexpensive way to spend some quality time with the kids and help usher in the holiday season.

And this year, there will be an added feature on the Web site: Kids will be able to call a special number on Christmas Eve to find out how near Santa is to their house and how many cookies he's eaten. They will be allowed up to four calls at $4.95 each. The Starlight Children's Foundation will receive 25 cents for each call made. The Web site will be up until Dec. 31, 2001.

ONE TRICKSTER TALE: Meet author/illustrator Gerald McDermott at 10 a.m. today at Pages Books for Children and Young Adults Inc. in Tarzana.

McDermott will spin a tale of animal friends and foes native to the Amazon rain forest in the story of ``Jabuti the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale From the Amazon.''

A book autographing session follows the storytelling.

Pages is at 18399 Ventura Blvd., No. 15. Information: [phone].

HOLIDAY CHEER: Entertainer Fred Koch hasn't forgotten what it's like to be a kid, especially during the holidays.

`` 'Tis the Season: Holiday Songs for the Child in All of Us'' has been re-released just in time to get into the holiday spirit.

The 15-song compilation includes favorite Christmas songs such as ``Jingle Bells'' and ``Up on the Housetop,'' a Hanukkah medley and original songs including ``Sleigh Bells Ringing.'' Kids and adults alike will delight in this musically diverse and creative CD.

Suggested retail price for the CD is $14.95. Order it directly from Melody House by phone, [phone], or on the Web: www.bestchildrensmusic.com.

SIGN ME UP: ``We Sign'' is a new video series that features different ways of learning for young kids, including American Sign Language.

There are six titles in the series: ``Patriotic Songs,'' ``ABCs,'' ``Numbers,'' ``Colors,'' ``Animals'' and ``Rhymes.'' Kids of all ages will enjoy participating in sing-alongs and learning ASL as well.

The 30-minute videos retail for $14.95, with the first video ``Patriotic Songs,'' being offered at a special price of $6.99. Videos can be purchased at local retailers by calling [phone] or on the Web: www.wesign.com.

FUN FOR LITTLE ONES: Tom Chapin has assembled another CD sure to appeal to kids and adults.

``Great Big Fun'' features 12 of Chapin's beloved songs including ``Uh Oh,'' ``Accident,'' ``State Laughs'' and nine others.

Kids of all ages will find a song that appeals to them, and the CD offers families a means to spend some fun time together.

Suggested retail price for ``Great Big Fun'' is $16.98 for CD, $10.98 for cassette. Either version can be ordered directly from Music for Little People by phone, [phone], or on the Web: www.mflp.com.