KIDS/SNEAK PEEK : FORGET THE FILM; THE PLAY'S THE THING.

Forget Disney's version of ``The Little Mermaid.''

That's what Serendipity Theatre Co. wants the audience to do when watching its production of the Hans Christian Andersen tale, adapted by Denys Gawronski. The play continues through May 4 at the Burbank Little Theatre.

The play is 1 p.m. on Saturdays and 1 and 4 p.m. on Sundays in George Izay Park, 1100 W. Clark Ave. Admission is $14 for adults and $8 for children. (The show's producers say the production is appropriate for kids 6 and older and discourage parents from bringing youngsters 3 or younger into the theater). For information, call [phone].

Potty expectations: It's amazing any of us got through potty training without the help of a book.

The latest of the toilet training tomes is ``Koko Bear's New Potty'' (Book Peddlers; $5.99) by Vicki Lansky.

``It's something parents always worry about,'' said Lansky, who has been writing parenting books for about 20 years. ``All the potty training books are best sellers as far as I can tell.''

``Koko Bear's New Potty,'' which the author says is the only unisex toilet training book, tells a child what to expect and what's expected. Each page also offers parenting tips.

The book, the fourth in the Koko series, actually first was published by Bantam in 1986. After it was out of print, Lansky got the rights back and published the paperback this year through her own Minnetonka, Minn.-based company. For information, call [phone].

Baking-soda sculptures: What can't baking soda do? Along with freshening the refrigerator, cleaning golf clubs and smoothing rough elbows, the folks at Arm & Hammer say it makes an economical modeling clay for crafts.

Here's their recipe for ``play clay'': Mix 2 cups of baking soda and 1 cup of cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Add 1-1/4 cups cold water and cook over medium heat. (Food coloring can be substituted for some of the water).

Stir constantly until the mixture is like moist mashed potatoes, about 10 to 15 minutes. Place the mixture on a plate and cover with a damp cloth.

The clay can be rolled flat between sheets of waxed paper, then cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place finished crafts on a wire rack and allow to dry overnight, turning occasionally. Or preheat the oven to 350 degrees, turn it off and place undecorated crafts on a wire rack on a cookie sheet. Leave in the oven until cold.

The clay also can be transformed into picture frames, napkin rings and jewelry. For more information, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to ``The Amazing World of Play Clay,'' P.O. Box 380, Princeton, N.J. 08540 or check out the Arm & Hammer home page at http://www.armhammer.com.

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Photo: ``Koko Bear's New Potty,'' the latest of the toilet training books, tells children what to expect and what's expected of them, with tips for parents on each page.