UP & COMING : PARENTS.

Byline: Larry Lipson

Learn how to baby-proof your home in a free class on baby safety, 6 to 8 p.m. March 3. Community Medical Group, 7320 Woodlake Ave., Suite 190, West Hills. Call [phone], Ext. 250 for reservations.

``Becoming the Parent You Want to Be,'' a parenting resource guide for a child's first 5 years, will be discussed and signed by authors Laura Davis and Janice Keyser, 7 p.m. March 5. Vroman's Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. [phone].

``Coming Home to the Kids After a Long Day at Work ... and Smiling,'' a free workshop, will teach you how to relax and enjoy your children at the end of the day, create a community network, balance work and family and still find time for yourself, 7:30 p.m. March 5. Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. [phone].

A half-mile night hike for children 7 and older and their parents, in an oak woodland area, will offer sensory games and stories, 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 7 in Thousand Oaks. Bring strollers, but leave pets at home. Rain cancels. Cost: $3 per person. Pre-registration required. [phone].

YOUTH

A free family world orchestra performance presents Dr. Craig Woodson, who will teach how to build musical instruments that reflect the cultures of the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia, using ordinary household materials. Children chosen from the audience will play these instruments on stage, 4 p.m. March 6. Newbury Park Branch Library, 2331 Borchard Road, Newbury Park. Call Kat Seiple at [phone].

KCET Store of Knowledge invites children ages 4-10 and their families to meet life-size costume characters Plato and Socrates from the PBS children's show ``Adventures from the Book of Virtues,'' noon to 3 p.m. March 9 at Glendale Galleria. [phone].

AYUSA International's Study Abroad Scholarship Program offers American high-school students more than $5,200 to spend a semester or year living with a host family and attending public school in either Italy or Brazil. The scholarship covers language tuturing, international airfare and placement with a family and school. Applications must be postmarked by March 15. Scholarships for other countries are available. Host families are also sought for international students. [phone], Ext. 503 or 505.