Kiddin' Around at "Down the Rabbit Hole"

If they're old enough to read - or, at least, to understand - the original Alice in Wonderland, they're old enough to appreciate the Rosenbachs' three-pronged exhibit. One room delves into the history of the timeless book, from a boat trip in Oxford through the story's Disney-fication and psychedelic reimaginings. The next, "Alice's Adventures in Phillyland," has mostly grown-up appeal, with typed letters and handwritten figures that tell the local piece of the true story.

The last space is 100 percent interactive, with the inventions of Charles Dodgson (a/k/a Lewis Carroll). There are a round billiards table, a place to mirror-write, more word-based brain teasers and, for new moms and other tired chaperones, a cushy couch and a pair of chairs.

Here are some other Philly spots to catch Alice fever:

* Mad Hatter's Tea Party: Tea time and games at five public libraries, for ages 6 and up. Free. Greater Olney Library, 5501 N. 5th St., 4 p.m. tomorrow; Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St.,

4 p.m. Oct. 21; Widener Library, 2808 W. Lehigh Ave., 3:30 p.m. Oct. 26; Oak Lane Library, 6614 N. 12th St., 3:30 p.m. Nov. 9; Chestnut Hill Library, 8711 Germantown Ave., 4 p.m. Nov. 18, 215-686-5322, freelibrary.org.

* Croquet in Wonderland: Flamingo mallets and hedgehog balls arrive on the west side of City Hall for an afternoon. So do the Queen of Hearts and Alice herself. Dilworth Park, 15th and Market streets, noon-5 p.m. Thursday, free, 215-732-1600, rosenbach.org.

* The Movie: Walt Disney's 1951 classic is a pleasant example of an animated feature in which the

female lead is not (or not quite) a princess. Whitman Library, 200 Snyder Ave., 2 p.m. Saturday; West Oak Lane Library, 2000 Washington Lane, 4 p.m. Nov. 10, free, 215-686-5322, freelibrary.org.

* Human Chess: Local school clubs come together for a game. Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St., 4-7 p.m. Nov. 17, free, 215-686-5322, freelibrary.org.

- Lauren McCutcheon