Kix & Giggles Children's Playground 9356 Old Bustleton Ave.; 215-677-4140. www.kixandgiggles.com. Attractions include a wrap-around gym, a rock wall, soft-play section for babies & toddlers, an outside seating area & more. Mondays 10 am-3 pm are reserved for children with special needs & their families. See website for more details. $6.95. Tue.-Thu. 10 am-8 pm; Fri.-Sat. 10 am-9 pm; Sun. 10 am-8 pm.

The Please Touch Museum 210 N. 21st St.; 215-963-0667. www.pleasetouchmuseum.org. Arts & crafts, stories, theater, interactive exhibits, hands-on activities & more. Eat Like a Pirate - New theater show about good nutrition & exercise to be staged daily through 11/25 & free with museum admission. $10.95; free for children under 1. Daily 9 am-4:30 pm.

Sesame Place 100 Sesame Rd., Langhorne; 215-752-7070. www.sesameplace.com. Family amusement park where beloved Sesame Street characters come to life through parades, rides (including the roller coaster, Vapor Trail), live shows, play areas (Big Bird's Court, Elmo's World, etc.), meal times with furry friends (Breakfast with Cookie Monster, Lunch with Big Bird, etc.) & more. $44.50; $39.50 seniors; free for children under 2. Weekends only.

*FREE* Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse Intersection of 33rd & Oxford Sts. in E. Fairmount Park; 215-765-4325. www.smithplayhouse.org. Three-story "play mansion" for children 0-5 yrs. old & huge outdoor play park for children 0-10 featuring the Giant Wooden Slide, the giant net climber, the Apollo spinner climber, the Biggo Duo swing & much more. Tue.-Sun. 10 am-4 pm. Children must be accompanied by adult.

Literary Calendar

Book signings & readings

Barnes & Noble - Rittenhouse Square 1805 Walnut St.; 215-665-0716. www.bn.com. Dave Brown: Philly Jock: The Best Philadelphia Pro Athletes of Our Time. 11/17 4 pm.

Borders Books & Music 4010 Dearborn Circle, Mount Laurel; 856-866-9090. www.borders.com. Bob Birdsall: People of the Pines. 11/16 7 pm.

Borders Books & Music 515 Rte. 73 South, Marlton; 856-985-5080. www.bordersstores.com. Yvonne Stephens: Say Cheese. 11/17 1 pm.

Free Library of Philadelphia - Central Branch 1901 Vine St.; 215-686-5322. www.library.phila.gov. Tommy LaSorda: I Live For This: Baseball's Last True Believer. 11/16 noon. James Rosin: Philadelphia: City of Music . Special book signing event also featuring music from Unforgetable. 11/19 7 pm.

Har Zion Temple 1500 Hagys Ford Rd., Narberth; 610-667-5000. www.harziontemple.org. Martin Lemelman: Mendel's Daughter. 11/19 11:30 am.

Mishkan Shalom 4101 Freeland Ave.; 215-508-0226. www.mishkan.org. Dr. Alice Rothchild: Broken Promises, Broken Dreams. 11/18 1 pm.

Poetry & lectures

Free Library of Philadelphia - Central Branch 1901 Vine St.; 215-686-5322. www.library.phila.gov. J. Craig Venter: A Life Decoded - Author appearance & lecture. $14; $7 students. 11/20 8 pm.

Glen Foerd on the Delaware 5001 Grant Ave.; 215-632-5330. www.glenfoerd.org. Evening Tour - Learn about the history of Glen Foerd, the community of Torresdale, & the city of Philadelphia. Reservations required. $8. 11/20 7 pm.

House of Blues 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City; 609-236-2543. www.hob.com. M.I.C. Nights - Variety show with spoken word, singers & more. 11/19 9:30 pm.

Jardel Recreation Center 1400 Cottman St. Philadelphia Poetry & Literary Forum - Guest poet followed by an open reading for those who love poetry, prose, short stories, etc. For more info, call 215-329-4793. $1 donation accepted. 11/17 1:30 pm.

Lower Merion Township Building 75 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore; 610-649-4000. www.lowermerion.org. Life After Brain Injury Panel Discussion - Psychological & social aspects of recovering from major brain trauma, impact on marriages, financial concerns, more. 11/18 2 pm.

Painted Bride Art Center 230 Vine St.; 215-925-9914. www.paintedbride.org. Rock The Pen! - Poetry reading by local high school students. $5. 11/20 10:30 am-noon.

Stenton 4601 N. 18th St.; 215-329-7312. www.stenton.org. Bawdy House - Discussion of 18th-century prostitution. 11/17 1:30 pm.