Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

I used to love rainy days. It was dark out, I could sleep in, and the rain was so nice and soothing. But then I had a kid. Not just a kid, but a super high-energy kid who requires not one but TWO activities a day to sleep well and not make her parents insane. So when it rains we lose the playground and the pool, and leaves us searching for ways to shake off the kiddo's energy inside.

So where do you go in Philly to run out a high-energy kid? Sadly, I haven't found all that many places that are free, with the fantastic expectation of the Smith Playhouse. Unlike the adjacent Smith Playground, which is only open from April to October (it is awesome, of course, but is for sure an outdoor thing), the Playhouse is open year round and features three floors of play equipment for kids under five. There are even corners of the Playhouse where you can enjoy a packed lunch inside (or rent it for birthday parties), restrooms (with changing tables, thank you very much), and a dress-up section.

As for pay places, there is one golden rule--DO NOT GO ON FRIDAYS. Friday is field trip day, for both camps in the summer and schools during the school year, and as a result the best of our local museums are simply overrun with big kids. When I've tried to take my two-year-old out to local museums on Fridays, she gets lost in a crush of elementary school aged kids who run over her like a celebrities drive over paparazzi. On Fridays your best bet is to build a fort at home and hope it's enough.

But on every other day of the week, you can enjoy the aquarium in Camden (riding the ferry across from Philly is fun too, although parking in Camden costs less). But I'd recommend buying the 'annual passport' because if you go more than twice a year, it pays for itself. Regular admission is PRICEY at nearly $20 for adults and $15 for kids over two (the passport is $140 for two adults and up to four kids). But inside you'll find touch-a-shark displays as well as the usual assortment of fish and other water critters. My daughter LOVES the aquarium and when it's not too crowded really enjoys running and running inside.

Other great indoor spots include the Please Touch Museum (just like it sounds--a hands-on kid's museum), moving to its fantastic new location in Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park this September (more room! More exhibits! No more nightmare parking!). The Franklin Institute (on the Parkway) and the Academy of Natural Sciences can be fun too, but are really geared toward kids out of preschool.

Lastly, if you are lucky, you might live close enough to one of the theater chains that offer free weekday movies to families. The lights don't get turned all the way down, the volume is a little lower than normal, and no one cares if your kid gets up and runs around the theater a few times during the movie. In West Philly, the Bridge Theater offers a movie every Tuesday morning at 10am.

See? Rainy days don't have to suck. Except maybe on Fridays.