Have you subscribed to the ellaslist weekly Sunday newsletter? When we know there’s rain ahead we pack it full of great indoor events and places to go: Get on the list here

Another rainy day stuck inside with the kids? Are the Wiggles and Disney flicks on high rotation and every toy your kids own lying on the floor and turning your home into an obstacle course?? If you need to get out of the house and burn off some pent up energy (yours and the kids!), head to your local indoor pool. It’s a low cost kids activity and a much more fun to get wet than running from the car to the shopping mall. Here’s our pick of the best-check your suburb’s ellaslist Swimming Directory listings for more pools in your area.

Eastern Suburbs: Cook and Phillip Park Aquatic Centre:  Located right in the middle of the city, this is easy to get to and well served by public transport. There is a decent sized children’s pool with a water slide and cute mosaic sculptures to swim around, plus a 33 degree baby pool that you can use when there’s no classes going on (afternoons are best) Plus it’s right across the road from The Australian Museum so splash around then head to the museum for a few more hours of indoor fun.

East/Inner West: For more museum/swimming fun, plan a visit to the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre followed by the Powerhouse Museum next door. There’s a good sized leisure pool, shallow at one end, excellent for babies, plus fountains and bubbles for the kiddies to play with.

Inner West: The Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre is a great place to spend a rainy day. There’s a fab toddler splash pool with fountains and water features to keep the littlies endlessly amused. Once you have worked up an appetite, stop in at the kid friendly cafe next to the pool for a post swim snack.

North Shore: Lane Cove Aquatic Centre – this place is great for families. The indoor leisure pool is really big and there are lots of fun water features (the fountain tunnel is a real favourite!). Parking is easy with a coiuncil carpark just accross the road.

Willoughby Leisure Centre has a great big indoor kids pool which often has giant inflatable fun sessions-call ahead to see if the giant slides are up.

Northern Beaches : The Warringah Aquatic Centre is the place to be on a rainy day. The indoor heated Olympic sized pool has a designated Fun & Splash area for the kids and when they are worn out, mum can drop them off at the excellent on site creche and swim a few laps!

The best of the best in Sydney is a bit of a drive away but well worth hopping in the car for : check out  Olympic Aquatic Centre’s amazing Water Playground at at Olympic Park.