Perth, Western Australia is a vibrant modern city with so much to see and do during the school holidays. From the beautiful coastline to the modern skyline and relaxed suburbs, this diverse metropolis has something for everyone.
If you’re looking for perth holiday ideas & school holiday activities with your kids, Perth city is packed with opportunities. From relaxed days in the park to fun-filled beach trips, active playgrounds, and theme parks, there’s something for every budget and all weather conditions.
Let’s review 20 of the best school holiday activities to enjoy with your kids in Perth, Western Australia during the school holidays. This list starts with free school holiday ideas, followed by low-cost kids school holiday activities and memorable special events.
Kings Park and Botanic Garden is a must-see, prime family destination for people of all ages. This iconic regional park overlooks the city and offers great views of the Swan and Canning Rivers, perfect for a picnic lunch during the school holidays. It’s one of the most beautiful inner-city parks in the world, and a welcoming free community space with a wide range of fun activities and outdoor adventures to enjoy.
Along with the Botanic Garden, you can enjoy restaurants, bushland, playgrounds, bike trails, and special events. Loved by locals and visitors alike, Kings Park is the ideal school holiday destination to keep the kids entertained.
During the school holidays, kids have extra energy to burn. Bibra Lake Playground is the perfect place for young ones to let loose and have fun in a safe environment. All ages and abilities are catered for at this popular playground, which includes a water play area, monkey bars and all the facilities you could wish for. Bibra Lake Playground is located on the bank of a lake, which makes it great for picnics and bushland walk trails.
The Perth Airport Viewing Platform is a fantastic place where kids can watch airplanes taking off and landing. While most airports have some kind of viewing platform, this one allows you to get closer and fun for the whole family. There are no facilities, however, so make sure to bring your own food and use the bathroom before you go.
If you’re ready to escape the city, Lake Leschenaultia is an absolute delight. Located less than an hour from the Perth CBD, this stunning natural location provides relaxation and adventure in equal measure. This place is well-loved by locals for its swimming, canoeing, and mountain biking, and it’s also great for family outings. The lake is great for the whole family, with playground equipment and BBQ facilities located next to shady lawns, natural Australian bush, white sandy beaches and geological and rock formations.
If you’re looking for stunning natural landscapes and unique wildlife, Rottnest Island is the perfect weekend day trip destination the whole family will love.
Just offshore from Perth city and easy to visit by ferry (kids travel free if under the age of 4), this protected nature reserve is home to the much-loved quokka. These small marsupials are super-cute, and your kids will absolutely love them. Rottnest Island also features white-sand beaches, secluded coves, and clear shallow waters.
Perth’s latest play space is called Wellington Square Playground, and it’s a fantastic place to take your kids during the whole school holidays. Located in East Perth, kids can enjoy big silver slides, water-based play, and a climbing wall with lots of obstacles. The design of this playground is something special, with elements inspired by local Dreamtime stories and native Western Australian native flowers.
If you want to show your kids Perth city, why don’t you get up close and personalswazzzz these school holidays?
The Sunset Coast Explorer Bus is the city’s only open-top bus, and it’s a great way to spend a few hours. This bus operates between Whitfords and Scarborough and stops at Hillary Boat Harbour and North Beach. Children aged 15 years or younger must be accompanied by an adult, and free trips are available during some school holidays.
If you want to teach your kids more about the culture and environment of Perth, the Bilya Koort Boodja centre is the ideal setting. Children will learn of the rich Aboriginal presence in the Nyoongar Ballardong region — past, present, and future. From timeless indigenous stories to current environmental issues, your kids will be taught strong links between people and country.
Treetops Adventure offers the opportunity for two amazing school holiday activities, with action-packed aerial challenges available at Yanchep National Park and Dwellingup. Just 45 minutes from Perth, you’ll find rope courses nestled within Yanchep National Park. Only 45 minutes from Mandurah, you’ll find Treetops Adventure Dwellingup inside Lane Poole Reserve surrounded by natural forest canopy.
Both these school holiday activities are sure to get the kids excited.
When you look at the Perth skyline, the iconic Bell Tower always catches the eye.
This spectacular tower has a fascinating history and distinctive design, with its unique shape the result of an architectural competition. Kids love the sound and spectacle of these bells being rung, and you can also enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the bell ringing chamber.
If your kids are feeling brave, the Matagarup Bridge Climb is lengthy but easy trail and an exhilarating activity close to the CBD.
Matagarup is the Nyoongar name for the area around Heirisson Island, and it’s one of Perth’s newest attractions. You can climb the pedestrian suspension bridge between East Perth and Optus Stadium and take in stunning views of the Swan River and city skyline as you go. While kids need to be aged 8 and over, they don’t need any previous climbing experience.
If you really want to stimulate your kids this school holidays, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq is tough to beat. This popular attraction features arcade games, mini-golf, escape rooms, 10-pin bowling, and laser tag, and it’s all available at one action-packed site. This attraction is located in Karrinyup, and it’s a favourite among kids of all ages.
Located at Balcatta, the Rockface Indoor Climbing Centre is a great way to spend the afternoon. If your kids spend too long staring at screens during the holidays, this activity is the perfect antidote. The Rockface Indoor Climbing Centre has climbing courses & a climbing wall for all ages and abilities, and you don’t even need to book.
Located near the Perth cultural centre and DFES Education and Heritage Centre, WA Museum Boola Bardip features eight permanent exhibitions and a number of alternating ones. While kids don’t always love museums, this facility has been designed with West Australian families in mind, making it a great place when looking for Perth school holiday activities.
Along with plenty of information, each exhibition features a hands-on element for kids to enjoy. As you explore the building, your kids will learn about the rich history of WA and the people who shaped it.
The Telethon Discovery Centre is a great place for kids to learn about themselves, play educational games, and have fun. This interactive science centre will get your kids eager about learning these summer school holidays. They can explore the human body using microscopes and scanning equipment, tour laboratory spaces, and learn about current scientific research. The Discovery Centre is located in the Perth Children’s Hospital just outside the city.
If you want to immerse your kids in the natural world, there’s no better place than the state Aquarium. With breathtaking underwater scenery, mind-boggling sea creatures, and scary sharks, kids of all ages will love this fascinating place. The Aquarium WA merges entertainment with education, and who knows, a single day trip during the school holidays may inspire a life-long love affair with the sea.
Much like the aquarium, Perth Zoo in South Perth is another school holiday activity that provides a truly enriching experience for kids of all ages.
With more than 40 acres of animals, Perth Zoo can take a full day to explore. Along with regular tickets, a variety of programs are run throughout the school holidays to teach kids about animals and the environment. Children love spending time with animals, and Perth Zoo has lots of them.
From pre-schoolers to teenagers, kids love nothing more than visiting theme parks during the school holidays.
Adventure World is an action-packed ride and water park located in Bibra Lake. There are 28 rides in full, including a pendulum swing known as the Goliath, Perth’s only roller coaster the Abyss, and the white-water Rocky Mountain Rapids. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, including rides for kids under 110 cm.
If you want a break from the adrenaline, The Orchard Perth provides a much more relaxing experience.
This much-loved attraction swaps the hustle and bustle of the city for the peace and quiet of the countryside. With a vibrant and colourful space, there’s so much to see and do at The Orchard, including a number of organised school holiday activities. Kids can pick fruit, ride a tractor, meet farmyard animals, or indulge in farm-fresh and healthy food under a clear Western Australia sky.
School holidays are the perfect time to enjoy Perth city with the people you love the most. From long summer holidays to short end-of-term breaks, this great city has something to offer at any time of the year. Kids love getting out there and exploring the world around them, so what are you waiting for… the wonders of Perth city await you these school holidays.
Outback Splash is the ultimate family day out during the Perth school holidays.
Loved by visitors, the community and family groups alike, this fun-filled water playground features 20 attractions and seven water slides. Perth’s Outback Splash features a 17.5-m adrenaline-inducing tower with multiple water slides, including The Wall, Blackout, Gold Rush, and The Wedgie. This water playground is located in Bullsbrook and is suitable for all ages.
If you’re looking for more school holiday ideas in Western Australia or to make a splash without needing to travel all the way to Bullsbrook – you can hire your very own >water slide for a more personal experience!
With a range of water slides, bouncy castles and outdoor games available to hire, make your children’s Spring school holidays or April school holidays exciting and filled with fun, without breaking the bank!