15+ Fun Things To Do With Kids In Perth This Summer School Holidays

11th Dec 2025

Written by: Eliana Hullett

Perth’s summer school holidays are right around the corner, which means one thing: endless energy, curious questions, and the constant hum of “I’m bored” echoing through your house.

Staying home might seem appealing as the temps start creeping up and we're sweating our faces off, but then there's the risk of getting a little stir-crazy and wishing you could find something to break up the day.

Well, no need to panic just yet, because I’ve rounded up the best ways to keep kids entertained (and parents sane) over December and January, with activities that spark imagination, get them moving, and maybe even teach them a thing or two, without anyone needing to beg for screen time.

Buckle up, because these school holidays are about to get seriously fun.

Family-Friendly Restaurants To Keep Everyone Happy

In need of a last-minute dinner spot that won’t end in a meltdown? Check out this list of kid-friendly restaurants. Think of places that offer the coolest playgrounds, sandpits and kids' menus so that both old and young can settle in for a good time. Whether you’re chasing a cruisy pub lunch or a cafe with space for the little ones to run wild, these choices will keep both tiny humans and tired grown-ups happy.

Coffee, Play, Repeat

Image credit: City of Vincent | Website

Sun’s out, energy’s high, and it’s the perfect excuse to get the kids outside. Slip into your sneakers, grab the hats and set off on a mini adventure that will keep the little ones smiling (and, with a bit of luck, wear them out enough for a nap on the car ride home).

Start at one of Perth’s best kid-friendly cafes, sip a steaming cup of Joe while they enjoy a frothy babychino before wandering off to explore parks, playgrounds and nature play areas. My pick is Ginga in Mt Hawthorn for the caffeine hit, then a short stroll to Brathwaite Park, a local fave where kids young and old can enjoy the two seperate playgrounds.

Take The Polar Express To Santa's Christmas Village

Image Credit: Santa's Christmas Village | Website

We know the North Pole can be a little tricky to get to this time of year, but don't worry, we've got the next best thing. Santa's Christmas Village and all its festive magic is coming to the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre this December, ready for the kids to run wild (while staying on their best behaviour, of course, there's still a nice list to consider!).

There are heaps of things to keep everyone occupied, with gingerbread cookie decorating and bauble making for the crafty ones, reindeer sing-alongs in the barn and Rudolph's Maze for the adventurous ones, carnival rides and games for the thrill seekers, and even a chance to say hello to the big guy himself as he wanders through his jolly village. Paw Patrol Live is also putting on a pawsome show that brings our favourite cartoon pups to life on stage. Tickets are available at $49 for children, $19 for adults, and $119 for a family pass (two kids, two adults).

And bonus, there are plenty of funky photo ops if you're still crafting the perfect family holiday card, because what's cooler than a backdrop of oversized candy canes or an enormous Christmas tree?

Rain, Hail Or Shine, These Indoor Play Centres Will Save Your Sanity

Image credit: Vitaland | Instagram

Despite winter being well and truly behind us, there are often a few wet and dreary days during the September school holidays. Luckily, Perth is stacked with epic indoor play areas where the little ones can burn off energy (without destroying your living room).

Top of my list is the dreamy Vitaland, perfect for pocket-rockets aged 2-5. With locations all across Perth, these pastel play paradises are packed with climbing zones, slides and hidden nooks to explore. Plus, there’s a lovely cafe (with great coffee to boot) for the adults to relax in while the kids go wild. There's also newcomer Chuck E. Cheese— a full-on fun factory with arcade games, rides and pizza that's just opened in Joondalup. These spots are perfect for keeping the little ones entertained when you need a low-key indoor breather, all while still soaking up that spring energy.

Gawk At The Christmas Lights Trail With Christmas at The Quay

In case you're unaware of this festive explosion sitting on our Swan River, Elizabeth Quay has transformed into a winter (summer) wonderland of lights, decorations, and even a bit of snowfall until 28 December.

I'd suggest starting with a wander through the Rio Tinto Christmas Lights Trail, weaving through Perth City with 22 light installations and merry performances along the way (and you can take the family-friendly Merry Mile if you've got little legs that struggle with long distances). The final exhibit is The Bridge of Light in Elizabeth Quay, a dazzling tunnel display with glowing LED trees against the unparalleled backdrop of Perth's night skyline. Once you're there, you can also access the Elfie Selfie station, prime for sing-alongs and interactive games (and selfie moments), and enjoy a rare white Christmas as snow falls every 15 minutes from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. And dining at The Quay is always a treat, with plenty of fabulous options for you and the fam to cap off your night.

Funlab Is Bringing The Good Times These School Hols

Image credit: Hijinx Hotel | Supplied

If you’re a veteran of looking after kids, chances are you’ve already stumbled into the glorious chaos that is Funlab. The ultimate chaos HQ is home to Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, Holey Moley Golf Club, Strike Bowling and Hijinx Hotel, equipped with a crew that is professional at keeping the boredom at bay.

Spring school holidays mean Funlab is rolling out family deals designed to keep energy levels high and parental supervision… optional. Whether your little one fancies themselves a mini golf prodigy, an arcade wizard or a bowling champ in the making, there’s something here to keep them buzzing while you sneak in some well-earned downtime.

Glide Into School Holiday Fun With Ice Skating

Image credit: Cockburn Ice Arena | Facebook

Glide into some serious fun at Cockburn Ice Arena this school holidays. Their sessions are stepping up a notch with extra session times, Learn to Skate demos and ice marshals ready to steady the wobbly beginners, and there's even a special Skate With Santa running on 21 December from 1pm to 3pm, where kids can get their final Christmas wishes in and watch the big guy carve it up on the ice. A DJ spins tunes, runs games, hands out prizes, takes song requests and even does birthday shout-outs. It’s a sparkling ice party for the whole family, no skills required.

Museums, Dino Trails And Code Cracking

Image credit: WA Museum Boola Bardip | Instagram

Museums have evolved from the hush-hush, look-but-don’t-touch spots I remember. They’re now becoming full-blown adventure zones. Right now, the WA Museum Boola Bardip has a bunch of awesome adventures to take the kids on, such as the Dinosaur Trail, Terracotta Warriors and an epic Codebreakers Scavenger Hunt.

But don’t stop there. WA Museum Boola Bardip might be the first museum that comes to mind when thinking up things to do with kids in Perth, but it’s not the only one. For more history-meets-adventure vibes, hit up the WA Maritime Museum, explore the eerie cells in the Fremantle Prison, or swing by the Perth Mint to see real gold pouring demos. Who said learning can’t be fun?

This Interactive Italian Dining Table You'll Want A Seat At

Immerse yourself in the intimate stories of the Italian migrant women who helped shape some of Perth’s most beloved institutions.

In partnership with

This summer, pull up a chair at Nonna’s table, and prepare for an immersion into food, storytelling, and the lives of the hardworking Italian migrant women who helped shape Western Australia’s cultural heart. From Nonna With Love, a new exhibition at the WA Maritime Museum, brings together more than 100 cherished objects and personal stories from Italian migrant women who arrived in the early 1900s to build new lives on local soil. Expect intimate glimpses into kitchens, family tables and small-town delis that became Perth institutions. With cooking demos, storytelling sessions and plenty of nostalgia, this exhibition is equal parts history lesson and love letter to the women who made WA a little more delicious.

Grab tickets here.

Science Meets Play At Scitech

Image credit: Scitech | Facebook

Little minds buzzing with questions? Scitech has you covered this spring, serving up a lineup of hands-on experiments, brain-teasing exhibits and interactive activities to keep the tiny explorers busy for hours.

Blast off on a journey through the Solar System in the planetarium, join a Q&A with an astronaut (grown-ups welcome to geek out too), and dive into a program of spring adventures that prove learning can be seriously fun. Check out the full list here.

Have A Splash At Adventure World

Image Credit: Adventure World | Instagram

Just as the Perth heat starts to tick up to slightly unbearable, Adventure World returns for the summer with stacks of water slides, swimming pools, and refreshing drinks to beat the heat. They've had some serious upgrades over the past few years, with rollercoasters like The Abyss and The Goliath soaring to new heights, slides like The Kraken and The Tunnel Of Terror ready to cool you off, and the Dragon Kingdom full of smaller-scale excitement for the little adventurers. There are a couple of different pricing options available depending on ages and group discounts, with fast pass upgrades available to cut the line for an extra $60.

And for any parents wanting to have some down time while the kids run rampant, why not book a Kahuna Balcony seat for a perfect (and shaded) view of the park, or go super deluxe with a private Cabana and starfish on a sun lounger next to your personal mini fridge?

Capture Little Imaginations With The Biggest Creatures

Image credit: Dinos Alive | Supplied

If you've got a pint-sized paleontologist, Dinos Alive is going to guarantee you're the favourite parent. We're talking more than 80 life-size, interactive dino installations that your little one can meet and greet. The global success immersive exhibition is a chance to step back in time 140 million years or so, and get up close and personal with the creatures that used to roam our land.

Fun and educational? You've just hit the parenting motherload. The exhibition even includes a virtual aquarium for a close-up look at marine predators, and interactive zones where the kids can search for fossils (and fun). Secure your tickets to this once-in-140-million-years opportunity now.

Cheer On The Wildcats at RAC Arena's HoopsFest

If you've got a mini Michael Jordan or Caitlin Clark on your hands, or you've just been to the local park basketball hoop one too many times these hols, get pumped for HoopsFest returning to Perth for its second year! Bring the whole family down to cheer as the NBL plays five games and the WNBL plays four, and check out the Fan Zone to celebrate all things basketball culture (including a social, open age basketball tournament with a major prize pool). This four day basketball festival will span from 15 January to 18 January, with tickets starting at $26 and getting more expensive the closer to courtside you get.

This Bold Art Exhibition Is Reigniting The Joy Of Play

Image credit: The Art Gallery Of WA | Website

Running from 5 July to 22 February, this fresh, free exhibition is a sensory call to unplug, reconnect and just play. Re-PLAY is a technicolour, hands-on wonderland for kids (and let's be honest, adults too). Expect immersive installations, interactive play zones, tactile experiences and all the joyful chaos of creative expression. It's about celebrating connection, pushing back on screen-time overload and re-awakening the power of imagination.

In need of some zen? Swing by Re-PLAY during the quiet hour from 3pm to 4pm for soft sounds, slow movement and a lower-sensory environment.

Adventureland in Basso

The Basso is bringing the fun this school holidays with Adventureland 2025, a whirlwind of kids’ activities guaranteed to tire out even the most energetic mini humans. Every Saturday, kids can dive into a kaleidoscope of bubbles, balloon twisting, face painting, arts & crafts and even a tiny animal farm.

There’s more magic tucked into the mix, too—think jewellery and bath bomb making, wonderland tea parties, silent discos, little chef classes and a sprinkle of actual magic tricks. It’s the ultimate way to keep the kids busy, laughing, and crafting memories while you sit back with a pint in nursed firmly in hand.

Life Of A Marine Scientist

Image credit: AQWA | Facebook

For the ocean-obsessed mini explorers, AQWA’s Marine Program is a hands-on holiday dream. Packed into a three-hour whirlwind from 8:45am to 12pm, kids aged six to twelve can dive into shark-focused science, explore fossils and get up close with fascinating marine life.

The program includes a glass-bottom boat ride, guided tours, basic biology lessons, shark artefacts, fossil exploration and even some arts and crafts. By the end, kids will walk away with their very own course completion certificate, proof they survived (and thrived) in the ocean adventures.

Reach For The Sky at Fremantle Town Hall

When the chaos of Christmas starts to fade away and the kids start declaring boredom once again, it's important to have something up your sleeve for the January half of the holidays. That's where Reach For The Sky comes in, the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre production designed for little legs and big imaginations. Running from Monday 5 January to Saturday 24 January out of the FreoTown Hall, Reach For The Sky is a dialogue-free immersive experience that follows two energetic characters as they go on adventures, while your kids can plonk down on a bouncy ball and wriggle and fidget to their heart's content. The show is aimed at kids aged three to seven, and tickets are available from $27.

Kids Cooking For A Cause

Image credit: OzHarvest | Supplied

Bring the kids along for a hands-on school holiday session with OzHarvest, where cooking meets doing good. Children aged eight and up team up with a parent or guardian to transform rescued ingredients into delicious meals while learning about zero-waste cooking and helping provide food to people in need.

It’s hands-on, wholesome, and full of school holiday magic. Expect laughter, learning and a bit of flour on the face. Spots fill fast, so lock in your place for Thursday 22 January 2026, 1pm 'til 3:30pm, and get ready to cook up a storm for a good cause.

Become An A-List Actor With Barking Gecko

Barking Gecko is ready to fill up your calendar from 20 to 30 January 2026, bringing arts and theatre workshops and fun to kids aged 8 to 12 at the Subi Arts Centre. The mini performers will learn to build characters, create new worlds and work together to bring their intergalactic adventures to life on stage. They'll work with Barking Gecko teaching artists to develop their improvisation, voice, movement, and devising, while building up their confidence to perform an informal showing for family and friends on the final day. It's all designed to spark creativity and encourage kids to get into the theatre and express themselves!

Wander Through The Markets

Sprinkle a little adventure into the school holidays and take the kids on a wander through the markets. Market stalls all across Perth are packed with treasures, tasty treats and hands-on fun that will keep little hands busy and curious eyes wide. From homemade goodies to quirky finds, these markets are a playground for the senses. Check out the full list of summer market gems and make a morning (or afternoon) of it with the whole crew.

Explore The Heart Of Freo

Image credit: Fremantle Markets | Instagram

Maybe it’s the heritage-listed charm, the live tunes echoing through the halls or the constant whiff of something delicious wafting your way. This iconic spot has been winning hearts since 1897 and it’s still one of the best ways to kill a few hours with the kids in tow. It’s busy, it’s loud and it can be chaotic (but so are your kids, so really it’s a match made in heaven). For a little bit of magic, be sure to pop into The Pickled Fairy, and if you’re making a day out of it and sticking around for dinner, here’s a guide to the best places to wind down from the market-madness.

Catch The Wizard of Oz at The Regal Theatre

Take the Yellow Brick Road all the way down to The Regal Theatre in Subi these school holidays to catch Zealous Productions' The Wizard Of Oz pantomime. After the spellbinding impact of the Wicked movies over the last year, it's the perfect time to introduce the kids to the original story, Kansas twister and all. There are a couple of different sitting times available, including matinees at 2pm and evening shows at 6pm, and the final show will be on Christmas Eve, with tickets costing up to $85.

There will be Auslan interpreters present during the performance, wireless headsets for those who require an audio description, and the opportunity to book a free tactile tour and cast meet and greet to explore the props and costumes, and ask all those burning cast questions (what's it like travelling by bubble, Glinda?).

Spend The Day Around Fomo Freo

FOMO Freo is the hub of December-January school holiday fun, making it easy to pack a day with activities, food, and creative adventures without constantly wrangling kids in and out of car seats.

Strike Bowling is $14 a game, with pumping music and fun graphics to keep little ones entertained, while Holey Moley offers 9 holes for the same price, and enough photo ops that you might finally snag a Facebook-worthy family pic. At Archie Brothers, $35 scores you $70 in arcade game credit, which is great for older kids and just as entertaining for toddlers who think they’re playing. For something a bit different, MANIAX lets you take on a 60-minute axe-throwing session for $29pp (with a full safety briefing from the resident ‘AXEperts’, so don’t freak out yet!). And just a short stroll away, the Anya Brock Gallery is hosting hourly art workshops where kids can paint on pre-drawn canvases to take home, all materials included, for $50 per person.

Rio Tinto Naturescape

Image Credit: Rio Tinto Naturescape | Instagram

For green thumbs or aspiring green thumbs, the Rio Tinto Naturescape in Kings Park is opening up in January from 8:30am to 12:30pm every day (bar Mondays), getting the kids off their phones and into nature. It's a bush adventure without having to leave the city, with rushing creeks, native wildlife, and towering tree hides all around. Let the creative juices flow and embrace the beauty of WA's nature, whether it's building a cubby in the bush, mixing a magic potion in The Spring, building a dam in Paperbark Creek, or just having a wander through the weaving Kulunga Gully, the adults will have as much fun as the kids (plus, this one's free entry!).

Looking for more ways to keep busy with kids? Check out:

Main image credit: Strike Bowling | Instagram

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