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

Pedal To The Metal At PowerPlay Welshpool

Image credit: PowerPlay | Instagram

Feel the need for (safe) speed these school holidays? PowerPlay has opened its fourth Perth venue in Welshpool, and it’s bringing full-throttle fun the whole family can get around. Dubbed 'the Proving Ground', the 200-metre track features Perth’s only clockwise circuit, a sweeping banked corner, and a multi-level layout inspired by rally racing.

Fully electric karts mean no fumes and less noise, making it a smoother, cleaner ride for racers aged 10 and up. So round up the crew, let the kids take the wheel and don’t be surprised when things get competitive fast, because once the helmets go on, it’s every racer for themselves.

Draw and Doodle with Ritz Kids: Life in Colours

Image credit: Ritz Carlton | Instagram

We all know Perth does luxury well, but did you know it does kids well too? Enter Ritz Kids at The Ritz-Carlton, the hotel’s answer to entertaining the little ones while you sip espresso martinis in style. Fresh from a new partnership with Kidstuff, this isn’t your average kids’ corner with a colouring-in sheet and a used box of crayons. We’re talking daily craft sessions, cookie decorating that gets competitive, and a Ritz Kids: Life In Colours activity where your littlest guest gets to bring Leo the Lion and Quentin the Quokka to life with proper art supplies. 

Finish off your stay with the pièce de resistance: A Ritz Kids Afternoon Tea. This will put you off fairy bread for life. Think ham and cheese sandwiches, curry chicken pie, and mac and cheese croquettes on the savoury side, then buttermilk scones and mini versions of the grown-up deserts for the sweet tooths, all served with Elizabeth Quay views that will have you fighting your kid for the window seat. Add a personalised "Adventurer Passport" at check-in and you've basically got a five-star holiday for the six-and-under crowd. Just don't be surprised if they refuse to go back to regular hotels after this.

Coffee, Play, Repeat

Image credit: City of Vincent | Website

Spring's well and truly here, which means swapping the brollies for sunnies and making the most of the blooming parks around town. Grab a thermos, and set off on a mini adventure that will keep them 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, grab a cup of Joe while they get their fix over a frothy babychino, before heading off to explore parks, playgrounds and nature play areas. Drop by Ginga in Mt Hawthorn for the caffeine hit, then a short stroll to Brathwaite Park, a local favourite where kids young and old can burn off some energy across the two separate playgrounds before you head home for something cosy.

Make A Whole Day Of It At Baillie Hill

Image credit: Baillie Hill | Instagram

Looking for somewhere new that can carry the whole day without a single car trip in between? Baillie Hill in East Victoria Park is Perth's newest family-friendly hangout, a hospitality and community precinct built around the heritage site of what was once WA's first specialist maternity hospital, and it's set up so you genuinely never have to leave.

Kick things off with coffee and pastries at Beth's Bakery & Café, tucked inside the restored heritage rotunda, before letting the kids loose across not one but two parks. There's the timber-built Milly's Playground in the adjoining Elizabeth Baillie Park, plus the purpose-built Mildred Creak Playground, designed in collaboration with Autism Association WA for neurodiverse children, and a fully accessible Changing Places facility. In between, there's a huge open field for anyone who just wants to run, plus resident chickens and ducks pottering around near the playground, always a hit with the little ones.

Come lunchtime, The Berwick Bar & Kitchen has you covered as the resident pub, overlooking the park with pool tables, sport on the screens and wood-fired pizzas, while Milly's Acre next door does relaxed all-day dining among the produce gardens. Pro tip: grab a pizza to-go and sit on the hill while watching over your little ones. And no day out is complete without dessert, so save room for a scoop (or two) at Greensleeves Gelato before you go. Coffee, playgrounds, a pub, a paddock full of animals and ice cream to finish: it's an easy way to burn a whole day without ever needing to move the car.

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

Image credit: Vitaland | Instagram

It's always a good idea to back up your kids' itinerary with a spring-friendly indoor play centre or two, especially when the forecast can't be trusted further than tomorrow. Perth is spoilt for choice when it comes to epic indoor play areas where the little ones can burn off all that pent-up energy without you having to sacrifice your living room in the process.

Top of our list is the dreamy Vitaland, perfect for pocket-rockets aged 2-5. With locations dotted across Perth, these pastel-hued play paradises are a whimsical wonderland of climbing zones, rides, slides and hidden nooks just begging to be explored. It is the kind of place your little adventurer could happily lose an entire afternoon in. Plus, there's a lovely on-site cafe (with genuinely great coffee, might we add) where the grown-ups can kick back with a flat white while the kids run themselves into a well-earned nap.

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 (and the winter blues) at bay.

These spring school holidays mean Funlab is rolling out mid-week deals, with kids' activities from just $16pp, designed to keep energy levels high while you sneak in some well-earned downtime. 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.

You might also like:

• Perth's Best Kid-Friendly Cafes
• Perth's Best Family-Friendly Restaurants
• Perth's Best Kid-Friendly Beaches

Glide Into School Holiday Fun With Ice Skating

Image credit: Cockburn Ice Arena | Facebook

If your kids have got energy to burn and a taste for slippery shenanigans,  Cockburn Ice Arena is about to become their happy place these spring holidays. With 23 sessions a week, Learn to Skate demos and ice marshals on standby for wobbly legs, there's no excuse not to hit the rink. Plus, it's fully indoors, so any spring showers outside become someone else's problem for a few hours.

Perth's very own indoor ice rink is the highlight these school holidays, whether your crew is chasing a personal best lap time or just holding onto the wall for dear life. Family passes make it easy to bring the whole crew, while the on-site cafe keeps the coffee (and hot chips) flowing for anyone opting to spectate from the warm side of the glass. No skating experience required, just grab your socks, strap on your skates, and let the ice antics begin.

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 you remember from school excursions. They're now becoming full-blown adventure zones, and there's no better time to duck into one than these bright, sunny spring days. Right now, the WA Museum Boola Bardip has a bunch of awesome adventures to take the kids on, such as the Dinosaur Trail and an epic Codebreakers Scavenger Hunt.  

There's also OceanXperience, a fully interactive exhibition running until October where kids can step aboard a replica of a real-life research vessel, exploring mission control, the wet and dry labs and the sub hangar to uncover how scientists study the ocean's most remote corners. 

Just down the road, the Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA) runs special shark-themed sessions across the school holidays, with feeding sessions, touch-pool interactions and their specialised drop-and-go Junior Marine Scientist program, complete with a glass-bottom boat ride and a completion certificate to take home. And back in the city, the Bell Tower at Barrack Square offers $5 kids' tickets on weekdays throughout the school holidays, including a hidden duck scavenger hunt, a spin of the prize wheel, and the chance to touch Australia's oldest bell.

Gamers in the family shouldn't miss Nostalgia Box, Australia's first video game console museum, which is hosting a Pokémon and Pizza Day on Friday 4 October. Expect an afternoon of Pokémon-themed gaming, plus pizza to refuel between rounds, perfect for little gamers and big kids at heart.

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 vibes (and a warm, weatherproof escape), 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?

Free Arts Fun At The AWESOME Festival

Image credit: AWESOME Arts | Instagram

If you've got a spare afternoon between 26 and 30 September, don't miss the AWESOME International Arts Festival for Bright Young Things, WA's premier annual arts event for kids and families. Held across various venues in the city, the festival packs theatre, creative workshops, ballet, music and exhibitions into five days, with a strong lineup of free activities alongside the ticketed shows, all designed for children aged 0 to 12.

Pair it with a stop at the City of Perth Library, where free holiday craft runs daily from 26 September to 8 October (Level 4, no bookings required, recommended for ages two to 12). It's an easy, budget-friendly way to fill a gap in the itinerary, especially if you're already in the city for the festival.

Family-Friendly Pubs To Keep Everyone Happy

Image credit: Percy's Playground | Supplied

When all else fails, there's always the pub. Think local watering holes that offer both the coolest playgrounds and the coldest pints, sandpits and steak sangas, kids' menus and cocktail lists. Plus, as the weather warms up, a beer garden to soak up the sun in while the little ones burn off steam. Check out this list of family-friendly pubs that'll keep both old and young smiling. 

The newly revamped Baysie is the pick either way, with cosy nooks for a cooler evening and a towering slide out in the beer garden for the sunnier days. Meanwhile Percy's Playground at Guildford's Stirling Arms Hotel is guaranteed to tire out tiny tornadoes, rain or shine.

If it's proper hide-from-the-weather territory you're after, The Herdy has a huge indoor play area that'll keep the kids going for hours, no weather-watching required. Out in the Swan Valley, The Henley Brook pairs a glowing log fire in its cosy dining room with hearty pub fare, while over in the Hills, the Mount Helena Tavern and Parkerville Tavern both do rustic charm properly, think roaring open fireplaces, colouring-in for the kids, and a kids' menu that'll have them tucking into mini smash burgers before you've finished your first pint. Wherever you land, a good pub session is really just a play area, a kids' menu and a beer garden away. Long live the pub!

Science Meets Play At Scitech

Image credit: Scitech | Facebook

Little minds buzzing with questions? Scitech has you covered these school holidays, 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, look for aliens, and dive into a program of holiday adventures that prove learning can be seriously fun. Check out the full list here.

Life Of A Marine Scientist

Image credit: AQWA | Facebook

For kids who live for fins, shells, and everything in between, AQWA’s Junior Marine Scientist program is the ultimate holiday adventure. Over three hours of guided fun, 6 to 12-year-olds can dive into the basics of marine biology, get hands-on with experiments, meet real marine animals, and uncover the secrets of the ocean through crafts, presentations, and interactive tours.

The program even includes a glass-bottom boat ride, lunch, and full entry to AQWA, meaning little explorers can explore, experiment, and eat without a single boring moment. By the end, they’ll leave with their own completion certificate, a badge of honour for surviving, thriving, and making a splash in this fully guided ocean adventure.

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. 

Spend The Day Around FOMO Freo 

Image credit: Strike Bowling | Website

FOMO Freo is the hub of 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 $16 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 is open daily (except Mondays) from 9am to 4pm, 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!).

After-Dark Magic

Image credit: Forbidden Forest | Provided

Wizarding fans will want to follow the illuminated woodland trail through Kalamunda's Jorgensen Park for Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience, casting spells with a wand and spotting magical creatures along the way before finishing up in a themed village complete with Butterbeer, food trucks and marshmallow roasting kits. Grab a jumper for the evening chill and make a night of it.

Closer to the city, WA Museum Boola Bardip is hosting The Chain Project Light Projection from 1 to 15 October, a free evening light installation running from 6pm to 7:30pm. It's the final output of an interactive digital platform exploring perseverance, hope and endurance, and makes for an easy, low-key way to squeeze in one more evening outing before the holidays wrap up.

Movie Marathon Season

Image credit: Paramount | Instagram

Sometimes the best rainy-day plan is the simplest one: grab the popcorn and duck into a cinema. These spring holidays land two fresh family releases right in the window: stop-motion adventure Stitch Head and animated globetrotter Tad Jones and the Magic Lamp both hit Perth screens on 8 October, smack in the middle of the school break.

There's plenty to see in the lead-up too. Coyote vs. Acme hits cinemas on 17 September, a live-action/animation mash-up that finally lets Wile E. Coyote drag the ACME Corporation to court, with John Cena and Will Forte leading the fun. The same day brings Forgotten Island, DreamWorks' new original animated adventure from the writer-director behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, following two lifelong best friends who stumble into a fantastical world rooted in Philippine mythology. Both are worth catching before the holidays even start, or saving for a quieter day once the crowds move on to the newer releases. For something a little different, keep an eye on the Revival House at Como Theatre, screening kid-friendly classics from genuine 16mm and 35mm film prints in a gorgeous art deco setting.

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

• Perth's Best Kid-Friendly Bush Walks
• Perth's Best Kid-Friendly Pubs
• Free Things To Do With Kids In Perth

Main image credit: Strike Bowling | Instagram 

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