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Things to do in Perth during the summer school holidays
There's plenty going on around Perth to keep kids of all ages busy over the summer break.
Updated • Published
9 min read
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Explore
9 min readExplore
There's plenty going on around Perth to keep kids of all ages busy over the summer break.
Updated • Published
9 min read
Text size
Updated •
Published
Text size
If you’re looking for inspiration and ideas to keep the kids entertained during the summer school holidays in Perth, we’ve found some fun activities your kids will love.
There's plenty going on right around Perth for kids of all ages to fill your summer calendar. So, let’s dive in.
Step out of the heat and into a snow-dusted world inside the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Santa’s Christmas Village brings festive magic to life with cookie-decorating, bauble-making, singing sessions, and a meet-and-greet with the big man himself. Plus, Paw Patrol fans can catch Chase and Marshall onstage in a cheerful festive show.
Location: Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Dates: 6 – 24 December 2025
Time: From 9:00am, last entry 4:00pm–6:45pm
Cost: Children (3–17) $49 + BF, Adults $19 + BF *Online Final Release Pricing
Dinos Alive is a must for little dinosaur lovers these school holidays. This immersive experience features several life-sized animated dinosaurs, which kids get to see up close as they wander through the exhibit’s halls and caverns. The exhibition also includes a Jurassic jungle VR experience and an interactive virtual aquarium teeming with ancient marine life.
Location: Northbridge Centre
Time: Sessions from 9:00am. Last session at 7:00pm.
Cost: Children (3–12 years) $27.90, Adults $36.90
Get into the festive spirit with the Rio Tinto Christmas Lights Trail around Perth CBD. With 22 spectacular light installations, animated projections, mall displays, street decorations and family-friendly “The Merry Mile” route, it’s a free, magical way to stroll through the city and soak up the holiday vibes.
Location: Perth CBD — various locations
Dates: 28 November – 28 December 2025
Time: 6:00pm – 1:00am (projections from 7:45pm)
Cost: Free Event
Head to Wanneroo Botanic Gardens and wander five acres of glittering gardens at night, with glowing trees and twinkling displays that make the lawns feel like a festive fairytale. Add in glow golf for kids (and grown-ups) and you’ve got a magical outing.
Location: Wanneroo Botanic Gardens
Dates: November 26 – January 11, 2026
Time: Sessions at 5:30pm, 7:00pm and 8:30pm
Cost: Children (4-13) $6, Adults (14+) $8
Visit WA Museum Boola Bardip these school holidays for a rare glimpse into life in ancient China. The exhibit’s star attraction—the 2,000-year-old Terracotta Warriors—are on display alongside hundreds of other Chinese artefacts.. In the Ancient China Activity Zone kids can explore Chinese history through activities including water painting, warrior jigsaws and a sensory play area.
From 5:30pm daily you can also see nighttime illuminations, with projections of ancient China across the Old Gaol façade within the museum site.
Location: WA Museum Boola Bardip
Dates: Full exhibit runs to 22 February 2026
Time: 9:30am – 5:00pm
Cost: Prices vary. See exhibit website for details.
Every Friday night leading up to Christmas, Hillarys Boat Harbour comes alive with roving performers, musicians and festive energy. There’s even a Christmas-themed selfie swing by the water — a perfect way for families or friends to capture some holiday cheer.
Location: Hillarys Boat Harbour
Dates: Every Friday until Christmas
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Cost: Free Event
During Whiteman Park’s Woylie Walks the kids get a special look at what happens at the park after the sun goes down. The walks will introduce them to some of the park’s nocturnal residents, including woylies and quendas.
Under special night lights, the kids will get to see the animals in their natural environment. At the soft-release enclosure they’ll even see them feeding right around them. The tour also includes a mini tour of Woodland Reserve, plus they’ll be able to experience hands-on learning with some of the resident animals.
Location: Whiteman Park
Dates: 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21 January 2026
Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Cost: Children $20, Adults $24
Soak up some festive, under-the-sea magic at AQWA this December with Merry Fishmas. They’re keeping the good times flowing with extended hours until 5pm from 1 December — perfect for a fun, sun-soaked day out. Little ocean lovers can dive into the action with AQWA’s Junior Marine Scientist, Merry Mermaids, Scuba Santa and Eco Teen: Shark Swim programs.
These half-day adventures take kids behind the scenes to meet incredible marine creatures, try hands-on experiments, cruise in a glass-bottom boat and discover how to protect WA’s amazing underwater world.
Location: AQWA, Hillarys
Dates: From 1 December
Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Cost: Prices vary. See website for details.
Mandurah transforms into a magical coastal wonderland with 35 sparkling light installations spread across the foreshore, marina and city centre. Enjoy live entertainment, waterfront displays and an augmented-reality Santa’s workshop experience.
Location: City Centre and Mandurah Ocean Marina
Dates: 28 November – 4 January 2026
Cost: Free Event
Summer nights and outdoor cinemas? Yes please. Perth hosts several pop-up outdoor cinemas — from beanbags under the stars in Kings Park with Moonlight Cinema, to rooftop films in Northbridge or community-style screenings. Grab snacks, a cozy seat and watch a family favourite under the open sky.
Enjoy a Christmas classic like Home Alone or Love Actually in December, and blockbusters including Moana 2 and Wicked, from the comfort of a beanbag or chair under the stars.
Location: Vary. See each website for details.
Cost: Prices vary. Starting from $14.
Think of this as a dinosaur scavenger hunt meets augmented reality adventure. Kids follow a self-guided trail through the museum, discovering 13 hidden dinosaurs along the way. Each time they find a marker, a dinosaur pops to life on their smartphone — roaring, moving and surprising them in the best ways. The trail takes around an hour to complete, participants will need a smartphone to scan the trail markers.
Location: WA Museum Boola Bardip
Dates: Daily
Time: 9:30am – 4:00pm
Cost: Included in general admission. Adult $15, Children (15 and under) Free
This hands-on holiday program transforms a zoo visit into an interactive adventure. Kids meet workers behind the scenes, solve animal-themed challenges, learn about wildlife protection and explore themed zones. Perth Zoo also offers various kids and youth programs for different ages.
Location: Perth Zoo
Dates: 5 January – 23 January
Time: 8:00am – 3:00pm
Cost: $100 per person
Get a taste of local summer energy at Swan Settlers Market. Kids can burn energy in indoor and outdoor play zones, with play zones, and enjoy hands-on activities, while you browse stalls packed with handmade goodies, summer must-haves, quirky finds and tasty treats.
Location: Swan Settlers Market, Herne Hill
Dates: 6 – 28 December 2026
Cost: Free Event
Aspiring dancers will love practising their plies at this school holiday ballet workshop run by two former West Australian Ballet dancers. The 1-hour class is designed for 7–12-year-old dancers to practise their ballet skills or just keep dancing through the holiday period.
Parents can stay and watch or chill out in the lovely heritage foyer. There are also kids’ activities to keep younger siblings occupied during the class.
Location: West Australian Ballet Centre
Dates: 12 January and 14 January 2026
Time: 10:15am and 11:30am (1-hour sessions)
Cost: $25 ($20 for Junior Members)
When the heat hits, nothing beats some splash-time fun. Outback Splash in Bullsbrook offers waterslides for thrill-seekers, splash zones for little ones, mazes, mini golf and sensory play. With shaded chill-out zones and relaxing spots for parents, it’s a full-day water adventure that works for the whole fam.
Location: Outback Splash, Bullsbrook
Dates: Season runs September until 19 April 2026
Time: 27 December – 1 February – 9:30am – 5:30pm, From 2 February 10:00am – 5:00pm
Cost: Children (4–13 years) $43, Adult (14+) $51.50
For the curious kids (or adults), or those who want a bit of single-or mixed-age fun, Scitech delivers. Expect science shows, interactive exhibits, hands-on STEM workshops and even planetarium sessions. It’s energetic, educational and ideal when you want kids engaged.
Location: Scitech, West Perth
Dates: 6 – 28 December 2026
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm (During school holidays)
Cost: Children (4–17) $17, Adult $26
Looking for a full-on amusement park day? Adventure World in Bibra Lake delivers with over 25 rides (including the intense Abyss roller coaster and the Kraken funnel slide), water play zones, splash pads and family-friendly rides for younger kids. With some rides for the big kids and splash zones or milder rides for little ones, it’s a go-to for families or mixed-age groups.
Location: Adventure World, Bibra Lake
Dates: Season runs from 27 September 2025 – 19 April 2026
Time: From 10:00am
Cost: Children (4–13 years) $63.95, Adult $73.95
This island-style holiday program turns a family getaway into an immersive adventure. Kids can join friendly volunteer guides to uncover Rottnest’s natural wonders, from its unique wildlife to its rich cultural history. Through guided walks, storytelling sessions and marine-themed activities, children get to learn, explore and connect with nature in a relaxed coastal setting. All activities are free, family-friendly and run for about an hour unless noted otherwise.
Location: Wadjemup / Rottnest Island
Dates: 4 January – 24 January 2026
Cost: Free Event
There are plenty of boredom-busting activities to keep the kids busy at Swan Valley Adventure Centre.
Programs for kids aged 7-14 include rides on a flying fox, stand up paddleboarding, raft building, canoeing, archery tag and a lot more, all on the centre’s 89-acre bushland property. The activities book out fast so get in quick.
The activities book out fast so get in quick.
Location: 58 Yule Avenue, Middle Swan
Dates: 6, 7, 8, 12, 19, 21, 22, 27 January 2026
Cost: $99 full-day camps, $55 half-day camps
Visit the RAC online shop via your myRAC account to view the full range of discounts and buy vouchers for the school holidays.
