School holidays in Perth: 15 things to do with the kids

20 September 2026 · 7 min read · every pick checked against the organiser's own page

The Royal Show has the first week covered (Claremont Showground, Saturday 26 September to Saturday 3 October, and you did not need us to tell you). For everything else, here are 15 things to do with the kids around Perth these school holidays, from a drone show over Kings Park to climbing an old quarry in the hills.

The spring school holidays in Perth run from Saturday 26 September to Sunday 11 October 2026, weekends included (Term 3 finishes on Friday 25 September and Term 4 starts on Monday 12 October, with the King's Birthday holiday on Monday 28 September). Every pick below links to its live page on Keen, with dates, prices and the ticket link, and every one was checked against the organiser's or venue's own page on 19 September 2026. Things sell out and get rained off, so tap through before you promise anything to anyone small. For the always-current list, kids and family events in Perth is rebuilt from the catalogue every night, and there is a free page too.

Free

Fairy Tales in the Park 2026

Hyde Park, Perth · Sat 10 Oct, from 1pm (concert 2pm to 4pm) Free

Elle Enchanted sings the Disney songbook with live classical backing under the trees at Hyde Park, and it costs you nothing. There's free face painting, roving fairytale characters, kids' craft and local food vendors, so pack a rug and let someone else do the entertaining for once. It's free, but they ask you to register, and the concert itself runs 2pm to 4pm.

On Location - H IS FOR HAPPINESS - Free Event

The Backlot Perth, West Perth · Sun 4 Oct, doors 5pm, film 5.30pm Free

A free Sunday night at the movies: H Is For Happiness (PG, 98 minutes, with Miriam Margolyes in the cast), plus a nine minute short about a lonely seagull who falls for a drone. There are only 50 seats and a limit of four tickets per person, so book before you mention it to the kids. Doors 5pm, film 5.30pm, and the bar does coffee and snacks.

McCallum Skatepark Coaching - 5-12 Skateboard, Scooter, BMX, Rollerskate

McCallum Park Active Area, Victoria Park · Thu 8 Oct, sessions at 9am and 10am · Ages: 5 to 12 Free

Freestyle Now coaches run free sessions at 9am and 10am for 5 to 12 year olds on skateboards, scooters, BMX and rollerskates, thanks to the Town of Victoria Park. The kids bring their own wheels, a helmet and closed in shoes, and your only jobs are holding the water bottle and signing the form. When we checked, scooter and skateboard spots were booked out, with BMX and rollerskate places still open.

Dianella pump track BMX/MTB coaching sessions

Dianella BMX Facility · Wed 7 Oct, sessions at 9am and 10am (9am was booked out when checked) · Ages: 6 and up Free

More free coaching from Freestyle Now, this time on the Dianella pump track for anyone aged 6 and up on a BMX or mountain bike, whatever their skill level. Helmets are mandatory and the bike needs to be in working order, so check the tyres the night before rather than in the car park. The 9am session was booked out when we checked, and the 10am one still had room.

Shows and big nights out

Moortabiny

Kings Park (Pioneer Women's Memorial) · Fri 2 to Sun 4 Oct, gates 6.30pm, show 7pm to 8.30pm · Kids $25, adults $36, concession $30, family of four $99, kids 5 and under free · Ages: Kids 5 and under free, child tickets for 15 and under

For three nights only, hundreds of drones light up the sky over the Western Australian Botanic Garden, telling a story crafted by award-winning author Kim Scott to a soundscape inspired by the park's own plants. Gates open at 6.30pm, so pack a picnic and a rug (the site slopes, and the organisers recommend blankets over chairs). It's alcohol free, kids 5 and under get in free, and it doubles as the finale of the Everlasting Kings Park Festival.

Mystique - A Journey Beyond Reality

Crown Theatre Perth, Burswood · Fri 2 Oct 7.30pm and Sat 3 Oct 2pm · From $59 (adult, B Reserve); junior, concession and family bundle prices available

Illusionist Michael Boyd, an Australia's Got Talent finalist, brings big stage illusions to Crown Theatre for two shows only. The Saturday 2pm matinee is the family-friendly slot: it runs an hour and 50 minutes with an interval, so everyone is home well before bedtime. It's suitable for all ages, anyone 16 or under needs to be seated with an adult, and there are junior and family ticket options.

Big days out

Mandurah Dolphin Cruise & Views

Mandurah Cruises jetty, Mandjar Square · Daily, cruises at 10am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm (about 1 hour 15 minutes) · Adults $44, kids $24, under 3s free, family of four $98

About an hour south of Perth, this cruise winds through Mandurah's canals and marina looking for wild dolphins, with a captain's wheel and a pretend engine room on deck to keep the small crew busy. It runs every day at 10am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm, and if no dolphins turn up Mandurah Cruises lets you go again for free. Fish and chips is an optional extra on the 11.30am departure, and yes, you're allowed to order your own.

Rock the Quarry: Family Adventure Day (arvo session)

Statham's Quarry, Gooseberry Hill · Sat 10 Oct, 12pm to 4pm · Juniors $45, teens (13 to 17) $60, adults $65, family pass $200, spectators $15, plus booking fees · Recommended for 10 and up

Real rock and real ropes: a guided climbing and abseiling session at Statham's Quarry in the Perth Hills, built for families with school-aged kids and no experience needed. Parents have to stay on site and are encouraged to harness up too, though there's a spectator pass if you'd rather hold the snacks and shout encouragement. It's recommended for ages 10 and up, all the safety gear is provided, and bookings are essential.

Pirates by the Sea - Cottesloe Beach, Perth Outdoor Exploration Game

Starts at the Ocean Beach Hotel, 140 Marine Parade, Cottesloe · Any day, any time (self-guided, about 60 to 90 minutes) · $16.99 per ticket · Recommended for 12 and up, under 12s must be with an adult

A self-guided treasure hunt on your phone: you track the Quokka Clan along the Cottesloe coastline, using the sculptures you pass to crack the clues. It covers about four kilometres and 12 stops over 60 to 90 minutes, and you can play any day at any time, so it doesn't matter when you finally get everyone out the door. It's recommended for 12 and up, and under 12s need an adult along (you were going anyway).

History, up close

Holiday Fun at Peninsula Farm

Peninsula Farm at Wu-rut Woorat (2C Johnson Road), Maylands · Wed 7 Oct, 10am to 2pm (last entry 1pm) · Kids (5 to 12) $5, adults $10, concession $7, family of four $25, under 5s free · Ages: Aimed at 5 to 12, all ages welcome

One day only: the National Trust opens Peninsula Farm in Maylands, one of the first farms of the Swan River Colony, for a holiday session outside its normal open days. Kids get an activity booklet to work through the house and grounds, a craft to take home and a run of old-fashioned games. Arrive any time from 10am (last entry 1pm), allow about an hour, and pack a picnic for the riverbank if the weather plays along.

The Perth Mint Gold Tour

The Perth Mint (310 Hay Street), East Perth · Daily, tours on the half hour from 9.30am to 3.30pm (60 minutes) · Adults $26, kids (5 to 15) $16, concession $23 · Ages: Child tickets are for ages 5 to 15

An hour long guided tour with a live gold pour, the world's largest gold bullion coin and what the Mint says is Australia's largest collection of natural nuggets. Tours leave on the half hour from 9.30am to 3.30pm every day and need to be booked. Every paid ticket comes with a medallion you mint yourself, so the souvenir argument is settled before it starts.

Make something, try something

Open-Ended Maker Sessions at REmida Perth

REmida Perth (1 Prospect Place), West Perth · Wed 30 Sep, 10am to 11.30am · $17.50 per ticket · Ages: 4 and up (REmida says the session is designed for 6 to 16 year olds)

REmida's STEM and craft sessions hand kids a pile of non-traditional materials and let them make whatever they like, with a facilitator on hand instead of a set of instructions. Grown-ups stay for the full 90 minutes, so expect to be handed a glue stick. The theme changes each time, and there's limited parking out the front plus street parking on Prospect Place.

Crunch and Sip Artistic Swimming Come & Try for kids - Belmont

Belmont Oasis Leisure Centre · Fri 2 Oct, 10am to 11am (a second session runs Thu 8 Oct, 4.30pm, at Beatty Park Leisure Centre in North Perth) · $6.61 (pool entry, booked through Eventbrite) · Ages: 6 to 14, confident swimmers only

An hour of come and try artistic swimming for kids aged 6 to 14, run by Artistic Swimming WA: the coaching is free and you just pay pool entry. Kids need to be able to swim and feel confident in the water (it's not a swimming lesson), and should bring their usual swimming gear and goggles. If Friday morning doesn't suit, there's a second session at Beatty Park in North Perth on Thu 8 Oct at 4.30pm.

Rainy day rescues

Pirate Island: Arrr, Prisoners in Paradise!

ESCAPE THIS - Perth CBD (basement, 712-720 Hay Street Mall) · Daily sessions through the holidays, book a 60 minute time slot · Kids under 16 from $39, adults from $49 (Mon to Thu); $49 and $59 Fri to Sun · Recommended for 9 and up; 7 and 8 year olds can play in a family group with a paying adult in the room

Sixty minutes locked in Calico Jack's beachside shanty, hunting for the treasure before the pirates get back. Escape This calls it a kids' favourite that's still challenging for adults, which is a polite way of saying the nine year old may crack it before you do. It's for teams of 2 to 8 (at least 4 on Saturdays), kids aged 10 to 13 need an adult on site, and the room is exclusive to your group.

Prison Island Perth

Prison Island (36-40 Milligan Street), Perth · Sessions on selected days through the holidays, check the calendar when you book (60 to 120 minutes of play) · Ticketed · Ages: 7 and up (under 7s cannot enter, even to watch)

Thirty-five challenge cells and a team of two to five of you racing between them: part puzzle, part physical, all teamwork. Rather than one locked room, you work through the cells and collect as many points as you can in 60 to 120 minutes. Players must be 7 or older, and a team needs an adult on it unless everyone is 14 or over, so yes, you're playing too.

The part where you actually go

That's the list. Finding things to do was never the hard part. The hard part is getting the other parents, the cousins or Nan to agree on a day.

That's the job Keen does. The quickest way in is Find a time: pick two or three days that could work, add an idea or two from this page, and drop one link in the group chat. Everyone answers from their browser, no app and no account needed. You see which day wins, tap once, and it's a real plan with RSVPs and a chat of its own.

And once your mates are on Keen too, it starts doing the noticing for you: everyone marks the times they're free, and when yours line up, Keen tells you, along with what's on that actually suits the crew. Which, in the holidays, mostly means whatever gets everyone out of the house.

Pick one, name a day, and send the message before someone asks for a snack.

Keen. Made in Melbourne, live across Australia.