What To Do These Winter School Holidays in Perth: July 2026
Two weeks, a lot of kids, and the question every parent is already dreading: what are we doing today? We’ve done the research so you don’t have to. From illuminated night trails and immersive puppet theatre to indoor karting, trampoline parks, and Perth’s best winter exhibitions, this is your go-to guide for keeping the family entertained these July school holidays
Lightscape at Kings Park
Where: Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth
Perth’s most popular winter event is back — and bigger than ever. Lightscape returns to Kings Park with over 20 large-scale light installations along a 1.8km illuminated trail, including the towering Herbum by French artists TILT (stems stretching eight metres high) and the otherworldly Mycelium Network by UK artist Stevie Thompson. A free shuttle bus runs from Perth Busport to Kings Park on event nights.
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience
Where: Jorgensen Park, Kalamunda (Perth Hills)
Potterheads, this one’s for you! Perth’s first ever outdoor Harry Potter experience transforms Jorgensen Park in Kalamunda into an illuminated night-time trail through the Forbidden Forest. Follow the winding path to encounter magical creatures from the films — Hippogriffs, Nifflers and more — brought to life through lights, projections and interactive elements. You can even cast spells along the way. Note: this one wraps up on 12 July, so don’t leave it too late in the holidays!
MJ The Musical at Crown Theatre
Where: Crown Theatre, Burswood
The King of Pop has come to Perth. MJ The Musical is a four-time Tony Award-winning production centred around the making of Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour, tracing his journey from child star with the Jackson 5 to global superstardom. With over 40 songs and choreography that’s genuinely jaw-dropping, it’s a spectacular night out for older kids and families who love music and performance. Recommended for ages 8 and up; children under 16 must be seated next to an accompanying adult.
OceanXperience at WA Museum Boola Bardip
Where: WA Museum Boola Bardip, Northbridge
One of Perth’s standout exhibitions this year, OceanXperience transforms you into a marine scientist aboard a replica of the OceanXplorer — the world-advanced research vessel from the National Geographic series OceanXplorers. Move through Mission Control, the Wet Lab, the Dry Lab and beyond as you take on real research missions: tracking orca behaviour, investigating hammerhead shark habitats, and uncovering the science of deep-sea exploration. It’s hands-on, interactive, and genuinely engaging for the whole family.
Perth Zoo: Zoorassic Park and School Holiday Activities
Where: Perth Zoo, South Perth
Perth Zoo is always a solid school holiday option, and with Zoorassic Park still roaming the grounds, there’s extra reason to visit this July. Come face-to-face with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, meet a real-life dinosaur keeper, and dig for fossils in the playleontology pit. Add in the Gibbon Crossing, brand-new Animal Experiences, free Keeper Talks and over 1,300 animals to discover — and you’ve got a full day sorted.
Scitech: Winter School Holiday Program
Where: Scitech, City West Centre, West Perth
Scitech is the gold standard for “fun disguised as learning” in Perth, and this winter is no different. The school holiday program runs live science shows (including the brand new Hot vs Cold Science Theatre show), back-to-back planetarium shows in Australia’s largest planetarium, and one-hour hands-on science workshops run by actual researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia. Workshop topics cover biology, human health and more.
AQWA: Junior Marine Scientist Program
Where: AQWA, Hillarys Boat Harbour
If your kid is curious about the ocean, this one is a winner. AQWA’s Junior Marine Scientist is a 3-hour drop-and-go program for ages 6–12 that mixes real animal encounters with hands-on science. Highlights include a guided tour of AQWA’s exhibits, biology basics, bubble science, animal feeding, and a glass bottom boat ride across the top of Australia’s largest single aquarium. With a shark-focused twist for July (Shark Month at AQWA), it’s an especially exciting time to visit.
Freo Builds LEGO Trail
Where: Fremantle (starting at Fremantle Town Hall or WA Maritime Museum)
This one’s a winner for families heading to Freo. Freo Builds is back with eight LEGO creations scattered across the city — all designed by WA kids and built by Perth’s best LEGO builders — inspired by Fremantle’s most famous landmarks. Grab your trail map, find the codewords, and collect a free LEGO toy at the finish line.
Rules of Summer at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
Where: Centenary Pavilion, Claremont
If you’re looking for something magical for primary school-aged kids right at the very start of the holidays, catch Rules of Summer on 3 July — the final day of its season. Adapted from Shaun Tan’s award-winning picture book, this immersive and multi-sensory puppetry experience follows two boys through the highs and lows of childhood friendship. The entire theatre comes alive with shadow play, secret messages, sounds, and surprises. Told without words, it’s suitable for Year 1 and up.
Ready Set Ride! Indoor Carnival Rides at PCEC
Where: Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Perth
This is the indoor carnival event filling the gap left by School’s Out Winter Fest this year. Ready Set Ride! brings unlimited carnival rides to the PCEC for the entire school holidays — 2-hour sessions starting throughout the day, with dodgems, rides and more all under one roof. No worrying about rain, heaps of parking, and right next to Elizabeth Quay Station. Great for families with kids who just want to run wild for a couple of hours.
Bounce and Bites: The Fun Depot x Nikola Estate
Where: Nikola Estate, Swan Valley
A fun one for Swan Valley day trippers. The Fun Depot is taking over Nikola Estate with a giant undercover inflatable zone — obstacle courses, bouncy castles, rides and games — all weatherproof and designed to keep the kids entertained for hours.
Scholastic Book Warehouse Sale
Where: Scholastic Warehouse, Malaga
Scholastic’s Perth warehouse sale is a school holiday tradition for families who love a good book bargain, with children’s books available at 50% off RRP or more. For building up the home library at a fraction of the price, it’s unbeatable! Check the website for all available dates, and bring cash or EFTPOS.
Glowing Rooms 3D Mini Golf
Where: 1/1 Emplacement Crescent, Hamilton Hill
Australia’s first 3D glow-in-the-dark mini golf is a seriously fun school holiday outing. Slip on the 3D glasses and suddenly golf balls are hovering, animals are reaching out at you, and the walls are alive with hand-painted UV artwork across four wild themed rooms: outer space, underwater, Australian icons and superheroes. The venue also has VR escape rooms (great for tweens 14+), karaoke, and a cafe.
Skating in Mandurah
Where: Eastern Foreshore, Mandurah
Worth the drive south. Mandurah’s pop-up ice rink is back on the Eastern Foreshore for the school holidays, with 45-minute skating sessions running every hour. Whether your kids are confident skaters or absolute beginners, the Kanga Skate Aids help little ones find their feet — and the rink is fully wheelchair accessible. Alongside the skating, there are amusement rides, entertainment, and free kids’ activities daily on the foreshore. Friday nights bring the Winter in Mandurah Markets from 5–8pm, making it a great evening outing too. Sensory-friendly sessions run on the mornings of 3 and 4 July.
Amaze Miniature Park
Where: 24 Husband Road, Barragup
Set across four beautifully manicured acres, Amaze Miniature Park is a whole world in miniature — over 70 model buildings (including a detailed Eiffel Tower and Perth’s own Blue Boat House), interactive model train railways with buttons kids can push, a 1,000m² hedge maze, mini golf, playground, pedal cars, and a 1940s tea house serving cakes and Devonshire teas.
Little Lights in the Square
Where: Yagan Square, Perth
Before you hop the free Lightscape shuttle to Kings Park, spend some time in Yagan Square where free school holiday activations run nightly. Colourful projections and light installations fill the square, and during the holidays there are roving performers, glow face painting, snow machines and circus workshops to keep kids entertained.
The Bell Tower
Where: Barrack Square, Perth
A Perth landmark that’s actually more fun than it looks from the outside, especially during the school holidays. This July, kids’ Chiming Tours and general entry children’s tickets are $5 on weekdays — and there’s a duck hunt on. Find all the mini ducks hidden throughout the tower to spin the prize wheel. Beyond the scavenger hunt, kids can touch Australia’s oldest bell, explore the observation deck, play a tune on the carillon, and get stuck into the craft table.
Escape Hunt
Where: Unit 29A / 36 The Piazza, Fremantle
Escape rooms are one of those activities that work just as well for families as they do for teens who think they’re too cool for everything else. Escape Hunt Fremantle offers escape rooms, outdoor adventures, and play-at-home options — with experiences designed for families, parties, school groups, and corporate team building. Book for four or more players and one person plays free.
Dave and Buster’s
Where: 61 Key Largo Drive, Clarkson
The American-import that Perth’s northern suburbs didn’t know it needed. Dave and Buster’s is the ultimate entertainment centre with 75+ arcade and next-gen games across a massive gaming floor, food worth ordering, drinks worth staying for, and the largest screen in Perth’s northern corridor for live sport. Free parking, wheelchair accessible, and a full restaurant menu means you’re not just popping in for twenty minutes.
PowerPlay Electric Karting
Where: Bibra Lake, Joondalup, Malaga, Welshpool
If your kids have been asking to go karting, PowerPlay is the answer. Australia’s best electric go-karting experience runs on a unique two-level indoor track designed by racers, with the raw acceleration of electric karts — and the team on hand to give tips on how to drift and go faster. Birthday packages and corporate options available if you’re planning something bigger.
Rebound Trampoline Park
Where: Unit 6/2 Blackburn Drive, Port Kennedy
Trampolines, climbing walls, dodgeball, and a foam airbag — Rebound Port Kennedy covers a lot of ground for one venue. Attractions include an inflatable airbag, boulder dash inflatable climbing wall, high performance and wall-running zones, main arena, dodgeball, enclosed soft play, tumble trampolines, and slam dunk basketball.
Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory
Where: 1098 Military Road, Yeal
One for the curious kids — and the adults who want more than another soft play centre. An hour north of Perth under pristine dark skies in the Yeal Nature Reserve, the Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory offers everything from astronomy to astrophysics, cultural connection, and practical STEM education to stunning bushland walks. Daytime highlights include the Leaning Tower of Gingin — a 45-metre steel structure leaning at 15 degrees, with 222 steps and views across the Wallingup Plains — plus a cosmology gallery, solar system walk, and biodiversity gallery.
Topfun Tanks
Where: 110 Bore Road, Muchea
Paintball, but make it a tank. Topfun Tanks puts you in command of your own one-person mini tank — complete with tracks and skid-steer, just like the full-sized variants — on a custom-designed battlefield in the Western Australian bush, with a paintball gun and a whole lot of cover to hide behind. The minimum age is 13, with under-16s needing a parent or guardian on site.