Free things to do in Perth City with kids
Our first home in Perth was a small 19th floor apartment, right smack bang in the middle of the city. It was halfway through the school holidays and the boys’ toys were on a train in the middle of Australia somewhere. I had to get creative and find fun and affordable ways of keeping our two active boys busy in the heart of Perth.
These are our favourite FREE activities to do with kids in Perth City. You could do each as a separate adventure or combine all of them together for a full day out, with opportunity to rest with your little ones along the way.
We would recommend you start your adventure by taking a train, bus or ferry to Elizabeth Quay. All of the following free activities are within approximately 10 minutes walking distance of Elizabeth Quay.
Experience a small piece of Tudor England at London Court
London Court.
647 Hay Street, Perth.
Open Monday – Saturday 5am- 9pm. Open Sunday 11am – 9pm.
Take a stroll down this beautiful shopping arcade, running between Hay Street Mall and St Georges Terrace. Above the clock at the Hays Street entrance are four knights which circle in the window, when the clock chimes. We recommend stopping at the cute little coffee shop for a drink, whilst sitting at a table outdoors, so you can really soak up the atmosphere with your little ones.
Admire the beautiful view from the children’s floor at the City Of Perth Library
City of Perth Library.
573 Hay Street, Perth.
Open Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm. Saturday 10am – 4pm. Sunday 12 – 4pm.
Cuddle up to your child on a comfortable bean bag cushion and read them a book, on the children’s floor of this new state-of-the-art public library. Your children will love the giant sized animal soft toys and everyone will enjoy the spectacular view over the Swan River and the Cathedral Square Precinct.
The City of Perth building was recently completed in March 2016 and the amazing architectural design is well worth a look alone. We recommend checking the City of Perth Library website via the link above, prior to your visit, as they have scheduled times for free organised kids activities.
Meet the “Kangaroos in the City” and have a picnic at beautiful Stirling Gardens
Stirling Gardens.
65 St Georges Terrace, Perth (Corner Barrack St & St George’s Terrace).
A small mob of bronze kangaroo sculptures ‘hop’ along the footpath on St Georges Terrace, a short walk from The City of Perth Library. One of them drinks from a pond in Stirling Gardens. Your children will love meeting them and giving them a pat. They are located on the footpath, right next to Stirling Gardens which is a lovely spot to sit under a tree and have a picnic with your little ones.
Stroll around Elizabeth Quay and enjoy the spectacular views of the Swan River
Elizabeth Quay, located right on the banks of the beautiful Swan River, has plenty to offer locals and visitors to Perth.
There are sculptures to admire, a suspension bridge to walk or ride over, an awesome island fort playground (with water play) and a handful of restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat. You can also get up close to the iconic Bell Tower located at Barrack Street Jetty. There is a Water Park Mosaic coming soon, which will sit at the base of the temporarily closed BHP Billiton Water Park.
Explore Perth City by taking a ride on a CAT bus
Every child enjoys the excitement of riding on a bus and in the heart of Perth City there is the bonus of the CAT buses being totally free for everyone. This is the perfect opportunity to take in a free sightseeing tour of the city!
There is a colour coding system to identify the four different routes the buses take. Check www.transperth.wa.gov.au to see all timetables and route maps. The buses run every 5-10 minutes and at each bus stop there is a button you can push to hear how many minutes until the next service arrives. My boys find the pushing of this button just as much fun as the bus ride itself!
We enjoyed hopping on a free Blue CAT bus at Barrack Street Jetty, which is a very short walk from Elizabeth Quay. This bus route will take you to the Museum stop in the inner city suburb of Northbridge. Here you can explore the Art Gallery of Western Australia, State Library of Western Australia and/or the Perth Cultural Centre. The Western Australian Museum has temporarily closed from June 2016 to re-open in 2020. The Perth Train Station is also conveniently located here.
