A comprehensive list of some budget-friendly things to do with the kids in the Perth CBD!
Do you love the city, but find that it’s just too expensive to visit when you have kids? Did you know there are a bunch of free activities that you can do with the kids in Perth? From a visit to the gorgeous Kings Park, to free museums and water playgrounds, Perth actually has some really cool, totally free places to visit. Here’s where they are.
Kings Park is full of free activities for Perth families. There's the May Drive Parkland, which is accessible via Saw Avenue or Poole Avenue. It is most suitable for kids aged six and over and features an elevated walkway, island fort, large-scale replicas of extinct Australian mega fauna and an interactive water misting forest. Adventure seeking kids can climb the DNA tower (with their parents) and enjoy the views of the park.
There's also the Ivey Watson playground, which is conveniently located next to Sticky Beaks Cafe, or get back to nature at the Rio Tinto Naturescape play area. You can take a wander around the botanical gardens or simply enjoy a picnic on the grass while the kids run around.
This small play space is located just outside the Perth Museum and is an area for children to enjoy the musical, sensory and balancing elements on offer. For more information, you can read the Perth Mums Group review here.
This fascinating look into the history of Perth’s fire and emergency services is completely free to enter. You can learn all about the history of the building and view old fire trucks while the kids can even dress up as a fire fighter! For further information, read on here.
Perth City has two libraries – the State Library of WA, which is located in the Cultural Centre, and the newer Perth Library.
Both venues run some fantastic free activities for kids, including story time and rhyme time at both libraries, while at the Perth Library, you can take kids aged two to seven along to a special nature storytime on the third Saturday of each month. Both venues also have great school holiday programs, so keep an eye on the websites for more information.
Perth is home to the Water Labyrinth, which operates daily during the day, along with the water playground at Elizabeth Quay, which runs every day except Tuesday, when it is closed for cleaning. Both are free to enter, meaning your kids can run in and out of the sprinklers and water jets until their skin turns wrinkly, and mum or dad start to get a bit cranky and want to go home.
A little out of the CBD, you'll find the gorgeous, leafy Hyde Park. This beautiful, shaded part of Perth has so many perks for kids and families, including a couple of playgrounds, a water playground, picnic areas, free barbecues and is close to the cultural hubs of Highgate and Mount Lawley.
If you're planning a trip to the CBD with the kids, you really can't go past these great options that are positively family and budget friendly.
For even more great things to do with the kids in the CBD, read on here.