Family Fun at the Perth Royal Show!

This year, we decided to Plan Our Day at The Perth Royal Show.  We checked out the Calendar of Events for the day, and I signed up for the free Plan My Day planner. We even pre-selected our Showbags before the Show!

The planner was great, and allowed us to choose our events to watch, places to visit, showbags, and rides. It plugged our choices into a printable schedule, complete with a map labeled with all our "stops".  This was ideal for us, because we tend to meander, and last year, many of the exhibits closed before we got around to seeing them.  Thanks to the Plan My Day planner, we were prepared.

We gave the kids a fixed budget.  They could spend their cash on whatever; rides, food, showbags, but once it was gone...it was gone. 

We saw this coupon book for sale on our way into the Show.  It included coupons for food, showbags, and other goodies like recipes for the kids.

Despite all our planning, we were too overwhelmed to follow a schedule.  The excitement of everything sucked us in when we passed by, and we couldn't resist.  The map and the schedule were tucked away, and we just let the kids lead the way!

Following a plan gave us "brain strain".

Top Ten highlights from our day at The Perth Royal Show:

1. Yellow Brick Road Activities-
The kids loved the activities at the Sports Stop, making a Mr. Sprout Head at Greenfingers Garden, and collecting fresh fruit and veg at the Fresh from WA Orchard.




2. Scouts Challenge Zone-
We loved all the free activities here including laser tag, mini mountain climbing, crafts, face painting, and more!


3. Buying Showbags-
We took our time choosing our favorites! Of course the Blinky Bill showbag for $1 was a must buy!

This was NOT us. 

4. Oz Rocketman- 
We loved watching Oz Rocketman take off and soar around the arena.  His jet packs were super loud, but super cool!


5. Making Sand Sculptures-
We watched the amazing sand sculpting artist make a fire breathing dragon!  Then the kids made their own "amazing" sand sculptures.


6. Patting the Animals-
The kids couldn't get enough of the animals! We patted a pig, and held a chick, a bunny, and a guinea pig in our laps.


7. "Buy West Eat Best" Photo Booth-
We had fun taking turns in the free photo booth.  A great keepsake to remind us of our fun day! It was located in the IGA Fresh from WA Pavilion.



8. Sheepdog Demonstration-
Amazing dogs!  We loved watching "man's best friend" herd the sheep with their intimidating stares.

9. Just Looking Around- this included people watching, hanging out around the main arena, looking at animals, watching demonstrations, wandering through sideshow alley at night, etc.

This guy attracted quite a crowd!

10. Browne's Dairy Pavilion & Milking Demonstration-
We got our fill of yummy Browne's dairy samples before giving milking a cow a go.






Although we didn't stick to a schedule, we did really well at sticking to our budget.  In fact, I think we ended the day well under budget!  Here's the breakdown:

Pre-Sale IGA Adult Tickets: $48
Yellow Brick Road Experience: $10
Slurpee: $4
Showbags: $31
Inflatable Hammer: $5
Donuts: $5
Five Cheese Toasties: $8
Propeller Hat: $5

That's a grand total of $116.  That's pretty good for a family of five!  We did pack our own picnic lunch, snacks, and plenty of water.  Also, we managed to keep busy with all the free activities, so we didn't spend anything on rides.

We planned to take advantage of the 2 for 1 rides from 3-4 pm, but we were too busy having fun with other things!

Too tired this year for Fireworks!

Free face painting compliments of the Scouts .

See you next year at the Perth Royal Show!

Top Ten Things to do at The Perth Royal Show on a Budget

Visiting the Perth Royal Show on a budget?  First thing to do is find discount tickets at IGA until supplies last, or purchase "Early Bird" discount tickets online up until 28 September. Remember, kids 12 and under enter free when accompanied by an adult thanks to the State Government!

Once you enter the Perth Royal Show, consider these:

Top Ten Things to do at the Perth Royal Show on a Budget:

1. Pack a picnic -
Although some treats like Fairy Floss and Ice Cream are a must at the Royal Show, consider packing a picnic if you are on a budget.  There are plenty of grassy, shady spots to enjoy your lunch.  Take in the sights and sounds... all for free!



2. Have some 2 for 1 Sideshow Fun-
Purchase two"kiddie ride" tickets for the price of one ($6)  from 3-4 pm each day,  good until 7pm.  Find these tickets at Carnival Amusements outside the Brownes Dairy Pavilion.


3. Purchase an IGA Yellow Brick Road Experience-
This bag leads you on a 2 hour trek around the Perth Royal Show.  It includes a passport and map that will lead you to fun activities, samples, and discounts for only those who purchase the Yellow Brick Road bag. Buy your bag online early for just $10. Receive price breaks online when you buy more than one bag (i.e. 4 bags for $30).


The Yellow Brick Road Experience Includes:

• Make your own WA shaped cookie
• Collect and IGA Cookbook
• Have your picture taken
• Collect a Sony Pictures Activity Book
• Make your own Mr. Sprout Head
• Learn about sheep, make a mask, collect wool samples, and play farming games.

4. Buy A Cheap Showbag-
This year there are 53 Showbags $5 and under!  The cheapest was the Blinky Bill showbag for just $1. There's an Aftershocks showbag for those who love shockingly sour candy for only $4, and a Bertie Beetle Blue showbag for $2.  These prices are much less than suggested retail, so indulge!


5. Catch a Free Show-
There's free entertainment all day long for the little ones!  This year the entertainment includes none other than Peppa Pig (11am, 1pm, & 3pm) and Sesame Street Presents Elmo and Friends (12;m, 2pm, 4pm)!



In addition, acclaimed children's entertainer, Ricky Possum will be performing in Kiddie Land, and the Amazing Drumming Monkeys puppet theatre is a must see!




6. Cuddle and Pat the Animals-
Don't miss the free Animal Farm in Kiddie Land open from 10am-4pm daily.  Animal Lovers will also delight in City Farmers Animal Nursery 9am-8pm, and head on over to Creatures Great and Small Pavilion to pat a pig, snuggle a bunny, cuddle a chick, watch judging, and a pig washing 9am-7pm.  All free!
My guess is you'll have a hard time pulling your little one away from cuddling the baby animals!


7. Watch one of the many free demonstrations-
Check out the Family Fun section online for all the Family Friendly demonstrations throughout the day including: sheep shearing and Brownes Milking Station.



8.  Join a Free Sand Sculpture Workshop-
Watch the Sandman turn five tons of sand into a castle, a dragon, sharks, cartoon characters, and more!  Then in the afternoon, join a workshop and create your own art out of sand!

9. Look out for Rocketman-
Oz Rocketman is one of this year's Perth Royal Show Heroes!  Watch him fly into the air daily at 1:15 and 7:15 pm.


10. Catch the Spectacular Fireworks Show-
This speaks for itself.  If you can keep the kiddies up a little later, the fireworks go off nightly at 8pm.


Still having trouble deciding what to do and how to plan your day?  Click here to use a free "Plan My Day" at the Perth Royal Show tool which includes a printable customized map, and downloads with activity pages for the kids.

Top 10 Perth Royal Showbags for the Whole Family

Last year was our family’s first Perth Royal Show experience, or any "Royal Show" for that matter. We had no idea what a "Showbag" was, but we figured it out quickly that they were very popular, and judging from the crowds around the stalls, a Showbag was something we needed to have! This year I’m planning ahead and have picked out my favorites for everyone in the family…

My Top Ten Picks for Perth Royal Showbags for the Whole Family:

1. My Overall Favorite- I pick the Coca Cola Premiums showbag as my overall favorite due to it’s amazing value ($15), and the fact that it is appealing to just about everyone in the family, no matter what age or gender. There are even a couple of items in there our new family puppy will enjoy!
2. My Favorite Confectionery Showbag- The Nestle Big Family Deal ($20) is just that; BIG! There’s enough candy in this bag to satisfy every taste, and there is definitely enough to go around. There’s $50 worth of chocolates and lollies including five mini showbags from Nestle, Wonka, and Bertie Beetle. Plus you get your choice of a novelty item such as a mini basketball or Coca-Cola branded can cooler bag. Now, that’s a Big Deal!
3. My favorite Pre-School Girl Showbag- Peppa Pig! I love the little backpack, and all the practical but fun items in this Showbag. There’s a gardening set, hairclips, a light up toothbrush, a plate, bowl, and tumbler to name a few. It’s also a great value at just $25 for over $70 worth of items.
4. My Favorite Pre-School Boy Showbag- It’s gotta be Jake and The Neverland Pirates! This showbag has it all Me Hearties! A pirate flag, headband, tattoos, and a telescope… but I’m sure the inflatable sword will be his favorite!
5. My favorite Kid Girl Bag- The Hello Kitty bag will be sure to please. It’s full of lovely pink things that she’ll adore like a Hello Kitty duffle bag, slippers, a diary, wallet, and sunglasses.
6. My favorite Kid Boy Bag- The Hot Wheels bag looks great! It has toys my son will actually play with after he gets them home, and contains useable items such as a backpack, sunglasses, a lunchbox, and a wallet.
7. My favorite Teen Girl Showbag- NY Style Accessories is my pick. It comes with a tote bag and a clutch to carry all the glamour items that come in the showbag. Your teen girl will impress with the newest trends in eye shadow, hair mascara, nail polish, earrings, and sunglasses! It’s a great value at just $25 for over $90 in products.
8. My Top Pick for Teen Boys- The Glow Bag! Just $20 for more glowing things than you can shake a stick at! Glowing bracelets, wigs, glowing flying objects, eyewear, a glowing sword thingy, and even a flashing Coca Cola cup. This showbag is enormous, and big enough to share. Your teen will be a hit with all his friends after dark! (Girl teens will love this showbag too!)
9. For Mom- It was a toss-up between the Fremantle Chocolate Sampler Bag ($25) and the Women’s Health Magazine Showbag for the same price. My healthy conscience and my constant hunt for the best value beat out chocolate this time. The Women’s Health Magazine Show bag includes over $280 worth of items including four issues of the magazine, two different gym bags, cosmetics, candy, McCormick recipe starters, tea, discount vouchers, and more!
10. For Dad- He’s easy to please with anything sport related, so I’m going with the AFL Showbag. Pick your favorite AFL team and get a backpack, cap, football, stickers, drink bottle, and earbuds all for just $25!

On a Budget?  I counted 53 Showbags $5 and under!  The cheapest was the Blinky Bill showbag for just $1.  There's an Aftershocks showbag for those who love shockingly sour candy for only $4, and a Bertie Beetle Blue showbag for $2.  These prices are much less than suggested retail, so indulge!



With a total of 322 Showbags to choose from this year, there were so many more Favorites I could have picked! I had such a hard time narrowing my list down to just ten. Now, if only the Perth Royal Show would hurry up and get here so we can get our Showbags! It’s nearly Showtime (28 Sept- 5 Oct). Check out all the Perth Royal Showbags here.