ATTENTION PARENTS: Don't forget to claim your $200 for after school activities.

It’s that time of year again. If you’re a parent, you’re about to spend every last cent you have – or even go into debt – to pay for everything your kids need to return to school this week.

All parents know the back-to-school financial pain of January – which is only made worth it by the fact that our darling cherubs are actually finishing the very long summer break, and returning to routine. For many of us, that routine includes a few extra curricular activities – which are expecting payment as you read this.

There are sports, and music lessons, for all of your busy, active kids – and that’s the way you want it. We want our kids challenged and exercised and engaged, learning new skills, and expanding their minds.

But wow, does that come at a cost.

However, there’s great news, especially if you live in NSW: the NSW government is offering cash rebates to help cover the costs of everything your kids do. The Active and Creative Kids programs offers parents the ability to claim $100 per child, for sporting, and creative (music, language, dance), activities.

So, if they do one of each activity, that’s potentially $200 back in terms of rebate vouchers.

As long as your child is four-and-a-half to 18-year-old, and enrolled in school, the process is fairly simple. You can check our your eligibility here for creative kids, and here for active kids.

The Active Kids Rebate was introduced in 2018, and 390,000 parents successfully claimed their rebates. The Creative Kids Rebate is brand new, as it was just introduced on January 1, 2019.

For parents not in NSW, don’t worry – your government has most of you covered, too. Visit the links below for more information:

SA:  Sports Vouchers, $100 rebate.

NT: Sports Vouchers, $100 rebate – and it covers home-schooled kids, too.

QLD: Get Started voucher, up to $150 to pay for sports activities.

WA: Kidsport program, up to $150 per child in rebates.

VIC: No specific rebate for children’s extra-curricular activities, but has a community grants program.

TAS: No specific rebate for children’s extra-curricular activities, but offers grants for sport and recreational activities.

ACT: No specific rebate for children’s extra-curricular activities, but offers grants you may be eligible for.

Now, after you’ve figured out how to pay for the activities, all you need to do is drive your kids there…every week, for the whole term…

Does your child do a lot of sports and creative after-school activities? Tell us in the comments below.

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