We know how busy parents are at this time of the year so we have put together a list of tips and suppliers to make your life easier.
NSW Govt Vouchers
Active Kids
Two $100 Active Kids vouchers issued each year to assist school students with participation in sport and fitness programs.
Eligibility requirements
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- Child aged between 4.5 and 18 years
- Child enrolled in school / home-schooled / Secondary education at TAFE NSW
Creative Kids
$100 vouchers issued each year to school students to assist with participation or tuition fees for creative activities
Eligibility requirements
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- Child aged between 4.5 and 18 years
- Child enrolled in school / home-schooled / Secondary education at TAFE NSW
Before And After School Care Voucher
A $500 voucher issued to help assist parents of eligible children with the out-of-pocket parent expenses associated with Before And After School Care.
Eligibility requirements:
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- Child aged between 4 and 13 years old
- Child enrolled in a NSW primary school
Back to School NSW Vouchers
The Back to School NSW Vouchers program will provide 3 x $50 vouchers, totalling $150 for each eligible child to purchase school supplies.
Eligibility requirements:
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- NSW Residents and
- enrolled to attend school in 2023 (from kindergarten to year 12, including children who are home-schooled or enrolled in year 10 or year 12 equivalent qualifications at TAFE NSW).
First Lap learn to swim
The First Lap voucher program provides $100 vouchers for parents, guardians and carers of children aged 3-6 years towards the cost of swimming lessons. This will include children who:
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- Have not yet started school
So where in Lane Cove do you use those active kids and creative kids vouchers?
Music Lessons and Music Gear
Music Lessons
Big Music is Australia’s number 1 contemporary Music School with your choice of over 30 inspiring and professional music coaches. Term 1 enrolments are now open for private lessons, group classes and Rock Shows. See their website bigmusic.com.au for details.
Musical Instruments and Sheet Music
If your child is playing a musical instrument, there is a local music store in Lane Cove. Syrinx Music can help you with instruments and sheet music.
If your child does AMEB exams and needs a particular piece of music, all you have to do is email Derek below and he will source the music and send you an invoice. You can then pick it up at your own convenience.
Miss ITC plays a musical instrument and shopping local has saved me so much time (as you are always told that they need new reeds or music 24 hours before they are actually needed). Syrinx Music (previously known as Lane Cove Music Supplies) is located in Central Arcade on the First Floor. Just call Derek and he will organise sheet music, instruments, reeds, music stands are much more. The convenience factor is HUGE.
Contact Details
Address: Shop 18, 105-108 Longueville Road, Lane Cove NSW 2066
Email: Derek Galloway Director
Phone:(02) 9420 4499
Mobile: 0450 045 753
Website: www.syrinxmusic.com
Facebook: @syrinx
Dance Uniforms and Costumes
If your child attends a dance school or is thinking of attending a dance school, they will need dance uniforms. This can be a costly exercise, particularly if your child only decides to dance for one term or likes it so much they want to do ballet, jazz and hip hop (all with different uniforms). Lane Cove Local Alison Bird had this exact problem when she had three girls who danced. Alison founded balletstuff.com.au and now sells affordable dance uniforms for kids online throughout Australia. You can read about Alison here.
Note they no longer operate their Lane Cove store in Rosenthal Avenue but easy to order online.
Ballet Stuff stocks very reasonable priced dance and gym gear. Their Best Seller Ballet Pack – which includes shoes, leotard, tights & skirt – is a really affordable way to get the entire outfit. This pack contains premium quality dancewear drastically cheaper than you will find in any retail outlet. A list of local Dance Schools is here.
Eye Test
It is a good idea to get your child’s eyes tested (particularly if you or your partner wear glasses). List of local optometrists here.
Dentist
Back to School means back to sport and if you need a mouth guard, then speak to Apple Dental.
A mouth guard is a priority if you are playing a contact sport. Your child’s teeth are precious so make sure they are protected.
It is highly recommended that you go to a Dentist and have a mouth guard properly fitted. The ones you buy from a chemist don’t fit as well and that leads to kids complaining about wearing them or not wearing them at all.
Apple Dental offers a huge range of mouth guard colours and would love to fit you or your child. Find out more here.
Speech Pathologists/Occupational Therapists
People are often surprised when they learn that speech pathologists work with a wide range of communication and swallowing issues that people may experience across the whole lifespan.
To help assist your little ones, speech pathologists work with babies with breastfeeding/swallowing difficulties the toddler who is not talking yet, the pre-schooler with a stutter and the primary school-age child struggling with social interaction, language or literacy skills (did you know that speech pathologists are specialists in written language skills, i.e. reading, spelling and writing?).
Find out list of Speech Pathologists/OT here.
If you have ever struggled with finding out about your child’s day at school, local speech pathologist and mum Catherine Lavery from Sydney Speech Clinic has some great tips here.
Sport Clubs
A list of our local sports clubs and registration days will be published on ITC soon. In the second week of February, most sporting clubs will have a stand in Lane Cove Plaza to register your child. It takes time for clubs to register kids for sport to start at the end of term 1, so registration has already started for most local clubs that play a “winter” sport.
Drama
Cameraygal School of Performing Arts has some places left in Term 1 for students from Kindy to High School. More info here.
Art Lessons Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Spaces
Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Spaces runs art workshops during Term after school. It is particularly easy for kids who are at Lane Cove Public and St Michaels to walk the Gallery Lane Cove after school. Below is just a sample of some of their workshops.
Cover photo by Kylie Dunlop of Kylie Dunlop Photography
Many of the businesses listed above support In the Cove by listing in our business directory. Please support those who support In the Cove. Without their support, ITC could not undertake our community and advocacy work.
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