NSW Creative Kids Voucher: Where To Use It By December 2024

Are you looking for ways to keep your kids engaged in creative activities? With the NSW Active and Creative Kids program, kids can get creative and enjoy many activities during the NSW school holidays 2024 or school terms!

If your family meets the eligibility requirements and receives the Family Tax Benefit Part A, Part B or both during 2024, you can apply for 2 x $50 Active and Creative Kids vouchers to use towards sport, creative and cultural activities.

Navigate through our guide:

What is the Active and Creative Kids voucher?

The Active and Creative Kids voucher is a NSW government-funded program that aims at helping families get their children involved in creative activities.

Starting from 01 February 2024, the new initiative offers a $50 voucher twice a year for each student aged 4.5 through 18 years to use towards various creative and interactive activities such as art, music, dance, drama, and sport lessons.

The current voucher from 01 February 2024 is valid until 31 December 2024.
Applications for the next Voucher 2 open on 15 July 2024, and it remains valid until 14 July 2025.

NSW Active and Creative Kids voucher eligibility

To be eligible for the NSW Active and Creative Kids Voucher 2024, your child must be:

• A NSW resident

• Aged between 4.5 and 18 years

• Under the care of a parent, guardian or carer, who receives Family Tax Benefit Part A, Part B, or both.

You can apply for vouchers for multiple children in the same application.

Rules to redeem Active and Creative voucher

Vouchers can only be used:

• For eligible activities (see the full list here)

• Until the expiry date specified on the voucher

• For your child's name on the voucher

• At one of the approved providers.

Please note that the vouchers cannot be split between more than one provider and cannot be redeemed for cash, gift vouchers or credit notes.

What can you use your Active and Creative Kids voucher for?

The program covers a wide range of physical and creative activities, including:

• Physical Activities like Aerobic Dance, Dootball, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Disability sports, Equestrian sports, Fencing, Gymnastics, Martial Arts, Skating, Climbing, Snow Sports, Squash, Surfing, Yoga and more.

• Visual Arts, Creative Arts Classes and Crafts Workshops, such as Photography, Sculpture, Drawing and Painting & other Designing classes that inspire creativity.

• Creative workshops like Coding & Robotics classes, Game Design, Graphic Design and more.

• Literature & Linguistics Arts like Public Speaking, Poetry, and Languages.

• Performing Arts like Music Lessons, Drama Workshops, Dance lessons and Theatre.

• Other interactive creative or cultural activities (e.g. Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge Program).

The physical and creative activities should be structured and offered privately or in a group. The activities should also be in person and face to face.

From 1 March 2022, creative art kits and creative kits are no longer permitted and are ineligible, including but not limited to paints, books, stationery, canvases, clothing, uniforms, leotards, boots, instruments or other equipment.

Active and Creative vouchers: Ineligible Activities and Expenses

Unfortunately, some activities and costs are ineligible. You cannot redeem your voucher for:

• School care services and activities offered by a School

• After-school activities

• Academic tutoring

• Cooking classes

• Games, e.g. board games and video games

• Gardening

• Online programs, unless they meet the needs of children in rural and remote areas

• Certain items, equipment or materials like paints, books, stationery, canvases, clothing, uniforms, leotards, instruments or other equipment

• Examination and assessment fees

• Travel costs to and from activities.

Visit the website to see the full list of ineligible items and activities.

When does the Active and Creative Kids voucher expire?

• The Voucher 1: Released on 01 February 2024 and valid until 31 December 2024.

• The Voucher 2: Released on 15 July 2024 and valid until 14 July 2025.

Please note that you can combine both vouchers as long as they have not expired.

How to apply for Active and Creative Kids voucher

To apply for a Active and Creative Kid voucher, you need:

• Your MyServiceNSW Account

• One proof of identity document for you as a parent, carer or guardian

• Your child's Medicare card details

• Your Centrelink Customer Reference Number.

Visit the MyServiceNSW Account page to log in to your account and follow the prompts to apply for the voucher.

How to use your voucher?

To redeem your voucher, give your voucher's details to the registered activity provider.

Service NSW: Active and Creative Voucher Provider

You can search for approved Active and Creative Kids providers that accept vouchers at the Service NSW website. Enter a postcode, suburb, activity type, or provider name.

What are some of the Active and Creative Voucher Providers?

There are many Active and Creative Kids providers across NSW that offer a range of sports and creative activities for children or young people, including:

• Creative kids coding experience (e.g. Robotics & Coding Classes at CodeCamp, Skill Samurai Castle Hill, Skill Samurai Eastwood, and Brick Courses at Creative Playground)

• Multi-sport activities, dance classes and art and craft workshops at PCYC NSW Youth Clubs

• Music lessons and drama workshops.

Annual family memberships that accept the Active and Creative Kids voucher

Some NSW Creative Kids providers offer annual family memberships that can be purchased and used to participate in creative learning activities:

• Australian National Maritime Museum allows you to use your Creative Kids voucher for their annual family membership (2 adults & 3 children under 16 years), unlimited entry to the museum for a whole year, and access to their amazing core creative arts programs.

• Early Start Discovery Space's Creative Kids program allows accessing their structured, creative arts programs in creARTivity that are linked to the NSW Curriculum and Early Years Learning Framework.

• Sydney Zoo's Creative Kids: Culture Kids program allows children to learn about Aboriginal art, tradition and craft making.

How can I redeem my Active and Creative Kids voucher?

Redeeming your Active and Creative Kids voucher is easy:

1. Find an NSW provider that offers sports and creative activities your child is interested in;

2. Book this activity, and provide your voucher details to the provider;

3. The provider will then redeem the voucher;

4. Your Service NSW app will show the voucher has been used.

Can I use my Active and Creative Kids voucher for school holiday programs and camps?

Absolutely! There are many NSW service providers that offer school holiday activities, programs and camps in Sydney and NSW eligible for the Active and Creative Kids voucher.

These programs include a range of sports and creative activities, like various sports, art and craft classes, music and dance workshops, and drama programs.

To find an approved Active and Creative Kids provider for your postcode or by activity your child is interested in, visit the Service NSW website.

What are some of the activities offered in the school holiday programs?

The school holiday activities can vary depending on the provider.

Some providers offer a broad range of activities, such as PCYC NSW Youth Clubs, while others focus on a specific area, such as coding and robotics like CodeCamp, Skill Samurai Castle Hill, Skill Samurai Eastwood, and Creative Playground Education.

Other popular activities include painting, sculpture, creative writing, game development, and design.

Do I need to book in advance for the school holiday programs?

Yes, it's best to book for school holiday programs in advance as they can be very popular and fill up quickly.

Check out fun things to do in Sydney school holidays to choose a school holiday program your kids will be excited about.

You can then check with the provider for their booking policies and availability.

Can I use my voucher for craft kits?

Unfortunately, no. From 1 March 2022, craft kits and creative art kits are no longer permitted and are ineligible items.

These include but are not limited to paints, books, stationery, canvases, clothing, uniforms, leotards, instruments or other equipment.

Where can I use my Active and Creative voucher near me?

• Arty Start

• Centered Ceramics

• Creative Playground Education

• Code Camp

• Craft Nation

• Creatives Unlimited

• Eye Heart Science

• LabRats Sydney

• My Kids Art

• National Art School

• OneArt Studio

• PCYC NSW Youth Clubs

• Science Space

• Sew Make Create

• Skill Samurai (Eastwood and Castle Hill)

• St George & Sutherland Community College

• StarTime Studios

• Super Little Scientists

• Sydney Art Space

• And other approved providers.

Search for more registered Active and Creative Kids providers at the Service NSW website. Simply enter a postcode, suburb, activity type, or provider name.

Where to use Active and Creative vouchers online?

Unfortunately, the 2024 NSW Active and Creative Kids vouchers are only valid for in-person and face-to-face activities.