What do kids do after school in Australia ?....to keep them from mischief
Oct 8th 2004, 3:26 am
#1
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What do kids do after school in Australia ?....to keep them from mischief
No silly answers please like go shoplifting........watch TV, eat, sleep, homework, etc
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they would try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,.....I'd even like to get one of them piano lessons......guitar lessons.....you name it anything but hang outside McDonalds wasting......
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Thanks..........I just know I'll get some decent and funny replies.....
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they would try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,.....I'd even like to get one of them piano lessons......guitar lessons.....you name it anything but hang outside McDonalds wasting......
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Thanks..........I just know I'll get some decent and funny replies.....
Last edited by Olibeneli; Oct 8th 2004 at 3:40 am.
Oct 8th 2004, 4:09 am
#2
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Posts: 3,505
Re: What do kids do after school in Australia ?....to keep them from mischief
Originally Posted by Olibeneli
No silly answers please like go shoplifting........watch TV, eat, sleep, homework, etc
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they woudl try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Thanks..........I just know I'll get some decent and funny replies.....
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they woudl try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Thanks..........I just know I'll get some decent and funny replies.....
My kids are 16/18 now so the worry of after school and holiday activities is over for us but I'll do my best...
There would be very few primary schools (state or private) here in Sydney that don't have some kind of after-school care. They'd have very few pupils if that was the case. High schools don't usually have after-care as such, but would offer some kind of after-school activity anyway.
No idea what the cost would be but usually the hours run from 7.30am-ish in the morning for before-school care to 6-6.30pm-ish for after-school care. Schools also run holiday care during the whole school holidays.
Before and after school care would only have activities on-site. Holiday care would be a mixture of on-site activities and excursions. These places are usually run by the schools themselves and cater for all primary-age kids so do not concentrate on specific sports.
If you want to do a specific sport or activity after school then there are plenty of them, but you have to get the kids there yourself. There's every kind of activity you can think of (depending on where you live, of course). Stuff like art, music, drama, gymnastics, all sports (depending on season), swimming etc. You name it, you can do it somewhere.
For working parents you're really limited to whatever the after-school care offers on weekdays, unless you can get someone else to do the driving around to the other activities. However, that doesn't mean that your kids cannot do this stuff - you can always join the Saturday morning parade of ferrying the kids to their various activities (been there, done that). A lot of school sport is played on Saturdays anyway - particularly when they get to High School.
Holiday activites are just a comprehensive as the after-school ones. Endless opportunities to send the kids off to various sporting 'camps' where they DO concentrate on particular sports. ('camps' here do not usually mean they stay away overnight). They also have real camps where the kids can go off for a week and stay in some rural site and do all the outdoor abseiling, bushwalking, canoing stype stuff. My kids regularly used to go to the holiday activities run by the UNSW and did heaps of sport, games and swimming there.
Can't help with the costs but they're not usually that bad.
Oct 8th 2004, 4:10 am
#3
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: What do kids do after school in Australia ?....to keep them from mischief
Originally Posted by Olibeneli
No silly answers please like go shoplifting........watch TV, eat, sleep, homework, etc
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they would try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,.....I'd even like to get one of them piano lessons......guitar lessons.....you name it anything but hang outside McDonalds wasting......
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Thanks..........I just know I'll get some decent and funny replies.....
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they would try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,.....I'd even like to get one of them piano lessons......guitar lessons.....you name it anything but hang outside McDonalds wasting......
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Thanks..........I just know I'll get some decent and funny replies.....
I work for myself, so pick the boys up, one used to ride, but no way any more too much pedo stuff in the news lately. They usually have a swim, when they get home its spring now must be low 30's so swimming already, then when cooled off they do playstation!!/watch telly. Sorry to disappoint, games are just as huge here as UK, fave activity for most kids.
All the stuff mentioned, golf tennis etc is avail but it all costs and of course parents need to be available to drive them there, probably why a lot happens on the weekend with kids sport. Guitar lessons were bloody expensive $25! 45 mins was offered last term. Tennis I think was $15 45 minute lesson. This probably all sounds cheap but it adds up with 2 on a aussie wage, bargain stuff is swimming pools about $3 gets a kid in for hours, mine used to go for the diving boards but all taken out now - liability. Bowlings about $12 two games. Hope that helped.
Oct 8th 2004, 4:11 am
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Location: Listening to Puffing Billy
Posts: 9,183
Re: What do kids do after school in Australia ?....to keep them from mischief
The favorite at the moment is a dip in the pool.
Not all schools offer after school care, but a lot do.
Most things seem to be paid for termly. Or weekly in my schools case, most weeks we have an extra curricular activity of some sort to pay for, can be anything from a sports day to a magic show!!
My son does gymnastics for an hour a week $100 per term (approx 10 weeks)
Both kids in scout movement, cost $275 per year each, plus activity charges, camps etc (each)
My daughters in the school netball team (trains one night a week after school then saturday matches $15 per term (subsadised by the school)
Riding lessons cost around $35 for 1/2 hr private lesson or $40 an hour group.
There are heaps of clubs around the place, footy, cricket, soccer, marshal arts etc etc, but you need to get them there.
A family i know here were really struggling with the kids as both of them work, but they have hired an aupair (
) who is willing to work for a small amount of money and her board in return for a WHV, i guess it just depends what your needs are and what you are comfy with.
BTW, we are in Melbourne and stuff / prices will vary area to area
Not all schools offer after school care, but a lot do.
Most things seem to be paid for termly. Or weekly in my schools case, most weeks we have an extra curricular activity of some sort to pay for, can be anything from a sports day to a magic show!!
My son does gymnastics for an hour a week $100 per term (approx 10 weeks)
Both kids in scout movement, cost $275 per year each, plus activity charges, camps etc (each)
My daughters in the school netball team (trains one night a week after school then saturday matches $15 per term (subsadised by the school)
Riding lessons cost around $35 for 1/2 hr private lesson or $40 an hour group.
There are heaps of clubs around the place, footy, cricket, soccer, marshal arts etc etc, but you need to get them there.
A family i know here were really struggling with the kids as both of them work, but they have hired an aupair (
) who is willing to work for a small amount of money and her board in return for a WHV, i guess it just depends what your needs are and what you are comfy with.BTW, we are in Melbourne and stuff / prices will vary area to area
Oct 8th 2004, 4:12 am
#5
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Re: What do kids do after school in Australia ?....to keep them from mischief
[QUOTE=Olibeneli]No silly answers please like go shoplifting........watch TV, eat, sleep, homework, etc
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they would try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,.....I'd even like to get one of them piano lessons......guitar lessons.....you name it anything but hang outside McDonalds wasting......
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Can only speak from experience, daughter 7
Does the following , tennis $50 per term, gymnastics $117 per term, swimming $78 per term and horse-riding - now this is the killer $38 per lesson, but that is for an hour and the lessons are superb and the stables are clean!! oh and we have a puppy.
She doesn't have time to get up to mischief - that's my domain
BTW - this was all arranged and sorted by the first two weeks here and there are no waiting lists!!!
Hope that helps
Jill
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they would try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,.....I'd even like to get one of them piano lessons......guitar lessons.....you name it anything but hang outside McDonalds wasting......
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Can only speak from experience, daughter 7
Does the following , tennis $50 per term, gymnastics $117 per term, swimming $78 per term and horse-riding - now this is the killer $38 per lesson, but that is for an hour and the lessons are superb and the stables are clean!! oh and we have a puppy.
She doesn't have time to get up to mischief - that's my domain
BTW - this was all arranged and sorted by the first two weeks here and there are no waiting lists!!!
Hope that helps
Jill
Oct 8th 2004, 4:18 am
#6
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Re: What do kids do after school in Australia ?....to keep them from mischief
Originally Posted by Olibeneli
No silly answers please like go shoplifting........watch TV, eat, sleep, homework, etc
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they would try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,.....I'd even like to get one of them piano lessons......guitar lessons.....you name it anything but hang outside McDonalds wasting......
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Thanks..........I just know I'll get some decent and funny replies.....
I would like to know what sort of after school clubs are organised.....swimming, soccer, tennis, etc etc......are these sorts of things widespread and regular....how much would they cost (average) for say an afternoon soccer club, or gymnastics, etc....
Are these things organised by the schools mostly or independent ?......
Is the boy scout movement widespread ?
How do working parents get on if they are both at work and kids finish school at 3pm......rely on grandparents, childminders, friends....???
Where my kids go now in the UK they have an after school club that runs every day, including school holidays up to 6pm. We naturally have to pay for this but now my boys are getting bigger they want to do more active things.....hence the possible move to a place where they can have a more active outdoor life.
Their main interests are soccer, tennis, golf, swimming....but they would try anything......rock climbing, judo, karate,.....I'd even like to get one of them piano lessons......guitar lessons.....you name it anything but hang outside McDonalds wasting......
I'd really like soem sense from parenst in Oz telling me how their kids get on aftre school, especially if both parents work.
My kids are near 8 and 9 now......would be 10 or 11 if we went to Oz.
Thanks..........I just know I'll get some decent and funny replies.....
Where we are there is a lot for kids after school.
The school does before (7-9) and after (3.30-6) school care which also runs in the school holidays. They organise trips and themed events for the holidays.
The local leisure centre and lots of other organisations also offer after school and holiday clubs.
There are local soccer, swimming, tai-kwon-do, tennis etc clubs.
Pony clubs are really big here and run once a month.
The scout movement is great and they do so many outdoor activities from kayaking to climbing.
The library runs activities for holiday times and the local bookshop even has a bookclub for the kids!
There is a drama and musical club too.
You do have to pay for all of these of course! Sorry, I don't know the cost as my son has shown an aversion to anything active!!!!
The working parents I have met either use the school club or have relatives to look after the kids, or juggle shifts so that a parent is at home.
Very similar in that respect to the UK but IMO things are a lot more geared up to actively entertain the kids after school. Where we are the school club is booked up and there is a waiting list of just under a year so make sure you can get your name down if you need to!
Most of the kids I have met really enjoy the clubs and get disapointed if they can't go !
I have been searching for a job in school hours until son can get a place in after school care but to no avail...I think employers do not need to offer those sort of hours due to the facillities for childcare being so widely available.
Oct 8th 2004, 4:22 am
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Re: What do kids do after school in Australia ?....to keep them from mischief
Originally Posted by scoobydoo
Where we are there is a lot for kids after school.
The school does before (7-9) and after (3.30-6) school care which also runs in the school holidays. They organise trips and themed events for the holidays.
The local leisure centre and lots of other organisations also offer after school and holiday clubs.
There are local soccer, swimming, tai-kwon-do, tennis etc clubs.
Pony clubs are really big here and run once a month.
The scout movement is great and they do so many outdoor activities from kayaking to climbing.
The library runs activities for holiday times and the local bookshop even has a bookclub for the kids!
There is a drama and musical club too.
You do have to pay for all of these of course! Sorry, I don't know the cost as my son has shown an aversion to anything active!!!!
The working parents I have met either use the school club or have relatives to look after the kids, or juggle shifts so that a parent is at home.
Very similar in that respect to the UK but IMO things are a lot more geared up to actively entertain the kids after school. Where we are the school club is booked up and there is a waiting list of just under a year so make sure you can get your name down if you need to!
Most of the kids I have met really enjoy the clubs and get disapointed if they can't go !
I have been searching for a job in school hours until son can get a place in after school care but to no avail...I think employers do not need to offer those sort of hours due to the facillities for childcare being so widely available.
The school does before (7-9) and after (3.30-6) school care which also runs in the school holidays. They organise trips and themed events for the holidays.
The local leisure centre and lots of other organisations also offer after school and holiday clubs.
There are local soccer, swimming, tai-kwon-do, tennis etc clubs.
Pony clubs are really big here and run once a month.
The scout movement is great and they do so many outdoor activities from kayaking to climbing.
The library runs activities for holiday times and the local bookshop even has a bookclub for the kids!
There is a drama and musical club too.
You do have to pay for all of these of course! Sorry, I don't know the cost as my son has shown an aversion to anything active!!!!
The working parents I have met either use the school club or have relatives to look after the kids, or juggle shifts so that a parent is at home.
Very similar in that respect to the UK but IMO things are a lot more geared up to actively entertain the kids after school. Where we are the school club is booked up and there is a waiting list of just under a year so make sure you can get your name down if you need to!
Most of the kids I have met really enjoy the clubs and get disapointed if they can't go !
I have been searching for a job in school hours until son can get a place in after school care but to no avail...I think employers do not need to offer those sort of hours due to the facillities for childcare being so widely available.
Forgot to add that a lot of parents I know have turned into a personal taxi serve for their darlings so that they get to all the activities!!!!!
Oct 8th 2004, 4:56 am
#8
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Re: What do kids do after school in Australia ?....to keep them from mischief
She doesn't have time to get up to mischief - that's my domain
I have read about your mischief pole dancing...............How much does it cost for me to come and watch that while my kids are horse riding/soccer/swimming/piano/guitar/karate.........
I'm headed for Sydney......you're in Perth so will you be touring ?
Sounds like the main message through all this is kids are catered for fine as long as there's a taxi of some sorts !
I have read about your mischief pole dancing...............How much does it cost for me to come and watch that while my kids are horse riding/soccer/swimming/piano/guitar/karate.........
I'm headed for Sydney......you're in Perth so will you be touring ?
Sounds like the main message through all this is kids are catered for fine as long as there's a taxi of some sorts !
