The Homeschool Resource

• Learning socialization skills and making friends are important for the growth and development of all children.

• Socializing with peers and other adults help children learn mulitiple skill needed throughout their life such as good communication, listening, empathy, and relationship building.

• Extracurricular activities, homeschool groups, local reoccurring events, community events, and community lots are great places to meet other homeschool families and for your child to make friends their own age.

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One of the biggest concerns new homeschooling parents have is how their child will make friends. Socializing for kids happens mainly at school. In fact, most people have at least one life-long friend that they met at school. So a big question is “how will my child acquire socialization skills if we school from home?”. Well, good news; there are several ways to help your child meet other kids their age and learn socialization skills.  

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurriculars encompass a wide range of activities. These include sports, dance, music, 4H, scouts, art lessons, and more. These types of activities give your children the opportunity to chat with and make friends with children their own age. Another advantage is that your child will learn to listen to and take directions from another adult (their coach or tutor). Equally they learn teamwork, good sportsmanship, and they pick up a skill set that they can enjoy throughout their life.

There are several ways that you can get your child involved in these types of activities. For sports, local recreation departments and local YMCA’s offer many youth sports programs. These are done in a group environment with a volunteer coach. Many public-school districts allow homeschooled students to join their after-school activities. In some states this is mandatory while some states let the individual districts decide. Contact the school district that your child would be a part of if they were enrolled in a public brick-and-mortar school to find out if they allow homeschool children to join their after-school activities. In almost any city there are also an array of studios, clubs, and other local establishments that offer youth programs. A quick internet search should provide you with plenty of opportunities.

Music and art are generally given in one-on-one lessons. You can do an internet or social media search to find tutors or studios in your area. Homeschool groups, whether you meet them in person or reach out to them on social media, will more than likely have some recommendations for you. Word of mouth is also a good way to find out where other children take lessons. You can strike up a conversation at a park or post the question on social media.

Boy and girl scouts, 4H, and other national clubs all have different divisions based on local area and the child’s age. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts /) teach life skills and provide the opportunity to try new things and to help your community all while engaging with others and forming friendships. 4H provides experiences where children can learn by doing in areas such as agriculture, civic engagement, health, and science.  While these are the largest clubs, there are many others including environmental groups, religious groups, and community-driven groups. If your child is interested in joining a national club, it is best to join one based on their interests and availability.

 Homeschool Groups

A homeschool group is a great way for your kids to meet other children and to learn to work in groups. It is also beneficial as they will be able to meet with their homeschool friends on a regular basis. Groups generally meet daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly depending on what the group wants and what they would like to provide for their children.

There are many different types of homeschooling groups out there. Some gather for group projects or just to work on their own work but in a group setting. These may include art projects, literature discussions, or a group science project. Other groups do group classes. Generally, the parents will take turns teaching a different subject either daily or weekly to a group of different aged school kids. This again can range from any of the core classes to extracurriculars like art and music. Another popular type of homeschooling group doesn’t necessarily ‘teach’ the kids but lets them socialize and make friends. This type of group will generally meet at places like the park, skating rinks, or even local events like story time at the library. But don’t be fooled thinking this is just play time, this is a great place for the parents to chat and to share teaching tools, lesson plan ideas, and more.

As far as where to find homeschool groups, the first place, and where I met the majority of my homeschooling families, was during outings such as at my kids’ sporting events, story time at the local library, community holiday events, and at my local park. Inevitably I started talking to other parents and was generally surprised at how many homeschooled their children. Just in these settings alone I was invited to numerous groups and playdates, and it became a place for us parents to share ideas and even curriculums. On social media you can easily search for homeschool groups, narrowing it down to your hometown or a nearby city. Many groups post about upcoming events and planned activities. I have also seen where some of these groups are mainly online, meeting in chat groups or for Zoom calls. And I have seen many individuals ask ‘hey, who’s available to meet today’. This is a great go-to if you are not regularly going out to sporting events or community events where you can easily meet other parents.

 Local Reoccurring Events

Story time at the library, homeschool time at the YMCA, and toddler time at the children’s museum are all examples of weekly events that happen around my neighborhood. My children loved going to story time at our local libraries. This is actually where my children met their closest friends that we are still meeting up with more than 10 years later.

The best way to find local events is to check online. This could be a generalized search or a search on social media platforms. You can check specific establishments such as libraries or museums, or just search your local area for events. Many of these are targeted at young audiences, so make sure to look at the recommended age group to see if specific ones are right for your family.

 Community Events

Community events are another great place to casually meet other parents and kids who homeschool. Block parties or community holiday events such as Trunk-or-Treat at Halloween, or 4^th of July Fireworks are wonderful places where you automatically will talk with others and will most certainly find other homeschooling families with kids similar in age to yours.

To find out more about community events in your area, check your local government website. Most will have an events calendar where community events are listed. Another option is to follow your neighborhood or city on social media platforms. Smaller more concentrated events like block parties and ice cream socials will be announced through your neighborhood’s social media accounts. Word-of-mouth is where I hear about a lot of events. Many of my parent friends will mention events that they are going to or ask me if we are planning to attend any event that is upcoming.  

 Community Lots

Community pools, parks, sports areas, malls, and bookstores are just a few of the awesome places where your child is likely to meet other kids who live in the immediate area. While I know this is not the case for some areas, there is almost always a local park or a play area at a mall where you can take your kids to let them play and meet with other kids their age. This is also a great opportunity for you to meet other homeschooling parents. If you visit during the daytime when other children are at school, you will find that the majority of families that you meet are schooled from home.

What are some ways that you help your child meet friends and learn socialization skills? Share some of your family’s favorites with the community in the comments below.