Local co-ops – look for Facebook pages, type in “local homeschool co-op” or search online. Most states will have one and some may be nearby or they may be far away. But it is worth searching because you never know who you might meet. What a great way to gain a strong sense of community and is a great way to socialize while being with homeschool peers.

Your town or state has many opportunities…

Homeschool co-ops are different in every town and state. Some places have them while others don’t. We have lived in towns that had entire buildings rented out to a homeschool co-op with multi-level teachers and a set weekly schedule. We have also had smaller towns that had little co-ops that meet every other week and work on specific content or textbooks in a one room classroom.

Regardless of your inclinations, this is a quick and easy way to get involved. Most co-ops come with a fee that is annual or by semester. Some have requirements to teach, aid or supplement materials to be included. The best way to find out is to email or call up the local representative to get more details or find someone involved who can give you an idea. Some places may even let you test out the class or have a visit to see if it works for you before signing up.

Most communities big or small have holiday events. Your town may have a local Easter egg hunt sponsored by a church or community center or you may have Christmas markets etc.

Our town has dozens of local community events and activities that we learn about through the local magazine and through flyers that come around in the mail. It also helps to talk to people and use your eyes to keep tabs on events going on in the community. Many local holiday events come up in the weeks preceding a holiday such as Santa visit or a local lights show.

Best kept secret…

Best kept secret-at least for us learning a new town- is to look up your local city website and find “local events” or “visit us” pages and you will see many regular events going on. If your neighborhood still delivers a newspaper or local magazine, they may also help you tap into something that interests you and your family.  

Food drives are commonly announced around the holidays. This is a good teaching opportunity as well as a way to show kids what a canned food drive looks like and the process. For older kids, there may even be an opportunity to volunteer at the center where they sort through the canned items and box them for delivery.

Community Centers

Meeting other servant hearts is a great opportunity and learning experience. As a teenager, I remember serving at many different soup kitchens, big and small. While most people were not my age, I was able to connect to adults who appreciated a younger face. By helping out, I was able to meet people who were impoverished or having their worst days ahead of them. Socialization in homeschool isn’t always about meeting your best friend. It’s about connecting to your community.

Enact the change…

What I saw changed me and helped me appreciate that I was quite privileged in my home with a well-stocked kitchen. I also got to talk to families that had young kids or teens and that let them see that I was there serving but also connecting with them on a human level regardless of the struggles they faced. While I don’t have any close friends from that time in my life, meeting those people and servants was eye opening. It helped me learn social graces through socialization, manners and respect for others of any age.

The best part is that soup kitchens often have daytime and evening hours. So if you are a homeschool parent with slightly older children, you can easily help out at a lunch serve and do cleanup and be home in a few hours. This socialization with people of all ages is a great way to boost your homeschool experience.

Local food pantries are always in need of food items and the volunteers to help sort, pack and distribute the items. Like the soup kitchen, I did not meet a lot of younger people in these places. Many food pantries had parents with small children visit and I was able to talk to them and connect. These pantries usually have select open hours to distribute to the public. But they also have many hours needed behind the scenes to organize, clean and pack.

YMCA

The YMCA is based on a Christian organization. I have experienced YMCA’s both big and small. Overall, they are a priceless resource for just about anything you may be lacking as a family with small kids. They have classes, workout routines, events, day camps, summer camps, sports groups and short and long term opportunities that all allow opportunities to socialize.

There was a summer that two of our children were terrified of swimming and we really wanted them to know how so we could go on a summer trip together. We were able to sign up for a 6 week swim class as a non-member and it was reasonably priced, the hours were great and the class was helpful to them. They still remember that swim class and they did meet a few friends in the process. Young kids especially connect when they share common interests.

Our younger boys shared the fear of swimming with their classmates and bonded over the success of learning. These were short experiences but it changed them. They gained a great amount of socialization with peers as well as learning a skill we couldn’t do at home in our homeschool.

Cub Scouts/Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts

While we have not personally joined this group yet we know many homeschool and non-homeschool families that are involved. This is usually a bigger commitment but it’s a group of stable friends and families invested in teaching and growing with your child. There are usually camping trips, fundraisers, and events to learn extra skills that are often not taught anywhere else. My husband still remembers learning to start fires and shoot bow and arrows at Boy Scouts. Over time we plan to look more deeply into this because there are so many wonderful people involved in these groups and the cost is typically pretty low. A great way to socialize while having a great amount of fun.

Awana Club

Usually this is available through a local church. This is a quick once a week or every other week event with music and a short lesson. This is an easy place to meet friends, get socialization during your homeschool day. It is something hey will carry on through the years because this typically has groups each year that has age groups. Growing up my family and I went to Awana and enjoyed it. Very low key and relaxing environment. Ours even had a snack and song break. Low to no cost as well.

Nursing home

Meet a person at the nursing home, play board games with them, visit and talk, make them a card or play music for them. I remember visiting my local nursing home many times and just visiting with some of them there, talking with them and singing for them. Their smiles made it all worth while. It also showed me a different aspect to my fast paced life. I gained a newfound respect for the elderly. I also met a lot of war veterans and people with some fantastic stories of their life. Many times the nursing home folks wants more socialization too and you can do that with your homeschool schedule.

4H Club

For farm and animal enthusiasts. My parents enjoyed this club and I have many extended family members who are involved or were involved at one point. Some stories I heard were learning to knit, making butter cake and candle making. Whatever the case, this is another opportunity for your child or children to meet people, socialize and learn new skills that aren’t always taught everywhere.

Kroc Center/Salvation Army

We love our Center. I enjoy workout classes throughout the week where I’ve met many other women who work with the public like I do and want to blow off stress. This center offers swim lessons, workout routines and short term sports groups. One thing you can always count on with a Kroc Center is there is always something going on to be involved in. Anything from music classes to worship service and outreach programs, they have somewhere you can be volunteering or getting involved for fun. This is a great way to socialize during your homeschool journey without even realizing you are doing it.

• Intramural sports
• Sports teams
• Community Arts – art competitions, classes, gentrification projects, centers

While we are not personally involved in many community sports, we are aware of them through the loal magazine of our town and also we see many events going on during the weekends at the parks.

• Trips sponsored by church – each year in the summer our church offers local in state and out of state church camps. This was a great way for our kids to meet new friends, socialize and gain deeper relationships with old friends. It also helps teach the child to be on their own and become more independent.

• Food drives

• Christmas celebrations and sponsor child events

Library Sponsored Events

• Treasure hunts – we often participate in little sponsored events such as these at our local library. We sometimes meet local friends who are participating too.

• Book-It Reading – some areas still have this program and it is also available online if it’s not available through your local library or center.

• Teen Night – our library puts on a great teen night for kids over the age of 5th grade. They do experiments, crafts, puzzles, games and have snacks. It’s a great and safe environment with kids of all ages and allows them to socialize in a fun place.

• Summer Reading Programs – every library is different but many put on summer reading programs with the whole summer being a challenge for who can read the most books based on schools or age groups. There’s usually a prize at the end and raffles. We love our reading program every year because as homeschoolers, we can put in a lot of hours of reading and our children feel rewarded for reading. We even got pizza coupons. Well worth it. We met many friends at the library there too.

Overall, there are so many opportunities in small towns or big cities to socialize. It just takes a little research and getting out around the town and you will find some great opportunities and people in the process.