Aren’t you afraid of them being socially awkward?
I know a homeschooler that is too shy to talk to anyone because they were never around other kids.
I would love to homeschool my kids, but I would never do it because I worry about them being too isolated.
What about socialization?
Socialization. Socialization. Socialization.
Above almost any other topic, socialization seems to be the one that comes up most when homeschoolers tell people that they have are keeping their kids home to learn. The funny thing is, as you probably already know, it seems that many homeschoolers are some of the most socialized kids you know. (Perhaps in an attempt to compensate for those socialization worries.)
In our home, we go to a weekly open gym time, our boys go to religious education weekly, we have another homeschooled family that we get together with often, and we’re in a homeschool group that has things like park dates, parties, and a twice a month co-op. This, of course, doesn’t count the outside classes that we take from time to time. (This year, we would also like to add 4-H to our schedule.)
I thought that it would be fun to see what you do for socialization opportunities for your homeschooled kids. Share some of the activities with us! What things have been your kids’ favorites, and what have they not really enjoyed?
Angie can be found writing about faith, family, and household management at Many Little Blessings.
photo by joelogon
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Well my son does, swimming, and soccer. He also goes to sunday school, and a class I volunteer at at the YMCA. As well as playing with his cousins, parks, and other events at the Y.
My oldest does ballet and a church youth group(she's 8).
Let's see-well my kids have been involved in several HS groups/co-ops and classes, swimming, attended a few proms each (the older ones) and my two oldest successfully progressed from HS high school to college and were able to get along just fine. They have attended Sunday School and many, many places (historical and otherwise) while traveling all over the country. We most often hear from folks that our kids are very well mannered, polite and generally can maintain a convo with anyone of any age. So I am not so worried about socialization-now those kids I have seen from PS and PS are another story…LOL.
HSing mom for 15+ years
Sheri
My daughter has gone to a few Bible camps this summer and she is currently taking swimming lessons. We are also very involved in our church which has a lot of kids. Trust me, my daughter has no problems making friends!
Lets see… Cub Scouts, Sunday School, flag football, baseball, College 4 Kids (local community college does a 3 week camp). He's going to take a class this school year at a "school" for homeschoolers (www.creativeartsinaction.com) kinda like the college type environment where you meet once a week for class and do all their homework, at home. :)
I, too, have always been told that my son has impeccable manners and is very respectful and delightful to be around for children and adults. He uses yes ma'am, no ma'am, please and thank you… and we carpool with one of his PS buddies…who got in my car this morning and I asked if he had a good weekend and all I got was, "yeah." Yeah? that's not a word my children are allowed to use!
My sons participates in our co-op fall and spring, 7 weeks electives. We have frequent and regular playdates at houses, at parks or even the science center. He also has group violin lessons where he can interact with other kids. Of courses Sunday school and time after church with other kids.
We have done swimming lessons, library story times, homeschool groups. I am involved in a volunteer ministry work and the twins come with me. I also hear "You have such well mannered children." My twins are 6.
My daughter was born a social butterfly. Just going to the grocery store is an event! LOL!
We have lots of family and she has several cousins to play with.
This Fall, she will take a gymnastics class with her cousin.
We go out just about everyday, so there's plenty of "socialization".
We got to the library regularly.. where both my oldest kids will meet up with friends and play on the computers and story times…
We do football and cheer thru pop warner, play dates with classmates from church, as well as regular outside play time daily with the other kids in our area….
Weekly my ds goes to scouts and Young mens activivites. DD goes twice monthly to activity days and will be going weekly to a book club that will be starting in September.
If you add the regular activitities we already do plus the time we are around friends and family for church and family functions…
DO we need any more socilization cuz Im about tired at that point… lol…And yet it is always the go to complaint for those against home schooling….
My daughters both do volleyball, we have a group of church friends, a park day group, field trips, etc. Right now, my girls are both doing a summer theater workshop. We have many opportunities where we live, the problem is making wise choices so that we have enough NON-social time!
My oldest is far more social than I am and can sit and have interesting conversations with adults. She's very polite, but super outgoing and in truth is better socialized than I am :)
We have a co-op that we go to twice a month, soccer, swimming lessons, Sunday School, library programs. We're also the youth leaders at our church and our kids enjoy hanging out with the teens! They get plenty of social activities.
My 3 oldest children participate on our homeschool cross country team. They sometimes practice with the local high school cross country team. Of course they socialize with people of all ages as we run errands, attend church services and Bible classes, and run races….Thankfully, my children can hold a polite conversation with people of all ages.
Regular social activities my daughter does: homeschool art class, Sunday School, dance, Girl Scouts. Also she does other things periodically like gymnastics camp, architect camp, storytime at the library, VBS, and playdates.