If you fear that homeschooled children do not have enough opportunities to socialise with their peers, read on as we explain how there are many opportunities for your child to socialise and stay in touch with their friends.

There is a school of thought that thinks that whilst homeschooling provides a unique opportunity to thrive academically, it can cause issues with socialisation and a child’s social skills. Many parents may be concerned that their child will not have enough exposure to other children and will consequently be missing out on possible friendships. We can assure you however, that with some careful planning, homeschooling can provide many opportunities for your child to see other children often and maintain strong friendships. Check out some of our tips for how to provide a balanced social life for your child.
Use Technology Effectively
If your child has been previously taught in a mainstream education provision, then there will be children that they have formed friendships with. Rather than removing them from school and forgetting their friends, why not encourage them to stay in touch through tech? Skype, Zoom and Facetime are all great ways to arrange a virtual play date. Plus, if you also encourage the use of emails and supervised social media, you will be improving their literacy at the same time!
Consider Classes and Clubs for Children
There may be some aspects of homeschooling that you do not feel confident with, such as teaching a foreign language. Rather than letting your child miss out on these experiences, why not enroll them in an evening class with other children of their age? That way, they will be getting educational input and peer interaction at the same time! This is also possible for other subjects and classes that you would like your child to do.
Enroll Them In a Sports Group
Enrolling your child into a local sports team is another good way of forging strong peer relationships whilst learning. Team sports are a great way to learn about give and take, winning and losing as well developing communication skills. The bond that grows in a tight-knit team will give your child an entire group of peers that will add richness and value to their lives.
Consider the Performing Arts
If your child loves singing, dancing, or acting then why not consider a performing arts club that will encourage the exploration of creatively in a safe space with other children. From local amateur dramatics groups to music and dance lessons, your child can get to know like-minded children and form long-lasting relationships.
Encourage Their Hobbies
If your child is not a fan of the arts or sports, then maybe the best way to develop peer relationships is to actively encourage what interests them the most. Take their most loved activity and do some research on what is available near to home that they will enjoy. You may need to try a range of things before you find the right solution, but when you do, your child will have access to other people that love what they love.
When you teach your child at home, it is easy to get caught up in the stress and pressure of micromanaging everything ; when it all gets too much, take a little time out to have few deep breath and then explore the solutions available to you. Homeschooling does not need to be a lonely experience for anyone, and the flexibility it gives you means that your child can develop a life that they love and share it with people they have met along the way.
Here at Blackstone Masterclasses, we work hard to help educate parents about homeschooling. When you sign up for our course, you get access to our private Facebook group of people in the same situation as you. Sign up today and learn how to provide the best education for your child.
Blackstone Masterclasses is an online resource, providing advice and courses on self-improvement, education and teaching. We are delighted to announce the release of our home schooling masterclass, an excellent resource for all your home educating needs.
Author Mrs Shafina Akhtar Bsc Hons optometry Bsc medical biology
Founder Blackstone Masterclasses
Lifestyle & Education Mentor
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