Community

How to Find or Create Community

SHG members are encouraged to participate in person as much as you are able! SHG would not be what it is without the time and commitment of parents dedicated to building and sustaining in-person community events and activities. In addition, we always want to remind new members that any SHG member is welcome to start new activities and traditions and invite others to join. 

See the SHG Events Calendar to find out what opportunities currently exist. Showing up to the same events and activities on a regular basis will open doors to deeper connections and more social opportunities, as groups of friends naturally form their own text threads and get-togethers in ways that will not show up on the SHG Events Calendar. Consider the co-ops, park days, and game days on the calendar to be your gateway to further connection!

In addition to these recurring events, members have been known to plan and organize clubs, field trips, and other events and activities, both casual and more organized. Organizing or hosting an event or activity is a great way to let children share an interest or passion with a group of friends, and it’s also a great way to get to know other homeschoolers. 

Read on for some tips and ideas for how to connect with other homeschoolers. 

If you are a newcomer who needs a little extra encouragement, please see our Newcomers page!

Join a Co-op

We recommend checking out one or both of the SHG parent-led quasi-cooperative communities: Loyal Heights Homeschool and Tall Mountain Homeschool. Co-ops are a great way to meet a larger consistent group of homeschooling families. You can also check the SHG Resource Directory for a list of other homeschool co-ops around the region.

Attend Park Days & Other Weekly Gatherings 

Check the SHG Events Calendar to find out about park days, game days, and other weekly or semi-weekly events organized by other SHG members. Weekly park days are scattered throughout the region and attendance can be sporadic. We recommend reaching out to the organizer a day or two before the scheduled event to make sure someone will be there to greet you. Check out the Newcomers page for more tips on turning these weekly gatherings into real community.

Host Playdates

Maybe your kiddo hit it off with one or two other kids at a park day. Exchange numbers with their parent/guardian and try hosting an activity or playtime in or near your home. You could limit it to a certain number of families if you feel space is an issue. How about hosting a picnic or messy play day in the backyard, shooting a video, or conducting a science experiment? When you organize an event, it’s up to you to organize it however you want. If your child has allergies, for example, specify it as an allergen-free event. Just pick a date and time that suits you and advertise it through the group.

Examples of what SHG families have done in the past: Free play and pancakes, crafting together, science experiments in the backyard, taking turns hosting weekly playdates with one or two other families, etc.

Join or Start a Club or Organized Activity

If your child has a hobby or interest they would like to share with friends on a regular basis, think about starting a club or group. It can be as simple as a weekly LEGO building session in your living room, or more involved, like forming a FIRST LEGO League team. You don’t have to host a club in your home; Seattle and King County library meeting rooms can be reserved free of charge. Some families have also hosted online clubs as well.

Examples of what SHG families have done in the past: Music Together class, French language lessons, online chess club, book club, FIRST LEGO League, running club, 4H group, scouts group

More Ideas for Social Gatherings:

• Crafts in a library meeting room

• Storytime at your home, the library, a coffee shop

• Book groups for kids, adults, or both

• Hosting a parents’ and caregivers’ night out

• Special interest club to share about whatever inspires your child

• Indoor playspace or trampoline park

• 4H 

• Scouts 

• LEGO League 

• Math Circle

• Pickup game of soccer, ultimate, basketball, or sport of your interest at a local park

• A hike or ramble at your favorite location

• Nerf battle or boffer sword fights at a park

• Coordinating group tickets to a sporting event, a play or other performance

• Coordinating a homeschool discounted block of rooms at Great Wolf Lodge

• Board game day at your house, a free library room, or a game store

• Group volunteer opportunities at a shelter, food bank, or other charity

• Group service projects

• Group camping trips