How Do Home Educated Children Socialise? | The Myth of Homeschool Isolation
Do you worry about socialisation? Home educated children thrive through hands-on experiences and mixed-age friendships - learning together, not just side by side.
But how do they socialise?
It’s one of the most common questions we get - and one of the most frustrating myths about home education: that our children must be lonely or isolated. It usually comes from a kind place (sometimes not, as in dreadful media articles), concerned relatives, puzzled friends, or parents trying to imagine what a life outside the school system even looks like. But the truth is, home-ed children often enjoy richer, more varied social lives than they would in school.
Because socialisation isn’t about being surrounded by people all day. It’s about forming real connections - ones that build confidence, empathy, and a sense of belonging.
Real friendships, not forced ones
School tends to group children by postcode and birth year. Friendships are formed through shared classrooms and routine, not always shared values or interests. We all remember school friendships that didn’t last beyond the school gates.
In home education, children get to socialise more naturally - across ages and stages, with people who share their passions. Whether it’s a beach meet-up, a science club, a forest school session or just hanging out with friends in the park, the connections they make are often deeper and more genuine.
Home ed groups also tend to be rich in adult involvement. Children get used to talking with people of all ages. They learn to hold conversations with toddlers, teenagers, parents, and grandparents alike, and that gives them a kind of social maturity you don’t see in school settings.
Not what you imagined during lockdown
During the Covid lockdowns, a lot of families got a glimpse of what they thought home education must be like - children stuck indoors, hunched over worksheets at the kitchen table. Some even said, “Oh, you must be used to this”, which really irked me. But honestly? It was the opposite. Our usual days were full of outings, meet-ups, nature walks, workshops, museums, and hands-on learning. The irony was that lockdown forced us into the one thing we usually avoid, being stuck at home all day. I even joked that it was the first time we’d actually been home enough to keep up with the housework.
The truth is, home-educating families are often some of the most socially active people I know.
Learning to belong
When you home educate, you’re not just teaching maths and English - you’re creating opportunities for your child to find their place in the world. To connect with others in a way that feels right for them. And not every connection has to last forever. That’s not the point. What matters is that they feel safe. Seen. Respected. Able to be themselves.
Home education gives them space to socialise in a way that reflects real life, not just the school system. Friendships aren’t based on class groupings or school year. They’re built around shared interests and mutual respect. There’s room for quiet kids and loud ones, for deep thinkers and adventurers, for everyone to find their own pace and people.
So next time someone asks, “But how do they socialise?” Maybe the simplest answer is: In ways that are natural, meaningful, and beautifully human.
