Finding Lasting Community
“I keep hearing it takes a village to raise a child...do they just show up? Or is there like, a number to call?”
Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent launching your journey from kindergarten, or a working parent starting somewhere in between, finding consistent community can be a major mental roadblock in the decision to start homeschooling.
Back in 2020, I was in the latter group – a working mom learning how to homeschool a second and sixth-grader while also trying to figure out the socialization part of home education. For many full-time working adults, we find some level of community at our workplace and expect that our students are finding friends at school. On the weekends, we’re often so frazzled trying to play catch up on housework and attending extracurriculars that developing new relationships simply doesn’t fit into the schedule. When Monday comes, we rinse and repeat the cycle, week after week after week.
If you’re a homeschool family trying to find your “village” in Southeast Wisconsin, the recommendations below have been shared with me repeatedly by fellow homeschooling parents. These options provide long-term, values-based communities that your child can grow with—not just for a season, but for years to come.
Wisconsin 4-H : Hands-On Learning and Leadership
It’s more than farming and fairs (but those are fun, too!). 4-H is a nationwide organization with strong roots in Wisconsin, offering homeschoolers a dynamic way to connect through hands-on projects and community service. Local 4-H clubs in Southeast Wisconsin, such as those in Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Racine counties, welcome homeschoolers and provide activities like robotics, animal care, archery, photography, and public speaking. These clubs meet regularly (often monthly) and offer a structured yet flexible environment where kids can pursue their passions and form lasting friendships. Enrollment for 4-H typically starts in the Fall.
Scouting Organizations
Girl Scouts of Southeast Wisconsin & Scouting America
Scouting organizations have long offered a structure where kids can grow through shared challenges, outdoor adventures, and service to others. Whether your child is building a pinewood derby car or camping under the stars, they’re also building something far deeper: lifelong friendships and confidence. Troops typically meet weekly or biweekly and often stay together for years, which gives children the gift of growing alongside the same peers. Homeschoolers can join existing troops but keep your options open! What about creating a new troop that has the flexibility to meet earlier in the day with fellow homeschoolers?
Awana Clubs & Youth Groups : Faith, Friendship, and Fun
For families seeking faith-based community, Awana clubs offers Bible-centered programming in a structured, high-energy format that appeals to younger kids while reinforcing Christian values. Clubs typically meet weekly during the school year (Wednesdays or Sundays), with regular themes, games, and Scripture memory challenges. Most Awana programs are hosted by local churches and include multiple age levels, making it easy for siblings to attend together and grow within the same network over several years.
Once your homeschooler hits the upper elementary years, youth groups at local churches can become another consistent and impactful source of community. Groups meet weekly or biweekly and often blend fun activities—like game nights or community service projects—with discussions on life skills and Biblical values. For high-schoolers, consider seeking out groups that regularly organize domestic and international mission trips!
Additional Thought-starters
Beyond these organizations, Southeast Wisconsin offers other ways to create lasting connections:
Homeschool Co-ops: Many co-ops in the region meet regularly during the school year to offer group classes, social events, and parent support. Jump to your county to find a short list of homeschool groups that might work for you:
Kenosha | Milwaukee | Ozaukee | Racine | Walworth | Washington | WaukeshaLibrary Programs: Several Southeast Wisconsin libraries offer Homeschool Hangouts and/or Homeschool STEM programs that are regularly attended. Sign up for the Southeast Feast Weekly Snapshot and/or bookmark the classes page to find cross-promoted library events. The calendar is updated September through May.
Nature Centers & Gyms: The YMCA, local gyms and nature centers in Southeast Wisconsin occasionally offer “homeschool gym” or “homeschool science” programs during the academic year. If your local gym or nature center is not currently offering something, gather a few interested homeschoolers and ask for that offering!
When your children find a group where they’re seen, challenged, and celebrated—something beautiful happens. They begin to grow into the kind of learner, friend, and leader who’s ready for anything. That kind of community isn’t built overnight, but it is out there! We eventually found ours organically through a mix of co-ops and by intentionally stepping out of our comfort zone to get more involved in our local church.
So take the step. Reach out. Try something new. You might just find the long-term relationships your family has been searching for—and the confidence that comes from knowing you don’t have to walk this journey alone.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Homeschool Happenings
