{"id":1951,"date":"2021-06-13T06:45:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-13T10:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/?p=1951"},"modified":"2024-09-17T05:16:44","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T09:16:44","slug":"homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html","title":{"rendered":"Homeschooling: What about sports and extracurricular activities?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/HT-Blog-images-21.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"552\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/HT-Blog-images-21.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4471\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/HT-Blog-images-21.png 552w, https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/HT-Blog-images-21-300x209.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 552px) 100vw, 552px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Homeschooling your kids comes with a number of challenges to meet. You might worry about their social interaction, whether they&#8217;ll get to have prom like their public school-going peers, or even whether they want to participate in programs offered by a public school like band practice, cheerleading, choir, math groups, and others.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Public schools offer some popular and interesting events that&nbsp;may&nbsp;intrigue homeschoolers.&nbsp; Many teens will want to go to dances, learn how to drive, play on a team, or explore music. So, what are the answers to those&nbsp;challenging questions? There are several options:<\/p>\n<h3>Work Through the School District<\/h3>\n<p>Contact the local school district and see what its policy is on permitting homeschoolers to join the school\u2019s events, teams, or groups. Be specific in what you are asking when you call. Schools might allow a teen to attend driver\u2019s education classes, for example, but not permit attending the prom\u2014or vice versa. Some schools are happy to accommodate homeschooling families with access to all activities, while others choose to completely restrict it.&nbsp; In addition to contacting the local public school, consider reaching out to area private and charter schools to see what their policies are on incorporating homeschoolers.<\/p>\n<h3>Look at Community Programs<\/h3>\n<p>While schools do offer some great activities, they are rarely the ONLY place to offer them. Look around to see what other choices you might have.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If your teen wants to join a local sports team, check&nbsp;out the local YMCA&nbsp;to see what sports it has to offer. You can also see if there are any local leagues sponsored by businesses or community groups. &nbsp;Be sure to contact community centers, as they frequently offer a chance to play a variety of sports. Look at resources online such as Craigslist or Meetup.com to find clubs, teams, and other activities.<\/li>\n<li>Students who play instruments or sing can look into private lessons, as well as explore city orchestras&nbsp; and local music groups. Choirs are available through churches and other independent groups. Community theatres offer a chance to explore drama.<\/li>\n<li>Driver\u2019s education courses are offered by many groups, including police organizations and independent companies. School enrollment is not necessary to participate in most of these courses. Parents can also purchase packaged driver\u2019s education programs online and teach the subject themselves. &nbsp;National Driver Training Institute offers <a href=\"http:\/\/www.usdrivertraining.com\/index.php?page=main4\">homeschooling programs<\/a>. Just make sure you&#8217;re aware of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.highwaysafety.org\/laws\/state_laws\/grad_license.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">driver education laws<\/a> in your state.<\/li>\n<li>Homeschoolers can typically attend prom if their partners are enrolled in the school. Perhaps your son or daughter\u2019s main goal is just to dress up and go to a dance, rather than specifically the prom. If so, community dances are available in many cities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Start Your Own<\/h3>\n<p>One trait homeschoolers tend to be known for is creating their own activities when they can\u2019t find what they need within their communities. Support groups often have enough members that they are able to start a small sports team, a choir, a band, or an acting troupe. It takes time, effort, and dedication, of course, but many parents are willing to do it to help their children.<\/p>\n<p>Homeschool proms are becoming more and more popular across the country. <a href=\"http:\/\/a2zhomeschooling.com\/teens\/proms_homeschoolers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A 2 Z Home\u2019s Cool<\/a> &nbsp;lists a growing number of states that host these dances annually, &nbsp;including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Alabama<\/li>\n<li>California<\/li>\n<li>Indiana<\/li>\n<li>North Carolina<\/li>\n<li>Oklahoma<\/li>\n<li>Oregon<\/li>\n<li>Texas<\/li>\n<li>Tennessee<\/li>\n<li>Virginia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>(For parents who are starting from scratch to organize a prom in their area, there is a helpful site with many resources on it at <a href=\"http:\/\/home-school.lovetoknow.com\/Homeschool_Prom\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/home-school.lovetoknow.com\/Homeschool_Prom<\/a>. It offers information on how to find the best location for the prom, how to budget the money, where to find flowers, food, and beverages and more.)<\/p>\n<p>Homeschooling teens\u2014and just parenting them\u2014can be a complex combination of challenging and delightful. Having the answers to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-facts-everyone-should-know.html\">the most common questions <\/a>that can arise is one way to make the trip a little easier\u2014for everyone involved. To learn more about homeschooling, check out&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-101-an-introduction-to-the-laws-and-legalities-of-homeschooling.html\">Homeschooling 101: An Introduction to the Laws and Legalities of Homeschooling<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-101-most-important-questions-to-ask-before-deciding-to-homeschool.html\">The Most Important Questions to Ask Before Deciding to Homeschool<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Tamra Orr is the author of six books on the topic of homeschooling, including <u>Homeschooling FAQs: 101 Questions Every Parent Should Ask, The Parent\u2019s Guide to Homeschooling,<\/u> and <u>After Homeschool: Fifteen Homeschoolers Out in the Real World. <\/u>In addition, she homeschooled her four children from Kindergarten through high school graduation. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><\/p><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Homeschooling your kids comes with a number of challenges to meet. You might worry about their social interaction, whether they&#8217;ll get to have prom like their public school-going peers, or even whether they want to participate in programs offered by [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":4471,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[191],"tags":[184,33,29,27,124],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Homeschooling can be isolating if not managed correctly. Here are our tips and ideas for including sports and extracurricular activities.\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Homeschooling: What about sports and extracurricular activities? - HelpTeaching.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Homeschooling can be isolating if not managed correctly. Here are our tips and ideas for including sports and extracurricular activities.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HelpTeaching.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-06-13T10:45:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-17T09:16:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/HT-Blog-images-21.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"552\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"385\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"HelpTeaching.com\",\"description\":\"Online Resources and Teaching Tips\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/HT-Blog-images-21.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/HT-Blog-images-21.png\",\"width\":552,\"height\":385},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html\",\"name\":\"Homeschooling: What about sports and extracurricular activities? - HelpTeaching.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-06-13T10:45:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-17T09:16:44+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b3c6e80b0433b8c662459350b3c524a8\"},\"description\":\"Homeschooling can be isolating if not managed correctly. Here are our tips and ideas for including sports and extracurricular activities.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Home\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/homeschooling-sports-and-extracurricular-activities.html\",\"name\":\"Homeschooling: What about sports and extracurricular activities?\"}}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b3c6e80b0433b8c662459350b3c524a8\",\"name\":\"Tamra Orr\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2df8cfbef2e8f65928ead81dd9da638d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2df8cfbef2e8f65928ead81dd9da638d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Tamra Orr\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1951"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1951"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1951\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4474,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1951\/revisions\/4474"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1951"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1951"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpteaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1951"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}