Recreation Guy

As a recreation organization you are probably offering after school programs, special events, community center access with a variety of options (i.e. pool, gym, meeting rooms, etc.) and adult programming. When it comes to youth programming it’s usually all about the after school hours and summer camps. What happens during the rest of the day? I mean besides the actual programming prep and development.

What I’m getting at is this, you’re set up to serve the general school aged child who gets out of school between 1pm and 3pm, and this is how it should be. But in most cities and towns there are kids who don’t attend the local public schools, nor do they attend the local private schools. For one reason or another (and there are different reasons) some children are being homeschooled.

These days there are some great homeschooling programs and organizations that set parents up with all the tools and information they need to teach their children. Parents are also getting together on a regular basis so that their children can spend time with other homeschoolers. This helps the kids develop socially.

Where do you come in? There are a few things that a recreation organization can do to provide opportunities to homeschooled kids:

• Put together physical education programs where the kids meet and play games, learn about sports, and are taught the importance of fitness. You don’t have to be a certified teacher. Remember, these are homeschooled students.
• Put together special events specifically for homeschool students in your area. Whether it be a picnic with games and food or a theater production put on by your after school drama students.
• Offer enrichment programs. Many of your after school programs may be enrichment programs that can be offered during regular school hours for those kids that are homeschooled and not tied down to those traditional school hours.

Expand your youth programs and promote your other programs to these families that are often overlooked. The kids will, of course, love your programs and staff and many will likely want to be involved with your other programs, special events and camps.

To find the families in your area that are homeschooling type in “homeschool” and your city or county into the Google search engine.