Worldschooling Opportunities: Schools, Hubs and More…
Worldschooling is an alternative form of education that involves traveling around the world while learning about different things hands-on, but it can take many forms. Some families opt for long-term nonstop travel, or a few months at each location, while others prefer shorter trips during school breaks.
The point of worldschooling isn’t taking the kids to a resort in the Caribbean and sitting by the pool (nothing wrong with that, it’s just a different type of travel), it’s about showing the kids different cultures and learning through the experience.
We chose not to homeschool, and we combined world schooling with traditional school options around the world, which exposes kids to the local lifestyle. Our kids frequently attend traditional schooling or camps around the world, so we get to experience many different things.
Here’s our guide on how to find world schooling opportunities around the world when you’re starting your journey.
1. Worldschooling Hubs
No matter how amazing your worldschooling experience is, kids will be kids and crave other kids to play. While they can always find them at local playgrounds, it’s a completely different experience to be part of a group for a while.
Many families also might need to take some time to work remotely and this is when worldschooling hubs come in handy. Hubs are basically a week or two-week-long cohort with organized learning activities for both kids and parents. They can be themed to location, include language immersion, or be very specific like for example diving and learning about marine biology.
They can be a fantastic opportunity for families to connect with like-minded people and make international friends from all over the world.
How to find worldschooling hubs?
Hubs are usually organized by other worldschooling families at either the place they’re living or know well. Many find them through word of mouth, but ultimately the best place to find them is Facebook (eg. here). There are multiple Worldschooling Hubs groups in which people search and find them.
2. Boundless Life
Boundless is usually people’s first stop when they start their journey. It’s basically a chain of longer-term hubs for families who work online. The program is great for those who want to get the taste
How’s Boundless Life different from just a coworking space for digital nomads? They also provide accredited education centers for children in English and arrange a rental nearby. It’s a stress-free experience for every family, which naturally for many it’s a first stop on their worldschooling journey.
3. Local Schools
If you’re looking for a longer base you can actually enroll your children in a public school, even if it’s short-term. It could be a great way to meet local friends and experience language immersion. Various countries have to enroll your child if they’re the age of compulsory education in that country.
The easiest country to do it is France, since they have compulsory schooling starting at just 3 years old (it’s more of a preschool setting with playtime, field trips, and a nice lunch). All you need is to visit a town hall with proof of address, which can even be an AirBnB and your child’s birth certificate and vaccination records. Within a day or two your kid can start school near your accommodation.
4. International Camps
During the summer or local school breaks, you can find day camps everywhere. Your kids don’t need to speak the local language, because there are plenty of camps in English organized by international schools.
How to find international camps?
Similar to the way of finding worldschooling hubs, word of mouth is the best way. However, I also prepared a list of English-speaking camps around Europe that will be expanding over time.
