The Rise of the Worldschooling Hub

In the years since the pandemic, worldschooling has gone from something a bit unusual to something a lot of families are seriously considering. It’s getting more media attention, Facebook groups are buzzing non stop, and the Instagram families we follow seem busier than ever. The idea is appealing: maybe there’s a better way to educate our kids by letting them experience different cultures and activities around the world, without the lingering worry that they’re missing out on a traditional system that might keep them from finding what really lights them up.

But nothing has taken off quite like the worldschooling hub. These short, organised get togethers for families have been popping up everywhere, in all kinds of places, run by all kinds of people. Some get glowing reviews. Others fall apart once it becomes clear how much work and responsibility it actually takes to organise everything for a group of families and make it worthwhile. What’s also noticeable is that many of these hubs are set up in countries that feel affordable to Western visitors, yet the cost of a ten-day hub can be as much as a local person’s yearly salary.

I get why they’re popular. Travelling with kids full time can feel overwhelming. The thought of arriving somewhere new with no ready made friends, and having to keep everyone entertained for the whole stay, is enough to make anyone look for a bit of structure and company. Hubs offer exactly that: other families who think similarly, who have similar budgets, and often similar travel stories. Kids usually connect pretty easily, maybe they’ve met at other hubs before, maybe they play the same online games, maybe they’ve all been to Portugal in the summer.

But here’s the thing. When we mostly hang out with people who are a lot like us, we can end up shielding our kids from the parts of travel that actually stretch them. We land in places full of history and culture that are completely different from home, and then settle into a comfort zone with families who share our views and our lifestyles. The kids make friends quickly, which is lovely, but it also means they might miss the chance to push themselves a little , to try connecting with local children, to sit with the awkwardness and loneliness that sometimes come with real travel. Are we making it easier for them by taking away some of that hardness? Or are we just choosing to be outside our own countries while staying surrounded by people who feel familiar? Going out for pizza with someone from the next state over is nice, but is that the kind of experience we’re really after?

There are other ways to find a connection that feel more rooted in the place you’re actually in. Signing your kids up for local activities such as a football club, a jujitsu class, or any after school programme can open doors to a real community far more naturally than another gathering of travelling families. Approaching a local school and asking if your child can join for a few weeks or a month is another simple but powerful option which lets them experience what everyday school life looks like in that country, with all the small cultural differences that come with it. And every so often, choosing destinations with fewer expats and worldschoolers can make a big difference. It forces everyone, including the adults, to lean into the local rhythm instead of the familiar one.

Original experiences still matter. Planning a trip around what your own kids are curious about, or even around something you’re genuinely interested in, often gives them more than a hub that’s running for the first time and already has mixed reviews. A hike in Africa, learning to make pasta in Italy, trying yoga in India, these kinds of things can feel more personal and lasting because they come from your family’s own choices, not a ready-made programme.

Hubs can be a real help for families who just need that first bit of support, or for kids who haven’t had the chance to make friends on the road yet. They’re not the enemy. But it’s worth remembering that the most meaningful part of worldschooling often comes from the experiences we shape ourselves. Originality and the things we live through as a family are still what enrich our children the most.