Ditto what Kim said. We've been homeschooling for nearly 3 school years now, and it seems like we are on the go all the time. DS8 does not lack for social time! Here's an off-the-top-of-my-head list of everything social or group-oriented that he's done in the past 3 years:
>School for homeschoolers (not common, but a handy private school with a college-like approach to selecting a menu of classes that suits your needs, plus recesses, yearbook photos, t-shirts, etc.)
>Homeschool co-op
>Homeschool group (parties, activities, learning-oriented gatherings, park days, etc.)
>Boy Scouts
>YMCA classes (sports, of course, but also science, cooking, art, etc.)
>Gifted enrichment classes by a nonprofit group
>Art classes
>Group piano lessons
>Soccer team
>Summer camp
>Junior First Lego League
>Foreign language lessons
>playdates: especially handy are the standing weekly ones, so that it's always scheduled and painless
>free time at the park after school hours
>play with neighbor kids who are not homeschooled
It hasn't been hard at all. Granted, not everyone has a school for homeschoolers in their neighborhood. But some public schools allow part-time attendance like Tall Boys is describing (ours does not), and private schools might allow a similar partial enrollment to ours if they're not full.
An active homeschooling community is helpful, certainly. Some places are better than others.
Keep talking if you need more help.
