If you’ve ever been scrolling through Instagram and found an account by a family who seems to be learning, working, and travelling the world all at once, you’ve probably stumbled across a worldschooler. This might feel like a big undertaking and pretty overwhelming, but there’s a way of combining full-time travel and making sure your kids are getting all education and socialising they need on the road: worldschool hubs.
So what exactly are they, and why are more families swapping classrooms for communities around the world?
What is a Worldschool Hub?
A worldschool hub is where travelling families meet to learn, play, and connect.
It’s like a temporary pop-up community: a mix between a learning village, a school, and an extended family on the road. Some run for a few weeks, others for entire seasons, and some move locations around the world.
They are not the same as an international school, which is a school that accepts children globally and often teaches a set curriculum in English language.
Worldschool hubs are where children learn through real-world experiences and educational resources, parents find support and meet other families with a similar approach to parenting, and everyone gets a sense of belonging, even while living nomadically.
Some hubs are very structured and provide a curriculum that the kids follow, while others have a strong unschooling ideology, and focus more on play and learning through following curiosity and interests.
When we arrived at our first hub in Vietnam, Jai was surrounded by kids from five different countries. Within minutes they were creating shops and trading shells and things they found on the beach. This is what worldschooling is about – connecting with people, exploring the environment and learning from real life.
Why worldschool hubs exist
Worldschooling families can easily feel isolated on the road. Kids can spend most of their time with their parents and siblings, and boredom and frustration can quickly set in.
Moving from place to place might sound like fun, but the need for connection and stability means travelling families crave community too. And the worry of whether children are ‘learning enough’ or having the opportunity to meet and hang out with other kids can make long-term travel feel overwhelming and stressful. Especially if only travelling for a gap-year and then returning to school; parents want to feel their kids aren’t falling behind.
This is where worldschool hubs come in.
They give children consistent playmates and collaborative learning. For parents, they offer shared responsibility, friendship, and the comfort of being around others who “get it.” They blend education, social connection with the freedom of travel.
And because they’re intentionally created by and for traveling families, hubs tend to be relaxed, inclusive, and full of creative energy.
What happens inside a hub
Every hub looks different, but most share the same spirit of curiosity and co-creation.
A typical day might include:
- Morning circle or meet-up – kids and facilitators plan the day’s adventures together. Any housekeeping for the day is discussed and ideas shared.
- Workshops & activities – kids may be involved in art, science experiments, yoga, cooking, local field trips.
- Parent involvement – often parents can be involved in activities with skill sharing, co-working, or group discussions.
- Community meals – everyone brings a dish, often inspired by the local cuisine, or meals out (sometimes mums or dads only!)
- Unstructured play – plenty of time for climbing trees, swimming, building forts, and exploring.
Learning flows naturally from real life. A morning at the local market becomes a maths lesson on currency; a beach clean-up turns into a conversation about sustainability.
The level of parental involvement might vary from hub to hub. We’ve been involved with hubs that are drop off only, giving us time to work or have time together without Jai. We’ve also connected with hubs where parents are welcome to stay for the whole day, or drop and go, and hubs where parents are expected to stay and help out with the group activies.
Types of worldschool hubs
Not all hubs are the same – here are the main kinds you’ll come across:
| Type | Duration | Example | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pop-Up Hubs | 1–4 weeks | Worldschool Pop-Up Hub (Global) | Community & field trips |
| Seasonal Hubs | 1–3 months | Barefoot Souls, Goa, Wander & Wonder | Deep connection & immersive learning |
| Permanent Hubs | Year-round | Boundless Life, Bliss Hubs | Ongoing communities & alternative schools |
Some are parent-run collectives, others have facilitators or teachers.
Costs vary: some are free or donation-based, while others charge fees to cover venue hire and local staff.
Benefits of joining a hub
For kids:
- Consistent friendships while travelling.
- Exposure to different languages and cultures.
- Discovering a new way of learning and experiencing “school”.
- Freedom to explore interests beyond a set curriculum.
- Stability, structure and routine, even if only for a few weeks.
For parents:
- Built-in community support.
- Shared childcare giving parents and kids a break from each other!
- Social events – mum’s nights out or dad’s days.
- A chance to rest, work, or reconnect while kids learn and play safely.
Families as a whole:
- Re-establishes routine and a feeling of grounding on the road.
- Encourages slower, more intentional travel.
- Creates lifelong memories and global friendships.
Personally, I’ve found hubs to be a beautiful way to feel that sense of belonging. There’s a deep connection that comes with being around like-minded families – it’s often much needed after days or weeks travelling as a family, and it reminds you why you chose this life in the first place.
Things to consider
Worldschool hubs are wonderful, but they’re not a perfect fit for everyone.
- Group dynamics – Some kids thrive in busy groups; others need downtime. And often you don’t know the energy of other kids until you arrive. There may be the occasional disagreement between kids, and the whole community may feel the ripple effect of challenging dynamics.
- Costs – Fees, accommodation, and activities can add up. Some hubs are free or very low cost, while others can cost thousands.
- Logistics – Booking early helps, as popular hubs fill fast. Flexibility may be necessary if you have travel plans that don’t quite fit with the hub’s dates.
- Goodbyes – Leaving new friends can be hard, especially for sensitive kids (and parents).
The key is to pick hubs that align with your travel pace, values, and your children’s personalities. Do your research and find reviews that you trust before you sign up.
But remember, nothing is guaranteed – you might find what appears to be the ideal hub in terms of location, dates and philosophy, but it’s not what you expected once you arrive.
How to find worldschool hubs
There isn’t one master list (yet!), but these are the best starting points:
- Facebook groups: Search for ‘worldschool hubs’ or hubs in your chosen location.
- Websites & directories: Worldschooly.com
- Instagram & Telegram communities: Search hashtags like #worldschoolhub or #worldschoolcommunity.
- Word of mouth: Ask other traveling families – recommendations travel fast!
👉 Follow us on Instagram to see which hubs we’re visiting next and what we’ve learned from each one.
Our experience
Our first experience was in Southeast Asia, and it changed everything.
After months of mostly adult company while we travelled around Europe, Jai had a ready made group of friends overnight. The hub was Wander and Wonder, a 3-month long hub with 10-14 families from around the world, travelling together around Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Jai came home each day full of exciting stories, helping out in a permaculture garden, learning about local wildlife and history, even joining a local Cambodian school for the day.
Later we joined pop-up hubs in Vietnam, and an informal, more permanent hub where kids could come and go as they pleased, and parents were more involved in activities. We also connected with other travelling families through Facebook groups, meeting up with them individually and hanging out – sometimes just in the park or beach, and other times visiting a museum or a planetarium with another family.
We found our rhythm again too. I could work without guilt, and we could enjoy time exploring an area together as a couple. Evenings were fun – as we met other parents and organised evenings without kids – something we rarely got to do when travelling as a family.
That’s the magic of a worldschool hub: connection, freedom, and growth, for every member of the family.
Worldschool hubs are reshaping what learning, and family life, can look like.
They’re not about replacing school; they’re about expanding it into the world.
Whether you stay for two weeks or two months, joining a hub can remind you that learning isn’t confined to four walls – it’s in life, everywhere you go.
