Building Community - Theme Days!

If you're in a Classical Conversations community (or any community, such as co-op, homeschool covering, or what-not), do you have theme days? We're learning that theme days are a great way to build 'community' among the families at our campus!
We just started theme days, and we have one scheduled each month. So far, they're a hit!
For the first one, we encouraged the children to dress as their favorite Biblical or historical character. It was entirely optional, and about half of the kids participated! Take a look!

Every week, CC begins with announcements and then a family presentation. The family presentation is a short introduction of the family, and most people just say who they are and what they like best about CC. Every family so far, mine included, has kept this nice and simple. This is my fabulous friend Marcie and her kiddos leading our group in saying our Bible memory verse after their presentation. Her older daughter is dressed as a Renaissance princess. Love it!

But what I love most about this picture is that it captures real life.

Some homeschooling families may shy away from CC because it sounds so intimidating (at least, it did to me). Memorizing a timeline, Latin conjugations, the names of the leaders of the countries involved in WWI and II, and so much more. It's challenging, yes, but it's doable (and please click here to find out why it's a perfect fit for our family). And, as you can see above, it's real. No pocket-protectors and Windsor-knot ties (although that might be a fun theme day! ;)  ).

Real life is having a baby on your hip while you read a Bible verse in front of 15 or so families. Real life is knowing that your youngest son is making faces at the crowd while you're doing it. Real life. And we're in these beautiful 'trenches' together.

Community.

But community doesn't just happen. Just because you go to the same building and learn the same memory work doesn't mean you're going to have a strong support group of like-minded families. In fact, community takes work!

Planning field trips, monthly moms' night outs, service projects, a Christmas parents' night out together, and even theme days take work. But I can personally tell you. . .

it's worth it.

Click here to read about other ideas you could use to help build more 'community' in your community.

Joan of Arc, a super-cute explorer, Bloody Mary I of England (yeah, that one's mine... Sheesh! Thanks, Horrible Histories. Her dress is red, blood is red - ick! She came up with that all on her own, and I couldn't be prouder - cough, cough.), and Neil Armstrong all made an appearance at CC this past week! Our other theme days are Yearbook Day (pictures will be taken for our CC yearbook; have you see these yet? They're incredible!), Indian/Pilgrim Day (right before Thanksgiving), Crazy Hair Day, Favorite President Day (around President's Day), and Mismatch Day. Good times, good friends, good memories.

I pray that you're making wonderful memories this year as well, friend.
Now it's your turn! If you have a rockin' community (and I'm sure you do!), I'd love to hear what activities you do together and how you bond as a group! And also, do you think community is important? It's certainly not necessary; many families can't join a CC community for one reason or another. Just curious about your thoughts, so please share! :)