Are you longing for community? Spending some time together with other homeschooling and travelling families, with fun activities being organised in co-creation but also plenty of time to play and live your everyday life?
This summer, we will visit both the Netherlands and Belgium. There is no fixed programme with tightly scheduled activities. Instead, we create space for connection, spontaneous plans and shared experiences.
When?
The gathering will take place from 17 July to 15 August. You are welcome to join us for ten days or longer. You can join us in one location or both.
Where?
The first two weeks (until 31 July), we will reside in the Netherlands at campsite Buitengoed de Boomgaard, close to the historic city of Utrecht. The campsite is a true children’s paradise with a big play pond. It offers both pitches and accommodation, and is centrally located in the Netherlands and close to a train station, perfect to explore some highlights like the national park Utrechtse Heuvelrug and several cities.
The last two weeks, we will move to Bruges, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a city famous for its chocolate. We will be staying at Camping Memling. This campsite only offers pitches. Do you need accommodation? At this gathering, it is perfectly possible to stay at a nearby accommodation instead. Next to the campsite, there is a large park with plenty of space for meeting and spending time together, as well as a communal swimming pool. In Bruges, we will also enjoy the solar eclipse, which will be nearly a full solar eclipse over there.
Who is it for?
For families with children of all ages who practise homeschooling (or plan to do so) in any form, such as traditional homeschooling, unschooling, roadschooling and worldschooling.
Our events attract families from many different countries, so the main language will be English. It’s easier for teens and tweens to join in if they speak at least a little English.
We will announce the ages of the children once 5 families have signed up.
What are the costs?
If this is your first Exploring Families event, we ask for a participation fee of €110 – regardless of family size and length of stay.
This fee includes our support in advance of and during the gathering, our effort to get a nice group together, and access to our dedicated Telegram group, but not your accommodation or any extras such as excursions or meals out.
Families who have joined us before don’t need to pay the participation fee.
How to join?
Joining us is easy, just follow the three steps below:
- Fill out the sign-up form below
- Pay your participation fee of €110 (if this is your first Exploring Families event) after we have confirmed your registration
- Book your stay directly with the campsite(s), you’ll receive the details on how to do so by e-mail
We hope to see you in the Netherlands and Belgium!
FAQ
Find all answers to the frequently asked questions below. Do you still have questions? Feel free to reach out! We are happy to help. You can contact us via email at summer2026@exploringfamilies.eu or Telegram.
How to get to the Netherlands?
If you are coming by plane: The nearest airport is Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, about 35 km from the campsite. There are several car rentals at the airport. There’s a train station at 650 meter from the campsite, so public transport can be a good alternative.
How to get to Bruges, Belgium?
If you are coming by plane: The most logical airport is Brussels Airport, about 100 km from Bruges. There are several car rentals at the airport.
Is a car necessary in the Netherlands?
No, a car is not necessary. Most activities take place at and around the campsite. There’s a train station at 650 meter from the campsite, so it is easy to explore by public transport. There’s a supermarket at 1.7km, but groceries can also be ordered online and delivered to the campsite.
Is a car necessary in Bruges, Belgium?
No, a car is not necessary, although it might be convenient if you come by plane, as Brussels Airport is about 100 km from Bruges. Most activities take place at and around the campsite. There’s a bus stop 500 meters from the campsite, so it is easy to explore the city by public transport. There’s a supermarket at 750 meters.
How many families will be coming?
We’ll be keeping the group small – big enough for plenty of playmates, yet small enough for everyone to get to know each other. There’s room for 10 to 15 families.
What happens if you cancel the gathering?
If fewer than 5 families commit for one of the countries, we’ll cancel the gathering in that country and refund your full participation fee. Even in that case, we’ll still be at the campsite ourselves and would love to spend some fun weeks together.
In the very unlikely event that an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control forces us to cancel the gathering after all, you will of course receive a full refund of your contribution. The refund policy of both campsites can be found on their websites. Please note that you’ll need to contact them directly, as all bookings must be made with the campsite(s) itself.
What happens if we need to cancel?
The participation fee is merely a commitment fee. There’s no refund of this fee in case you cancel.
The refund policy of both campsites can be found on their websites. Please note that you’ll need to contact them directly, as all bookings must be made with the campsite(s) itself.
Are there accommodations available?
Yes and no, the campsite in the Netherlands offers accommodation. It can only be booked from Friday to Friday, and unfortunately, prices are quite high as it is during the summer holidays and the cheapest options have already been booked. The campsite in Belgium doesn’t offer accommodation. You can look for nearby accommodation on apps like airbnb and booking.com. Or utterly creative, perhaps you can rent a campervan. 🙂
Do we need to come the full four weeks?
You are welcome to join us if you stay at least 10 days. However, experience has shown that even 10 days often feels too short, so if you can stay longer… 🙂
What languages are spoken?
The main language spoken is English, so it will be easier to blend in for teens and tweens if they speak at least a little English.
What is the difference between a gathering and a hub?
During hubs, we offer planned activities on 3-4 days each week. At gatherings (like this one in the Netherlands and Belgium), we don’t offer this itinerary, and we leave it open for spontaneous meet-ups, hang outs and activities. Every family can organise activities as they please. It is our experience that a lot of activities spontaneously occur. Also, knowing ourselves and our children, we are pretty sure that we will come up with several spontaneous things, like potlucks, games, sharing circles and most likely some city trips as well.
Are activities obligated?
No, all activities are optional, so don’t feel obligated to visit every activity. We know how valuable it is to have a good balance between community time and personal time.
Can my child join activities by itself?
Although our gatherings are family-oriented and not drop-off gatherings, sometimes a child prefers to join certain activities on their own. If your child is responsible enough to participate without a parent and transport to the activity or excursion can be arranged, it’s absolutely fine with us. However, parents remain fully responsible for their child at all times.
Can I join communal meals with allergies/diets?
Yes, definitely. Everyone is asked to include a note with the ingredients at organised potluck meals. In our experience, there’s always a good selection of vegan, vegetarian, keto, and gluten-free options.
What's the price of the campsite?
This depends on the duration of your stay and family size. Kindly check the websites of our locations in
the Netherlands and
Belgium for their prices. See below some sample prices for reference. These are based on a family of four: 2 adulsts and 2 kids (3+). Prices of the campsite can be higher or lower depending on your family situation.
Campsite pitch:
2 weeks (the Netherlands): from € 692 – 1250
2 weeks (Belgium): € 564
Family lodge:
2 weeks (the Netherlands): From € 3.075 – 3.125
2 weeks (Belgium): not on site available, unfortunately
The sample prices are subject to change and availability.
Do we need to book the campsite(s) ourselves?
Yes, you need to book your accommodation directly at the campsite(s). You can do so after you have received our confirmation and paid the participation fee. We will send you the details on how to book your stay. We are happy to help if needed.
Can we decide last minute?
Technically, yes (up to 14 days before the gathering starts)… but the gathering has limited spots, as we aim to keep the group small enough to know everyone. Our recent gatherings have been fully booked. Also, as this gathering is during the summer holidays, the campsites might be fully booked if you wait too long.
