How do you bring up kids with a sense of community these days ...?

[bumbleweed]

..... when you dont belong to any religious or sporting or other organisations and dont know many other families with kids same age near by?
DD only 3 months old at mo. But started thinking alot about all the 'biggies' like this since she was born!
Dh's childhood always involved in church outings, holidays, festivals and other activities with loads of other church families. That sense of belonging and community was missing from my own childhood .
Want it for dd but these days friends and family are quite dispersed and we dont have any particular sport or hobby where we belong to a 'club'.

As your dd grows up you will find it all falls into place.

My dd is three now, and i have made so many friends since having her, meeting at local mother and baby groups and now from her pre-school.

"sense of community" doesn't have to be religious. I get this from helping out at local events, in particular dd's pre-school and organising "get togethers" with her friends and their parents. (Daytime for the children and evenings for the parents).

It's true, your DD will get you into many new friendships. By the time she is 3 you would be wondering if you can possible invite all that people to her birthday party!

We show ds by collecting for Plunket (which is the charity which looks after the under 5s in NZ), I give concerts for pupils and donate the door charge to charity (last one was allergy NZ) or we give a concert at a charity (old peoples home), ds attends all of these and performs even though not yet 3. I have been on the committee of Plunket since ds was 4 months old.

ideas for when he is older are community tree plantings, beach litter collections, surf lifesaving, community carols, being on the PTA and so involved in school fair etc.

Although we live in a large town, the number of people that go to these events are small in comparison and they tend to be the same people, so you do make friends.

I have read that lots of outside socialization is not terribly important before the age of three. By then you will probably be amazed at all of the things you are involved in!

I've met a couple of people at the new mums group I went to, and we have met up for coffee once so far.
I guess what you are saying is that activities for the kids will follow from that and then friendships will develop over time.
Like the idea of treeplanting bobbybobbing - I guess there may be activities like that around where I live and I need to look for them!

How about something like this:
Conservation Volunteers
I have done loads of things with them pre-children including short breaks working holidays, and looking forwards to DD and DS being old enough to do more.

bw,actually a lot of people get involved in sports and religious organisations for precisely this reason!
You didn't think chapel pews were bulging with virile young things solely on account of their religious fervour did you?
They were checking out the talent!

It does become easier once children are school age.I find that the playgroup,PTA,Sunday school, chapel and gym keep me very busy and in contact with a lot of different people.

Try the NCT !

Ta for the link to conservation volunteers hovely. I also found a few wildlife projects run by our local council which have activities for kids and families too.
You hit the nail on the head moondog - people get involved with things to get involved with people - its just that I am not religious or sporting!
I used to be an 'activist' when I was younger and involved in stuff like prison befriending, animal welfare, ban the bomb etc - maybe I need some new 'causes'!