Mumsnet users share with Little Tikes how they get their child thinking about what they want to be when they grow up

[EllieMumsnet]

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Some children are adamant they’re going to be a ballet dancer or an astronaut when they grow up, whereas others are more interested in activities such as building and putting things together. This might one day turn into a career like engineering. With more and more emphasis on the importance of STEM education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and getting children involved in them at an early age, Little Tikes would love to know how you get your children thinking about what they want to be when they grow up and in particular get them involved in STEM subjects.

Here’s what Little Tikes have to say: “STEM learning from an early age opens children up to a world full of exciting hands-on play. Preschool-age children are perfect for this type of learning. These mini scientists are impossibly curious and love to experiment and discover! Future engineer, mathematician or chemistry teacher… for now, the fun is the learning.”

Perhaps you purchase toys that involve learning from an early age to help stimulate them? Do you have conversations with your DC about the vast array of things they can do when they grow up? When it comes to STEM subjects, do you take them on days out that have an element of STEM education involved? Maybe you encourage them to keep pursuing whatever it is they’ve shown interest in?

However you get your children thinking about what they want to be when they’re older and STEM education, let us know on thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

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It seems such a long plan! Surely wide exposure to many activities and subjects will peak interests, and lead to a gradual leaning in a direction of future employment. I would always be interested in what they are loving, and what they say they would like to be when they grow up, and try to recognise what they thrive in, but I certainly wouldn't emphasise it as important when they are still developiing their interests and ideas.

Little kids have no idea what an engineer is, or a scientist. They are influenced by tv and books which are usually about exciting thrilling firefighters, Disney princesses and footballers.
Most kids when asked pre teen have no idea what they want to be - my ds is 12 and for the past few years has answered he wants to be a you-tuber!
When it came to choosing options at school my ds now 16 was asked what he wanted to be and he had no idea. He was then asked what he didn’t want to do and that narrowed it down! He’s now studying engineering. Looking back he was always playing with building toys and construction toys - Lego etc.
I think give kids a variety of toys and experiences and they’ll find there way in life.

For young kids it's silly to try and direct them into careers, and is certainly not always very healthy getting your children to live the life you wish you had vicariously. But sometimes your children do come out with statements. My Nephew announced when he grew up he wanted to be a lady police officer and drive a pink mini...! He is actually now a 26 year old languages teacher and drives a sport car.. Cross dressing arm of the law does not figure. But it is important to buy toys that stimulate them, they will find their own way, and sometime you do see early skills that lend themselves. My niece was always obsessed with lego, she is now studying construction engineering, My comic mad son, applying for journalism courses. My friends child used to spend hours making clothes for her dolls from scraps of fabric is now working as a fashion designer

I asked my boys once. DS2 said he wanted to be a doctor or a teacher. DS1 though long and hard, then announced he'd like to be a PELICAN(!) when he grew up. I had rather a hard time persuading him that this was not really an achievable career for a human boy...

My five year old is obsessed with slime and wants to be a mad scientist when she grows up....

We watch shows such as CBeebies Bitz and Bob which is engineering based. Do You Know with Maddie Moates is also good for finding out how things works and it promotes lots of questions from my preschooler. I try and use scientific language when doing easy experiments at home together.

I really disagree on the topic. If it’s serious,I disagree. If it’s something common apart from career,I always teach my children to be honest in everything they do. I firmly believe they get into less problems if they are honest and they will make their lives easy and be a good human being in general. With regards to their career,this is something we do not talk about yet as my oldest is four and I let her explore and play with whatever she wants. I want her to enjoy the time of her life at pre-school and forget about everything else. For these serious matters,they have their whole life to think about but these fun moments when they are young and carefree won’t last forever!

Yes, as many PPs have said - when they were younger I didn't encourage the children to plan what they would like to be because it is too early - young children like to try out different ideas all the time. I wanted to be a nurse when I was three but I would have made a terrible nurse.

DC are 11 and 9 so old enough to have thought about it and have ideas, which is great. I am enthusiastic when they say what they would like to be or else I might raise something for discussion e.g. a skill they have which would be useful in that career, or something about the job that might be tricky - how would they feel about that/would they mind?

My two were obsessed with Richard Scarry's What Do Poeple Do All Day book about grown ups's jobs. I've never steered them in any direction but showed enthusiasm for every idea they had. They had dressing up clothes when they were tiny too. The sometimes chose to be policemen or doctors and sometimes spiderman, a fairy or an animal. All possible at that age.

Now they are late teens, we discuss jobs properly. They do work experience, shadow people, go to talks and workshops, and they're getting clearer ideas of what they'd enjoy and be good at. But I've never ever steered them in any direction. At one point DS2 was very interested in a job which goes against most of our political beliefs. I helped him get connections, discusse dit with him, got him books on the subject. he was really surprised as he reckoned we'd try to put him off, but I don't believe it's my job to push them in one direction or another, just to help them explore what interests them.

I ask them! They know that I just want them to be happy in whatever they choose to do, so there is no pressure. If I come across some career that I think might suit them, I suggest it.

We all DS to play what he wants to play with and encourage him to do many different things. We love days out where he gets to experience different things and learn new stuff.

My DS and DD are 11 and 7 years old. I don't talk to them about careers yet. I think the idea of what you want to be when you grow up, should come later in life. Perhaps when thinking about GCSE subjects. Let kids be kids!

I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up... and I'm 35 LOL. As long as they are happy in life, I don't care what they 'become'.

I try to find job prospects that correlate with their interests and just have fun discussing options. For example we have had discussions about being a doctor or a vet. But also fantasy jobs like being a footballer for England or the whole family living in an ice cream van touring the world.
But of course everything boils down to me saying that you have to do well in school first.

I was telling my son that I go to the office and other people go to different places like hospital, fire station. ..etc. also pretend play

Just leave them with a tablet, they'll figure out how to make one.

I just ask them...what do you want to be when you're older lol. My eldest has wanted to join the arme since he was 2, and he is going in a week to sign up!! He wasnt to be an automotive engenieer, my daughter wants to be adoctor and my youngest wants to be a famous Youtuber :/

Expanding their horizons. Lots of museum visits, lots of discussions, talking to mummy’s and daddy’s friends and what exciting jobs they have

Not really made this a point of focus, prefer to allow their interests and passions develop naturally

Mine already have quite set ideas, my son is 7 and wants to sell cars for half the week and be a vet the rest of the time (but always have Mondays off as that's my day off). I don't care what they do when they grow up as long as it's something they enjoy.

My kids have always been curious about what family and friends do for a living and I've always encouraged them to find out about lots of other occupations, especially things associated with things they are good at / interested in.
It seems to have worked, as DS1 and DS2 are both now working in jobs they have dreamed of since they were small. Just got to work out what DS3 wants to do now!

My son has changed his mind so much about what he wants to do...but that's ok because he is a child! However, if he shows an interest in something, I seek out hobbies/activities/experiences to allow him to try them out

When my girls were young, I used to tell them a bedtime story about a little girl who wanted to be an astronaut/mechanic/nurse/gardener or whatever I thought of that night. I'd describe how they studied hard at school, how they worked jobs to get where they wanted to be. I tried to make it quite realistic with times when they had to do awful jobs and maybe things didn't go as planned etc. They're older now and they know what they're interested in but still not sure what they're aiming for.

With younger children, they're going to give an answer based on what they watched most recently, or was in a book read to them.
Even teens are going to change their mind several times. Personally I didn't decide what I wanted to do until my own children had started school. Then I went and did a degree. Much more interesting with a bit of life experience under your belt.

Today my daughter took my 12 year old son to the local college where she attended for their open day. He could see all the different college courses available, and speak to the students and lecturers. It helped to encourage him to think about what direction he might want to take when the time comes.