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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I just encourage a general interest in the world. We talk lots, do lots of different activities, travel. They do know practically that there are jobs And careers, one day they will need to support themselves.

10yo dd would like to be inventor or MI5 so def looking at schools with strong STEM for her.

7yo dd wants to be anything that means she has her own limo, chef and a super modern mansion.

I think you can encourage your children to try new things and make learning fun. I try to make sure my DD plays with toys that are planned to stimulate logical thinking. I resist her attempts to buy every princess that was ever made. I know at the end of the day that I can’t dictate what she chooses but I’ll do my best to make sure she knows about options I was never aware of.

I want to keep all options open. I talk to them a lot about different jobs. We visit science fairs and art festivals. I don't want to put pressure on them - I just stress that it makes life easier and more enjoyable if you have a fulfilling career. To get one of those you generally have to work at it. I think they know that. Though there is always the temptation of imagining YouTube fame - which is really sickening. Now one is entering teens we will need to think more carefully - but I still believe it is possible to keep options open for a while - an also that there is a hefty dose of luck in the actual end. And who exactly knows what the careers of the future will be?

While very keen to encourage science for its own sake- because it enriches our understanding of the world- I think we owe it to our children not to propagate the idea that STEM spells an automatic meal ticket while humanities and social sciences will get you nowhere. If that were the case, there would be no biology graduates working in shops. Or history graduates running businesses or making their way in politics.

When children are little, they should be encouraged to take an interest in the world in general: science, literature, music, painting, sports, crafts, DIY, nature. Adults around them should show that they are interested in things, that learning is fun, that you can always get enjoyment out of finding out something new and adding to your skills. With that foundation, a child should be allowed to find their own path.

Like Devilishpyjamas, I have a child who is set on training as an actor. Like Devilish's ds, she is going into it with open eyes, has a very good idea about the industry, and is prepared to be thinking in terms of Plans B. When I compare her to some of the students who are doing well respected degrees at the institution where I teach, but who simply aren't putting any thought into their career, I'm not sure I feel that despondent. In fact, I feel pretty sure that she will get something out of her training, whatever that something will be.

As for the specific toys, those relatives of mine who did make a successful career in engineering etc were encouraged in early childhood not so much by specially designed toys as by being allowed to take part in adult activities. Helping with DIY from a young age, taking the hoover apart to see if they could fix it, being encouraged to cook and bake (very good preparation for chemistry), learning to knit and sew (both excellent for encouraging an interest in how things hang together), given a saw and hammer and allowed to do carpentering.

If we are looking for a reason for lack of interest in engineering among British youngsters I think this is more likely to be it: children are taught through toys rather than actually being allowed to actually do things.

In my nursery we ask what jobs people in their lives (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles etc) and what they want to do. We offer a massive range of activities for our preschoolers and we role play a lot. They enjoy playing doctors/dentists/vets. We have had a child say they want to be a 'man in a white jacket' because we showed them the reaction between bicarb and vinegar....

I'll ask DC ever now and again what they would like to be when they grow up. The answer seems to vary every time- we've had a gardener, a swimming teacher, an author, a vet...

We talk about the importance of having a job and of the different careers on offer though they are still very young so I don't think they quite understand it all yet!

We chat about it. At the moment dd(7) wants to be an opera singer and ds(2) wants to be a police car 🚔

I've always tried to explore different options, when we have been out and about at the zoo for example, we talk about how the people who work there look after the animals and the good/bad points of their job etc, or the nurses at the hospital... it gets them thinking about what it takes to work at these different places. my dd's are 9 & 12 now though so these conversations come more naturally and its interesting to hear their views on what the different jobs would be like.

fyi, dd1 hasn't a clue what she would like to do and dd2 would like to be a holiday rep in tenerife lol!

The only piece of advice I gave my son is enjoy what you do and be as broad with your choices as you can so that when they decide to go on to further education or their career choice they have as many options open to them as possible

The best way to engage children is through support telling and play. We encourage role play (which often involves being a doctor, soldier, daddy going to work in the office etc), we read books which will often involve different jobs from scientist to prime minister and we are also big fans of the storybots in our household, they have a bunch of songs about different professions which my kids love.

We talk to them about their interests and hobbies and what jobs those might feed into when they are older. I think it is a good start to think about what you enjoy doing and use that as your starting point.

My son loves running sooooo much he’s ran to school and back every day of his school life - he’s in year 1 now. I’ve been searching for athletics clubs but they usually start at age 7. Other than that when he wants to do anything that’s creative or educational I encourage him. And if he enjoys something I mention that he may want to do that when he grows up.

i don't think you should.at there age it shouldn't be anything bout what they want to do for a job.they wont then learn intuitively if we are sticking a focus meaning behind everything.it needs to come naturally.they should be doing anything and everything they enjoy.then there likes and personalities and strengths and weaknesss will come as they should.and so too will the love of certain things and passion which wil eventually lead to the job

I don't. I explain different jobs when we come across them but I don't push anything or ask what they want to do. My DD11 has been very clear since age 6 that she wants to be a teacher though.
My DM was very keen for me to be an air hostess (no idea why but she liked the thought of travel although she didn't travel herself), then she wanted me to work in a drawing office. Then she tried to encourage me to be a bilingual secretary (I think because she'd paid for me to have private French lessons).
I'm none of these occupations nor do I think they were right for me but I'm a pleaser so certainly tried to like the ideas. She meant well but I wouldn't try to alter my children's path. I'm a solicitor which was the first lawyer in our family. I doubt my children will follow me into law but it's up to them what they find they enjoy once their breadth of experience grows.

I don't encourage them to think about anything, although when asked my DD (4) says she wants to be a donkey.
DS2 (3) wants to be a daddy and DS1 (9) wants to be a mad scientist. Not just any okd scientist, a mad one.
This has all come about naturally for them. I don't push what i think they should be at all. Although if DS1 does become a mad scientist, perhaps he can fulfill his sisters dream of being a donkey?

My daughter takes a keen interest in what people do and why they do it. She has been pretending to be a doctor since she was 2 and we had to go to A&E (she bumped her head). I love thinking about the future myself, but right now, I think she is having fun and trying to understand her world, what is Important today, might not be tomorrow, but I know her life experiences good and bad is what is moulding her into who she will become in the future. I only only buys toys that she shows a big interest for, like a Doctor kit, her ballerina tutus, baking kit, etc. Who knows, she could becomes any career associated with these toys.

I guess a lot of pretend play. So we have a dressing up box plus at various times boxes from packaging get turned into whatever Dd wants. So rockets - she loves space and planets. Boats, washing machines and before she had a play kitchen a kitchen. Oh and she has a Jcb set with a hammer etc,.
Currently Dd has been asking about how a phone works, a TV and the microwave - she is 4 and a half so definitely keeping our brains going.

I like to talk to the DC about jobs in general just so that they realise the importance of work, and how everyone does something different. We talk about how they could do certain jobs and what they'd have to do to get that job.

My daughter wants to be a dinosaur.

Daughter is 14 and doesn’t know what she wants to when she’s an adult. I don’t think I did at that age either. Everyone is different, some kids know, some don’t. Mine has chosen a broad range of subjects to study for GCSE so hopefully she will get an idea of what’s she interested in soon. We do talk about it. I encourage her but don’t want to be too pushy.

We chat about this and they come up with some random ideas..... pop star, you tube blogger.... etc I try to steer them into vocational career paths if possible where you give something back but at the end of the day it is their choice. I just want them to be happy and do something they enjoy

My little boy is adamant he will be a mechanic! One of his first words was wheel, he is obsessed with cars, building things, he takes toys apart to see how they work, is transfixed with blaze and the monster machine and will talk about velocity for example and apply the meaning in talking and play, he loves maths and will call out figures to us randomly, it's like he was born for it. He is only 4 and got a scientist award at school for his interests in how things work, I actually believe him when he tells us that's going to be his job! We have never pushed him into those things it's all been led by him

No idea on the flip side for my eldest, I don't think she knows either, but that's ok too! She has many interests and there is plenty of time for exploring what's out there in the world

I don't. It's all imaginative play right now. DD wants to be a kitten fairy. DS wanted to be a pirate newsreader. Just accept all their plans, buy a range of fun toys (and I'll laugh about it when they're older and have actual jobs)

I talk about my prekids successful career so they know that women can have 'proper' jobs (most mums are SAHM round us), I also talk about how I'm happy to be home with the kids atm. I always challenge any that's a boys/girls jobs.One of my girls is into medical stuff and the number of people who tell her she could be a nurse when she grows up... I always add, 'or a doctor, or maybe a vet...'