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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When my DH and I were children, his job didn't exist, I expect this will be the same for our children. All we can do is nurture and let them gain experiences throughout their lives.

my daughter decided herself watching doctors care and look after my father when he had cancer she wants to be a doctor to make people better because the doctors were unable to with her grandfather

I wanted to be a cheerleader when I was little despite showing no apititude for this whatsoever. Needless to say I am not a cheerleader and have a science degree. I suppose the important thing to me is quash any "only girls can.../only boys can..." types of conversations and support them to have the confidence to do whatever they want to do

Imaginative play and what if conversations when they are small. Breaking down sexist stereotypes st any opportunity. Encouraging them to look about them as widely as possible.

Well we have a budding WWE wrestler in our house and a Olympic gymnast..... if that’s their dreams now I’ll go with that. There’s to much pressure on children already and it’s a big scary world, let them be children

My daughter's coming towards the end of Primary school and we might discuss her likes/dislikes and occasionally what she might like to do when she's older, especially as I didn't really have any focus or enthusiasm from my school or family at her age. But I certainly wouldn't have discussed this earlier or bought any toy type items to help her decide from a younger age. Unless you have a burning ambition, even from a young age, so many things will affect your child's final job/career path from educational qualifications/friends/opportunities/circumstance/etc. It's their decision, there's many years yet for them to think this through, I'm just hear to support and offer any advice. I say be a child, worry about all that when the time comes.

I do not buy my children toys with a particular focus on any particular role but we have discussed jobs and I just encourage them to work hard at school and then they will have more choice of career when they are older. DS has always said he wants to be a policeman and DD currently wants to be a school teacher/rock star/ballet dancing gymnast.

For the last three years my 7yo has had his heart set on being a Red Arrows pilot. He's met them, has signed posters on his wall, has a flight suit and cap and even knows which number "Red" he wants to be!
We go to an air show each year and he's chatted with pilots about which subjects they were best at at school.
Even if he changes his mind ten times before he gets a career, I think it's important to take his ambition (obsession 😁) seriously so he learns that we're there to support him and his goals, and that he can be anything he wants to be.

DD wants to be a princess. DS wants to be a dinosaur, he regularly trials his chomping techniques on the princess.......... Princesses are tougher than they look.

Through play

Exposing them to a variety of interests and hobbies, and letting them enjoy exploring their likes and dislikes. I have 2 daughters so we have the good night stores for rebel girls books, then explore who we have just read about on the internet/you tube, so they are seeing lots of strong female role models. I also look at the mighty girl website for inspiration.

Asking them directly, discussing the type of role they’ve said and discussing the tasks involved

I tend to just bring the topic up every now and again, ie when visiting the vet with our dog, I might just mention that being a vet must be a hard job but also a rewarding job and listen to their response. I'd do the same when visiting a farm, doctor, hospital or even watching tv etc. Then my children would see that there are lots of jobs to choose from with many advantages and disadvantages.

We concentrated more about what they wanted in life rather than looking at possible job types.

I gently encourage them to work hard but as long as they are happy, we have lots of discussion about careers and what is needed to do this. My eldest takes her options this year so an important time!

DS2 wants to be Darth Vader...he has the outfit already, and I suppose being mother of the supreme ruler of the universe may have some perks!

DS1 wants to be a footballer, and a maths teacher, and go to work in space on a weekend, so I guess he’s going to be rather busy!

Giving them the opportunity to experience a wide range of activities and life skills to enable them to make informed choices in the future.

I think it is about helping them think about what they are good at and expanding their self awareness. I also think trying to open their minds to what is out there - many more jobs than police, nurse, teacher. But not too much too soon.

I don't - they can be anything they want to if they do their best - leaving options open is the best thing!

I encourage them to think about jobs that involve subjects they really enjoy

I talk to them as much as I can about all of the different jobs that people do as well as encouraging them in their dreams. If they tell me they want to be a rock star, then I tell them as long as they try really hard, work really hard and enjoy it, that will be fine :-)

My child is obsessed with football so already knows he wants to be a footballer when he grows up. I encourage him to dream big :-)

We talk about our own jobs and friend's jobs. I think they're like most early teenagers and want to be a football player or a pop star etc, so we talk about plan B.
My children have also done lots of activities outside of school such as swimming, dance lessons and cookery classes to get an idea of things they perhaps wouldn't have thought about as a career.

My kids change their mind about what they want to be when they grow up like the wind. I think this is great. We chat about their latest idea but its not something i go out of the way to ask. It depends on what topic they are studying at school, what they've seen on TV or where we've been recently. Some passions last longer than others. The most important thing is that they are interested in things not what they will finally be. Most people will have 7+ jobs in their career anyway so nothing is set in stone

Let your kids play, create, explore and experience a range of activities. Include them in your ‘jobs’ around the house and garden. My daughter was forever playing schools with her toys when she was little and wanted to be a teacher for a while. She later thought she might want to be a psychologist and chose her GCSE options accordingly. She’s now interested in pursuing a career in cyber security and is applying for a Maths and computer science degree. I had never even heard of ‘cyber security’ when she was little!! There are so many interesting careers out there that I am unaware of - I feel the best thing I can do for my daughter is just encourage her in whatever interests her.