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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Basically through reading books together, and discussing what the jobs involve, but they change their minds all the time......

still too young at the moment, but always talking about different places of work and different jobs, will explore this more when older.

ask them

All I have done with mine is to answer any questions they might have and found information if they have shown an interest in a specific area. We have always done experiments from a young age which they see as fun not learning

My daughter used to want to be a fairy princess who flies round on a unicorn.

Now she is a little older, she wants to be either a rock star or a fashion designer, or a childrens author.

To be honest, I don't care. She is a child, why on earth would I be pushing her towards being a rocket scientist at this age. I am not a pushy parent. I bought toys at a younger age for them to play with, not to make them want to be a brain surgeon.

My daughter still wants to be a princess when she grows up.....but DH and I talk to her about what we do and she's visited both of our workplaces so I hope as she grows older, we've sown the seeds to think about the different ways people earn a living.

I don't! Most of the best people never know what they want to do in life and that doesn't stop them achieving great things. The focus is on giving children a life full of stimulation, diversity, and opportunity and encouraging their talents and passions. With any luck they will find what they love and will never have to feel they are off to work!

I don't. It is far too early to think about things like that. Let them be children and dream of being an astronaut or a unicorn groomer.

It tends to be when we are watching or discussing something and our child expresses an interest. We do though push our mantra to choose something they love rather than something they think they should do.

my daughter actually knew what she wanted to do age 5 after seeing a documentary on tv, shes now 16 still wants to do astronomy at uni, i just encourage her

I wait for them to ask me questions about jobs and encourage them to do their best and they will therefore have options about future jobs.

Television and toys play a huge part in influencing children in careers and opening conversations about what they would like to do when they grow up. Schools also encourage building on children's strengths, and have visits from different personnel from all walks of life. My dd had visits from the police, fire service, paramedics, & vet. when she attended nursery.

I encourage them to believe that they are capable of doing whatever job they would like to as an adult with hard work an emphasise the importance of working in something you enjoy not just for the money.

I don’t think asking a child about career choices is ridiculous it’s rare you end up taking the career path you expect to do when your a child when your an adult but purely because I don’t want to encourage them either way as I believe a child should make up their own mind when the time is right when there mature enough to understand

Both my children are very STEM oriented at the moment. We are a geeky house and proud of it. I’ve always encouraged DC to pursue their interests whether that’s glittery dressing up or mud baths and puddle hopping. We talk about the science of stuff a lot and they see science in action in every day life, baking, construction even cleaning.. I think it’s really important not to limit toys to girls and boys stuff and the increase of gendered toys depresses me as a child of the 70’s. I think allowing them to explore is the key and gentle education as they go along..

I never had any idea what to answer when asked what I wanted to be. I still don't.
I think it's useful to children to realise that everyone who has any sort of occupation was once a child like themselves - that as they get older they will start to know what interests them and what they might want to do as work.

By telling them how bad the jobs are that we do and choose anything as alternative ha ha!

To be honest, this is something that my children have been thinking about for some time, with no prompting from either parent.
They are certainly more concerned about their possible future careers than I ever was.

I ask my 5 year old daughter and it can be anything from a bus driver to a police woman. I think she just picks what shes most recently seen. I have talked to her about all different types of jobs but she is insisting she is being a bus driver lol

I got my daughter this book so she could see that she can be anything she wants to be if she works hard enough

by doing dressing up activities

I talked to them from a very young age about having a focus, but also about not committing to that until their teens, My son decided on I T at the age of 7 and never faltered ( hes now 29 ). Mt daughter jumped around until the age of 17, no pressure

Get them thinking about things they like and don't like doing and nurture the activities they are good at

My children don't need prompting they just naturally chitter chatter and it changes every week! My son for quite a while wanted to be a bin man, now he wants to be famous on television. Maybe he will combine and create a reality tv programme about bin men? Who knows, I never put any suggestion down and always entertain anything they say. Children need that imaginary scope.

I think reading to them, and also then talking about what you want to do when you are a grown up is key. Reading seems to spur the imagination and it may give them some ideas :)