4 easy alternatives that will help children learn much more than they ever would during a day at the office.
On the 20th anniversary of Take Our Daughters or Sons to Work Day, I think it's time for a reality check of how to best prepare children for a career of the future.
Let's be honest. More than half of the jobs people find themselves doing today won't even exist by the time their children enter the workforce.
Take social media managers, urban farmers or mobile app developers. None of these positions would have been on the day's agenda for parents dragging their children to work 10 or 15 years ago. Now positions such as these are some of the most sought-after and well-paid jobs on the market.
So, instead of having kids tag along for a day spent among meeting rooms and cubicles – if you're one of the few who still even works from a traditional office – choose to teach and inspire them instead.
No matter what the industries of the future may hold, one thing is for certain: It will most likely be Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) related. These are the skills driving innovation across the country and helping students secure jobs from a programming position with a tech startup to an engineering team at a Fortune 100 company redesigning everyday products.
Here are four easy alternatives that will help children learn much more than they ever would during a day at the office.
Visit a science or technology museum.
Museums such as Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry and Washington, D.C.'s Smithsonians often bring in thousands of children each year for field trips. But instead spend a day walking one-on-one with a child to let them explore all the projects.
Teach kids a coding language.
Sign them up for a science or technology summer program.
There are plenty of summer programs to choose from that can be tailored to fit the interests of any child. Programs are run through theme parks, such as LiveWire, a camp that combines rollercoaster physics, design and entertainment at Walt Disney World in Florida, through universities, such as the robotics camp at Missouri University of Science and Technology, or through city programs.
Take them to a hackerspace.
With more than 1,000 hackerspaces located in cities across the country, manufacturing tools and collaborative production spaces are more accessible then ever. Stop by the next local meeting to hear what members are up to and show kids that they can build anything they can imagine.
Caitlyn Finnegan is a Spring 2013 USA TODAY Collegiate Correspondent. Learn more about her here.