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20 Fun Career Activities for Elementary Students

October 7, 2022 //  by  Brittney Hallmark

It is never too early to start thinking about career choices, but since we are working with elementary students, let's keep it fun! Let students explore career aspirations and career basics to help students know the broad scope of different careers that exist in the world. Check out these 20 fun career exploration lessons, ideas about careers, and career games for elementary students.

1. Career Day 

If celebrating career day at school, you could have students interview people in different career clusters. Students can talk to people and check out some career articles to help career exploration. Students may need exposure to career biographies if guests aren't available in the career field they are interested in learning more about.

Learn more: Beach Sand and Lesson Plans

2. Career Taboo

This is a fun game to play that will also aid in career exploration for young learners. This is a great introduction or closing activity for a career education unit. Students pick a card and describe the career without using select words. This challenging game is also great for vocabulary building.

Learn more: Ms. Sepp's Counselor Corner

3. Firefighter Craft

A fun craft, this firefighter printable is great for younger students. This is a great addition to career lesson plans or a unit about community workers. This could be part of a lesson or unit that talks about career options.

Learn more: Learn, Create, Love

4. Which Hat Fits You?

This board is a great one to create and display when students begin their career development unit. You can tailor it more towards specific careers. This information may help students veer more toward one career direction after learning about salary, educational requirements, and duties.

Learn more: Lake Washington School District

5. Career Snapshot

Learn more: The Creative Counselor

6. My Future is So Bright 

Career interviews and guest speakers may be a great introduction to your career development and exploration unit. This adorable craft would also be a great addition to this unit! Have students state what they want to be, take their photos, and create this cute, little poster to hang in your room!

Learn more: Fresh-Picked Whimsy

7. Career Exploration 

Interest surveys may help with matching character traits to careers. This career exploration unit resource is great to use in an interactive notebook. It is a great way to document in writing about career exploration for students. This is an activity that may help students express ideas and explore a career direction or two

Learn more: Pinterest

8. Goal Setting with Mentor Texts

Career biographies, nonfiction books, and children's picture books are great resources to use in any unit, but especially in one about career exploration. Choose books that explore everything from agricultural careers to media to healthcare and everything in between. Help students set realistic goals relating to career exploration.

Learn more: The School Counselor Kind

9. Whose Vehicle is This? Drawing Activity

This activity is also a sort of game. Show students a photo or picture of a vehicle and have them draw someone in a career that matches the vehicle. A creative way to allow career exploration, add some nonfiction books that match these careers so students can read more about them.

10. Guest Speakers

Sometimes the best way to get your students to learn about the outside world is by bringing it inside the classroom. Inviting guest speakers to share details of their careers is a great way to encourage career exploration.

Learn more: Planbook

11. Career Scavenger Hunt

Students will enjoy creating a list or ABC book about career exploration. Career ABCs is fun because it can cover a variety of careers and information about them. This is a fun research project that will raise awareness about career options.

Learn more: School Counselor Blog

12. Career QR Code Activity

Learn more: Classroom Tested Resources

13. How Santa Got His Job

This cute picture book is a great tie to a unit about career exploration. You can use it for sequencing for grades pre-k through first. This is a good one to use when discussing job qualifications and the application process of finding a job.

Learn more: Pitner's Potpourri

14. Career Day Writing Activity 

A great read and write activity, this is another great addition to a career readiness unit. Complete with a tiny flipbook at the bottom, this craft is fun and educational. These career exploration printables would also make a nice bulletin board display.

Learn more: We Better Together

15. When I Grow Up 

This one is more for younger students. Pair this drawing and writing activity with some good children's books that explore different careers. If you are looking for a simple career path activity, this one is super easy to print and prepare.

Learn more: Kindergarten Nana

16. Job Shadowing

Job shadowing may be more ideal for older students, but it is a great way to explore career types. Students can explore the uniform, procedures, and duties of different careers. This is a fun way to explore career planning!

17. Build A Tool Center Idea

When studying future career options, students will need to know more about the tools that needed in various careers. These printable cards give students the opportunity to create the tools, using play doh. This is a way to explore exciting careers so students can see more in depth about what occurs within that field.

Learn more: Counselor Keri

18. What Tools Do They Use Matching Game

This is a great game to use for helping to create occupation awareness within children. Easy to print and laminate, students will only need a clothespin or binder clip. This clip game is an easy way to help children learn about the tools people need in various occupational roles.

19. The Magician's Hat Activity 

This book is about helping students choose a career path based on their preferences and interests. You can pair it with an interest survey for students. This career story is also one you can pair with a printable or an online career game as well.

Learn more: Lessons by the Lake

20. Workplace and Career Matching Game 

This fun little matching game is great for creating career awareness. Students will take turns matching the career with the place where they work. This will help students become familiar with different aspects of different careers.

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Career Research Project | School Counseling Career Exploration

Do your students love being researchers? Let them dig into careers and discover their interests! This project if for upper elementary and is perfect for about two 30-minute lessons!

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Students dig into research using technology to discover their career interests.

It involves research, stations , and technology. Your students will love the hands-on activity and culminating presentation! This project has a timeline of at least TWO 30-minute counseling lessons.

What’s Included…

• Detailed instructions
• Industrial & Engineering Technology
• Art & communication
• Business Management & Technology
• Natural Resources & Agriculture
• Health Services
• Human Services
• Student Research Worksheets
• Directions for Project (Split into TWO Career Lessons)
• Directions for Student Presentations (in-person & online)

Check out more great resources…

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Tools and resources for career exploration with elementary students

With the right supports, career exploration can begin at any age. From videos to workbooks to journalling exercises, these resources can help school counsellors, educators, parents and other caring adults engage elementary school students in career exploration.

Activities, books, programs and tools

All about me – myblueprint.

All About Me grants children from kindergarten to Grade 6 access to a variety of tools that introduce them to the world of work. Journals, media and reflections allow students to showcase their learning on their terms with built-in drawing tools, video/audio recordings, emotions, and a whole lot more.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada – Learning & Career Development

These programs give young people opportunities to strengthen and acquire new skills, test their abilities and enhance career readiness. Programs for children include Discovery Lab, a program that connects science to real-world contexts, and Kid Tech Nation, which teaches children digital skills, coding concepts, internet safety and computational thinking.

Career and College Readiness Counseling in P-12 Schools

This text is written to help school counselors conceptualize the career and college readiness needs of diverse P-12 students and design culturally relevant interventions. The focus is on helping readers to translate theoretical knowledge into practice.

Career curriculums by province and territories (CareerWise)

Career education across Canada varies based on provinces and territories. While curriculums differ in structure, they are all designed to help youth find success. Here is a breakdown of curriculum information for elementary and high school cohorts.

Career Development Elementary: Curriculum Guide (2017) (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador)

This 100+ page document offers a detailed at building an elementary school curriculum for career development, including activities and assessment tools. It also outlines curriculum outcomes.

Career Exploration in the Middle Grades: A Playbook for Educators (Association for Middle Level Education)

This Playbook – which has a PDF available for free download – aims to provide educators with a roadmap for creating effective career exploration programming. It includes implementation guides, case studies and program sustainability resources.

Career Education Resources (CareerEd)

Resources include a Career Education Guide: (Kindergarten to Grade 7) , Career Education Guide CLE and CLC and Career Education Guide 8-9 .

Careers Are Everywhere! Activity Workbook (Texas Workforce Commission)

This workbook introduces students to the concept of self-knowledge, helping them to explore how their interests and skills connect to a variety of career clusters. It appears to be geared toward elementary students.

CareerGirls

CareerGirls.org is a free, video-based career-exploration tool for girls. It has a collection of 10,000 career guidance videos focusing on diverse and accomplished women, including many who work in STEM fields. The website also offers a career quiz and a space to explore career clusters.

This website features numerous collections of paid resources that educators, guidance counsellors and parents can use with students and youth to help them learn about career development. For instance, the “ Career Exploration ” collection includes books, DVDs and a game to guide children through career exploration.

Career Work in Action: Discussions and Activities for Professionals – Youth (CERIC)

This resource aims to help professionals who deliver career supports apply CERIC’s Guiding Principles of Career Development in meaningful ways with youth. Part of a series of six resources – each focused on different demographics – the youth edition offers starter questions, practical interventions and fun exercises to apply.

CAREERinsite: A Guide for Career Counsellors and Educators (Alis)

CAREERinsite is a comprehensive career planning resource. It is intended to help students and clients of almost all ages and backgrounds. While some sections might be better suited to students in high school or above, educators in K-12 might find it to be a useful resource to support career education.

K-12 Career Exploration Lessons (Mississippi Department of Education)

A series of lesson plans for each grade from K-12 to help schools establish a career education program.

LEAP Into Careers! (4-H)

An activity book for facilitators to help students in Grades 3-5 understand careers. It is based on the four-part LEAP curriculum: 1. Youth discover and work with 12 foundational skills; 2. Youth learn about entrepreneurship; 3. Youth delve into the career fields; and 4. Youth design their own Learning Experiences Action Plan (LEAP).

The Early Years: Career Development for Young Children – A Guide for Educators and A Guide for Parents/Guardians (CERIC)

Based on CERIC-funded research conducted by Memorial University’s Dr. Mildred Cahill and Dr. Edith Furey, these guides explore the influence that educators and parents/guardians have on the career development process of children ages 3 to 8. The guides provide practical tips, activities and examples to help children develop a healthy sense of self in the early years and enable them to reach their full potential.

Xello is a digital platform that helps students discover the pathway that’s right for them using an investigative, discovery-based learning process. Students can identify their interests, skills, favourite career clusters, personality style and much more. They can save careers, schools, programs and experiences to form a visual roadmap that’s easy to update and share.

8 interactive activities for career learning with kids and youth (CareerWise)

Career and educational professionals can use apps, virtual and in-class games to introduce younger kids and high school students with career exploration. Here are eight interactive activities that offer an engaging and meaningful experience.

Professional development

Guidance and career education part 1 (university of toronto).

Guidance and Career Education Part 1 is a foundational course, designed for both the classroom teacher and for the educator who is interested in pursuing a Guidance role in their school board. It is available as an online course.

Micro-credential Series for Career Educators (Life Strategies)

In fall 2023, Life Strategies will also be offering a series of courses that aim to equip educators with knowledge and skills to support students in their career development process:

• Fundamentals of Career Development
• Career Development and Mental Health Connections
• Teaching Career Curricula in Canadian Schools

Careering magazine

• Applying universal design as a pathway to inclusive career education – by Tricia Berry
• Career development will help equip children to take on climate change – by Stefania Maggi
• Community connections foster k–12 career exploration – by Heather McIntyre and Sean Jones
• Current approaches to career education risk impeding students’ exploration – by Josslyn Gabriel
• K-12 career readiness needs to go beyond the vision of school leaders – by Maria Vitoratos
• Making career development ‘stick’ in K-12 – by Adriano Magnifico
• Principles in Action: Elementary career education equips students to navigate complex world of work – by Ed Hidalgo
• We need to start early: Fostering a career mindset in young people – by Lucy Sattler
• ‘ When I grow up’: How an outdated career question cultivates unhelpful mindsets – by Fanie Zis
• Bringing teachers into the career conversation – by Lucy Sattler
• Career education needs to start earlier than you think – by Jena Tarabad
• Career options and aspirations: A K-12 education approach – by Allisson Badger
• Connecting educators to industry to improve youth career literacy – by Megan Piercey Monafu
• Ed Hidalgo: ‘Every child should know there’s a place in the world for them’ – by Ed Hidalgo
• How to get girls interested in entrepreneurship – by Katharine Cornfield
• Relationships the key to creating a school career development model – by Ed Hidalgo
• Resources to support career literacy conversations – by Lindsay Purchase
• 5 podcasts to help kids start learning about careers – by Lindsay Purchase
• 5 resources to help parents support their children’s career development – by Lindsay Purchase
• 5 ways to talk with young children about work and careers – by Kimberly A.S. Howard and Stephanie M. Dinius

Additional reading

• ‘Academic Career Plans’ Have Students Exploring Careers as Early as Kindergarten (The74)
• A Process for Guiding Middle School Students Through Career Exploration (NCDA)
• Bringing All Students Inside the Circle: DEI and Career Development in K-12 Schools (NCDA)
• Bringing Careers into the Curriculum (CDAA)
• Career and life planning in schools (People for Education)
• Career education in Alberta : Career Education Task Force – Final report (Government of Alberta)
• Career Education in Primary School (CDAA)
• Can Minecraft really help you build a career? (BBC)
• Career ambitions ‘already limited by age of seven’ (BBC)
• Career exploration curriculum for elementary school-age kids (Michigan State University)
• Career Exploration for Elementary Students: Considering it for your Classroom? (Xello)
• Collaboration between Teachers and Career Specialists in Middle School (NCDA)
• Early in the Story: Career Curriculum in Elementary Schools (NCDA)
• How can we foster lifelong learning attitudes in students? (OECD)
• Starting early – the importance of career-related learning in primary school (Education and Employers)
• Supporting Early Career Development of Transgender and Gender Expansive Children in Elementary School (NCDA)
• The World Of Work – In Elementary School (Forbes)
• Why Career Exploration Matters for Middle School Students (NCDA)

Note that some of the following may require a log-in or request for access to download.

Career Development in Children: Identifying Critical Success Conditions and Strategies (CERIC)

This-CERIC funded research project is being undertaken by an international project team lead by Dr. Lorraine Godden (Ironwood Consulting and Carleton University). It aims to shed light on how foundational concepts and skills, introduced and developed by classroom teachers, intersect with career development and manifest into career-related learning in Canadian elementary schools. The project is in progress and has produced three reports to date:

• Supporting Career Development in Children: A Literature Review
• Supporting Career Development in Children: Curriculum and Policy Review
• Supporting Career Development in Children: A Review of Business and Industry Partnerships

CERIC literature searches

• Early intervention career development for children and adolescents : Topics explored include career exploration, family and parental influence, school/guidance counsellors, and race and gender.
• Parental involvement in career development : Topics explored include gender stereotyping, self-employed parents and adolescent personality development.
• Infusing career development into K-12 curriculum : Topics explored include career exploration and guidance for elementary students, parental involvement in student career planning, benefits of career counselling programs for students and K-12 career competency building and implications.

Social-emotional learning and career development in elementary settings (British Journal of Guidance and Counselling)

A holistic approach to youth development suggests that, given the interconnected nature of development in the domains of career development and social-emotional-learning (SEL), children and youth are better supported when education in both domains is provided in an integrated way. This paper integrates a model of SEL with models of childhood career development competencies and career-related reasoning.

What works? Career-related learning in primary schools (Education and Employers Research and The Careers & Enterprise Company)

This paper provides evidence of the benefits of career-related learning (CRL) for children in primary school, as well as on the effects of CRL on primary-aged children’s decisions, aspirations and attitudes. It maps key actions being taken by primary schools to support children’s transitions to secondary school and beyond.

Did we miss something? Leave a comment below or send us a note at [email protected] if you have information that can help make our article even better.

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Career Exploration For Your Elementary Students – What, Why, And How?

When you entered college, did you know what career you wanted to work toward, or did it take a while to find your passion? In a 2022 survey by Intelligent.com , 29% of respondents reported working in a different field from their field of study. Whether this is due to the changing job market or changing minds, career exploration is one way to help curb this problem. And why not start as early as possible?! Career exploration for elementary students is the perfect way to put them on the right path at the beginning of their academic careers. 

Career exploration is the process of discovering, evaluating, and learning about modern career paths and how students can pursue the careers of their choice. But it's more than that. Elementary school career exploration should spark curiosity, showcase career opportunities, and foster self-awareness. It should help students learn more about themselves, so they can make informed decisions about what kind of job would be fulfilling and aligned with their unique skills. 

Kai XR believes effective career exploration should begin early as a digital learning platform. We help students engage with potential careers and build relevant skills through immersive virtual field trips and makerspace classrooms . 

In this article, we'll discuss the following: 

• Why career exploration is important
• How to integrate career exploration into your elementary classroom

Let's start exploring! 

Why Career Exploration for Elementary Students is Important 

With the ever-changing job market, it is more important than ever to understand career paths and what they entail. The importance of this is especially true for elementary students because they have a lot to consider when it comes to their future careers.

Career exploration is an integral part of a child's education. It can help children by allowing them to discover their strengths and weaknesses, as well as what they enjoy doing outside of school time. Students who are taught how to explore their interests, skills, and values will be better prepared for future career decisions. In addition, when students have the opportunity to explore careers, they gain valuable information about themselves and what it takes to be successful in different fields of work.

It helps them to understand what they enjoy, what they are good at, and what they are not. Elementary school teaches children basic math, reading, and writing skills. Career exploration can contextualize these skills to make them feel more valuable. 

Introducing career exploration to children in elementary school offers several benefits for them, their families, and society. 

In elementary school, kids have begun identifying their areas of interest, talents, and dreams. This is the perfect time to discuss what a career is and how it relates to all of this. They can learn about the different aspects of a job and begin to choose which one they want to pursue. Each element can be broken down into smaller details so that kids can better understand what they want to do when they grow up (and possibly create a successful career).

There are many reasons why career exploration should begin in elementary school, but for this blog, we'll focus on two: 

• Self-concept starts in elementary school
• Career exploration builds a foundation for skills development 

Self-Concept Begins in Elementary School

While it may feel like teaching a third grader how to plan out their future career is premature, research shows that awareness and aspirations for a career path can start as early as 9-10 years of age. In addition, students can describe what they like and dislike as early as age 5, and they begin to understand and discuss stereotypes associated with certain jobs by the 5th grade. 

The National Career Development Association (NCDA) provides guidelines for elementary school students with three areas of focus:

• Self-knowledge
• Education and occupational exploration
• Career planning 

Self-concept, or self-knowledge, requires understanding one's own behaviors, abilities, and unique characteristics. If a young person doesn't have a developed concept of themselves, they can struggle in picking what direction they want their life to go. Essentially, it is going through the process of figuring out what you like and don't like, categorizing those likes and dislikes, and prioritizing them within your own scope to define yourself personally. In essence, asking themselves, "who am I?".

When students think about their future careers, they need to start by reflecting on the things they like and dislike doing. They must also consider what makes them happy or sad when doing certain tasks or activities.

Once students have established a strong sense of self, they can be more engaged in education and occupation exploration, career planning, and skills development. By understanding their options and the skills needed to succeed in those roles, they can focus their learning on developing those skills. 

It Builds a Foundation for Skills Development

For many students, elementary school is a time of exploration and discovery. It's also when you develop your interests, hobbies, and skills that will stay with you throughout your life.

Career development builds a foundation for skills development, which is the second piece of the puzzle. Students need to know what skills are required for specific jobs and how to acquire those skills. It is important to explore careers with students at this age level because they will be able to remember this information and use it as a reference throughout their lives.

When students are young, they tend to have very concrete ideas about what they want to do when they grow up. As they get older, their interests become more defined and specific. They also understand that school is not just about getting good grades. It also prepares them for the real world and helps them find their place in it.

Skills development is one of the essential parts of modern education. In the past, most schools have focused on teaching students how to read, write and calculate. However, as educators become more aware of the changing world around them, they realize that it's also important for students to learn about careers. This helps students understand what jobs exist and what skills they need to succeed at those jobs.

Three frameworks are incorporated into modern classrooms: 

• Social-emotional learning activities - Skills that foster emotional regulation, communication, and responsible decision-making
• 21st-century learning skills - Skills such as leadership, innovation, and collaboration that help students succeed in a 21st-century workplace
• CTE skills - Soft and technical skills that can be applied to specific jobs 

Let's look at an example to illustrate how they all work together. 

If a student wants to be an architect when they grow up, there are specific skills within these frameworks they will need to master. For example, they will need to use social and emotional skills to understand how to build relationships with engineers who can design the buildings and contractors who will build them. They will also need to consider how their project may impact the surrounding community positively or negatively. Again, this ties directly to social-emotional skills, which begin developing in preschool and kindergarten. 

When it comes to leveraging their 21st-century skills, an architect would need to learn how to collaborate with their engineers and contractors to produce the best possible structure. They may also need to leverage their innovation skills to solve complex problems in the design process. 

Finally, they will need to leverage their understanding of mathematics and physics to ensure the building plans will stand the test of time. 

And while it may seem far-fetched, all of these skills can be built during elementary school! 

Integrating Elementary Career Exploration

If you want your students to be prepared for the world beyond school, you need to give them opportunities to explore what they want in the future. Career exploration can be integrated into any class and is a great way for elementary students to learn about themselves and the world around them.

If elementary career exploration is a new concept to you, you may be wondering how to integrate it into your classroom best. We've simplified the process into four recommendations: 

• Create opportunities for exposure
• Model curiosity
• Talk about the process
• Use the power of play

Make sure that all students have access to the same information. You don't want to give one group of students more information than others. Instead, you should provide opportunities for all students to access the same resources so they can make informed decisions about their futures.

Educators should also give students multiple opportunities to explore careers and interests. Students will have different interests at different times during their lives, so it's important that they have multiple chances to explore different careers or educational paths before making decisions about what they want.

Create Opportunities for Exposure

Many of us have had teachers who encouraged us to think about our futures. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" was a question we often heard as children.

A child may be able to identify what they are interested in doing, but they need to know more about it. This is where educators can support career development by creating opportunities for exposure.

Teachers can provide opportunities for exposure in a variety of ways, including: 

• Field trips
• Community involvement
• Access to resources like books and articles
• Role-playing or job simulations
• Hands-on lessons 

Let's dig into the details of these techniques! 

While career exploration can take many forms, one of the most effective ways is through field trips. Students visit companies and organizations that offer different types of jobs, from accounting firms to hospitals, from retail stores to restaurants. This allows them to understand better what each job entails and whether or not it is something they would like to pursue as an adult.

One of the challenges of relying on school field trips as a form of career exploration is that many schools face limited budgets, and planning takes a lot of time and coordination for the teacher. However, with virtual field trips , you can get the best of both worlds! You gain access to job roles from across the globe, and lessons become more engaging with better outcomes. 

A few of the most significant benefits of virtual field trips for career exploration are: 

• Virtual field trips make a more engaging learning experience to help students understand concepts more thoroughly.
• Virtual field trips are more accessible and can give students access to experiences they would otherwise not be able to have.
• Virtual reality provides opportunities for students to build digital literacy skills. 

Kai XR partners with programs and schools to provide over 100 engaging, fully immersive VR field trips that help students explore the world, discover new careers, and hear from professionals.

Teachers can also expose students to different possibilities by getting their students involved with community organizations and introducing them to professionals in their field of interest. For example, if students want to be artists, they can visit an art museum or take drawing lessons at a local art center. If a student wants to be a chef, they can learn how to cook from someone who already has experience in the kitchen or volunteer at a local soup kitchen. 

Students should also have access to books, articles, and other resources to help them understand what jobs are available in different careers. For example, suppose a student knows that they want to be an engineer but doesn't know what engineers do daily. In that case, they should be able to go online and read about careers in engineering or talk to someone who works as an engineer.

Role play is another great way to immerse students in potential career paths in a group activity. Each student may take on the role of different occupations and interact as a professional. For example, maybe a student wants to open a bakery. They would role-play as a bakery owner, and another student may role-play as a demanding customer. The bakery owner must use communication and self-management skills to maintain a positive customer service experience. 

Finally, children learn best through doing rather than simply reading or listening. Therefore, encourage students to participate in hands-on activities related to their interests as much as possible to develop fundamental skills in these areas and gather information about potential careers. For example, if students express interest in computer programming, they would benefit from using tools like an Arduino and RaspberryPi in a makerspace classroom . Here, they can develop the CTE skills they need to become a future robotics programmer or tech innovator. 

Model Curiosity

Career exploration should be unbiased and inspire students to explore what's possible. Educators can inspire this by modeling curiosity in the classroom. 

One way to engage students is by inspiring them to stay curious — not only about the world around them but also about the possibilities for their future careers. When educators ask questions about what students want to be when they grow up or what kind of work interests them most, it helps them begin thinking about these things themselves. Ask students to imagine their future. What would make them happy? How might they feel fulfilled in a career? Curiosity is the best pathway to lead students to explore a million possibilities that lay in front of them.

Curiosity creates a growth-oriented mindset because students are inspired to push further and pursue their dreams. It requires self-awareness and self-motivation. Without curiosity, we wouldn't be sending astronauts into outer space! 

Talk About the Process

Another essential element of elementary school career exploration is ensuring students understand the whole process of career exploration and preparedness. One study found that 98% of surveyed teachers agreed that introducing children to the world of work was important, as it helped children link school subjects with the world of work. 

While career exploration and preparedness aren't linear, below is a general overview of the lengthy process. First, students must understand the time and energy they'll spend over 12+ years preparing for the workplace. 

• Career awareness - Making students aware of different career options.
• Career research - It gives students the space to dig into different career paths to ensure they fit their lifestyle. 
• Career planning - Once students feel confident about the path they want, help them map out a plan to help them achieve it! This can include high school course selection, college selection, creating a resume or portfolio, and more.
• Building credentials - Achieving academically, taking internships and volunteer opportunities, and joining professional organizations are great ways to pad their resume. 
• Job Search - Students will need to prepare for their job search by thinking through desired salary, benefits, company size, etc., so they know what to look for on their quest. Then they'll compile their resume, cover letters, and other materials they need to submit applications. 
• Interviewing - Students must be prepared to communicate their skills and interests to interviewers. 
• Leveling Up - Career exploration doesn't stop when you get hired! Students should also be equipped with a passion for lifelong learning and motivation to continue progressing throughout their careers. 

While this may be overwhelming to elementary school students, it's also important to make them understand that their families, educators, and community members will be there to help them every step! 

Use the Power of Play 

When it comes to learning in elementary school, play is the best way! Using play in career exploration lessons keeps students more engaged and active participants in their education. 

Play is a powerful tool for learning because it involves imagination and creativity. When students play games or engage in other activities that don't have specific goals or outcomes, they can create solutions without the pressure of failure hanging over their heads.

Play also encourages students' natural curiosity about the world around them. It allows them to explore new things without fear of judgment from others. This makes it easier for them to take risks and try new things. Along the way, they may discover a career they wouldn't normally consider!

One way to incorporate technology and play into career exploration is with metaverse games . It's a perfect way to make learning feel like a game. At Kai XR, we believe that the future of education is interactive, engaging, and tech-forward learning. The metaverse is a powerful tool to achieve this. The fact that it helps students understand cutting-edge technology is just a bonus! 

Start Exploring Today

Starting career exploration early can create positive outcomes for students. Kai XR can help you integrate career exploration into your elementary school in a fun, modern, and engaging way.  

We pair 360° immersive experiences with critical thinking prompts to help them develop 21st-century learning skills that they'll use in various job roles. Through experiential learning, students develop the skills to ask better questions, make better decisions, and draw conclusions about the world around them – including the role they want to play! 

Schedule your demo to get started! 

Was this helpful? You may also be interested in the following: 

• VR Field Trips Help Build a Foundation of Social-Emotional Learning in Elementary School
• Makerspace Ideas for Middle School and Beyond
• What Does CTE Stand for In Education? (Plus Other FAQs)

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