By Alexandra Davidson-Palmer, Katie Hewitt, and Katie Wagoner
These days technology is front and center in all facets of life. We have added links to some of our favorite resources, but we encourage you to talk to your kids about technology. What do they use it for? Is it a sports game, an arts based app, photography? Do they have a knack for writing? Try and pick up on what those skills are and support them! We are not telling you to glue the tablet to your child’s hand, but let’s be realistic—kids are going to use it, right? Might as well make it educational as much as we can. Ask your child what they are doing, engage with them, and show curiosity!
Useful online resources:
Paws in Jobland is a great website for your child to explore different interests and careers. There are tons of careers to explore and ignite curiosity in the mind of your child!
Learn English Kids has songs, games, flashcards and worksheets that introduce different types of jobs and what they do. Many kids also comment on the discussion boards what they would like to be when they grow up.
Higglytown Heroes is a show that introduces children to a variety of occupations by having the problems the main character’s face in the episodes be fixable by “Higglytown Heroes”. The heroes are adults with different jobs in their community. Many of these episodes can be watched for free on YouTube; there are 200 episodes on this playlist.
Books to read with your children:
What Shoes Will You Wear? by Julia Cook
Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook
When I Grow Up by Al Yankovic
Whose Hat is This?: A Look at Hats Workers Wear – Hard, Tall, and Shiny by Sharon Katz Cooper
Career Day by Anne Rockwell
Whose Tools Are These?: A Look at Tools Workers Use – Big, Sharp, and Smooth by Sharon Katz Cooper
Careers: The Graphic Guide to Finding The Perfect Job For You by DK
The Berenstain Bears: Jobs Around Town by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Whose Hands Are These?: A Community Helper Guessing Book by Miranda Paul
Someday by Eileen Spinelli
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy
The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss by Kathleen Krull
She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton
All of the Above by Shelley Pearsall
Alexandra Davidson-Palmer, Katie Hewitt, and Katie Wagoner are students in the Master’s in School Counseling Program in the UNCG Department of Counseling and Educational Development.