Ways to Prepare Your Children for Our Ever-Growing Technological World

Technology is fast becoming an increasingly big factor in everyone’s lives, from young to old. From family video calls to online learning and beyond, staying on top of things can be quite difficult sometimes – particularly for younger children. As the job market edges closer to computer-based jobs, here are some fun and easy ways to help your children adapt to this brave new world. 

Carry Out Fun Experiments with Them 

One way in which you could prepare your child for this new, technological world is to do science experiments with them from an early age. For example, experimenting by layering liquids of different densities on top of one another (e.g. oil and water) can teach kids the fundamentals of density in physics, and can even give them a head start above their other peers in class. You can even take a day out and try the classic baking soda volcano experiment for some great educational fun – click here to find out how. Not only is this fun, but it allows your child to have a hands-on experience in contrast to the classroom experience – they might well find that they enjoy physics so much later on, that they want to go into the field. It’s all about nurturing scientific curiosity from an early age. 

Furthermore, you could get some old electronics from the garage or the loft and take them apart together with your child, step by step. You could try and find some instructional videos that explain the basic components of whatever you’re disassembling (e.g. a radio), and then do the hands-on version and take it apart with your child. Not only do they get to learn about how things around them work – again, increasing their curiosity – but who doesn’t love taking stuff apart from time to time? 

Remember to ask them questions all the time, and keep on encouraging to ask questions, too. Curiosity is key, and if you manage to foster this, then everything else will fall into place – never let them take anything for granted! 

Visit Tech Museums and Venues 

If you find yourself lacking the time to carry out experiments with them, then an equally-educational and entertaining experience would be to take your child to a museum or some sort of venue that provides a real-life application of science and technology. For example, Science City at the Union Station in Kansas City allows children to explore the wonderful world of science with more than 120 hands-on exhibits, from computers to chemical reactions and space travel – there is certainly something to see for every manner of young scientist.  

Further out in the country, national electronics conventions such as CES for aspiring young technicians are a great call if you want your young scientist to get knee-deep in the industry itself. However, do bear in mind that these events involve quite a long travel time, depending on where you live of course, and they should also be on the older side to be able to fully benefit from the event.  

Applying for a tour of places such as Google, Facebook, and even the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at NASA can also be a great way to teach your kid about science and its underpinnings – oftentimes this will actually be done by the professionals working there, giving your children an expert insight into their favorite domain. Of course, as before, encourage them to ask questions and try and learn as much as possible – perpetuate a love of learning itself, and you have set your child up for the future!  

Encourage Their Passion 

If you have an older child who’s really passionate about tech and science, help them explore future options. While it’s important that they carry on with their current classes, even if they do not enjoy them as much (such as having to do history, for example, or any other humanities), helping them to specialize early on and figure out what they want from their future careers and aspirations is an important stepping stone in their development as functioning members of society.  

Going to university, for example, is perhaps the single most important thing someone that wants to become a scientist or engineer can do. And if they are pressured for time, or have other commitments, then they can easily fulfill a full degree online. Even once they complete their undergraduate course, show them that they can continue to learn further by taking a master’s degree. For example, an MS in Engineering Advanced Mobility can help them keep up to date with the growing demands of the industry – click here to find out more. This can also lead them to getting a job at a leading tech company in the future. 

If you can, encourage them to seek work opportunities, too. Not only will this give them a taste of their career and help to make an informed choice about what they want to do for the rest of their lives, but it also readies them for the world of work and research. Placements and apprenticeships are a great way to get your foot in the door for any industry, but scientific domains and tech really benefit from this.  

Finally, remind them that as well as working, they should also be enjoying themselves! As the saying goes, if you love your job, you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Excessive stress and pressure can lead to burnout, which can cause a myriad of other issues later down the line. Always remember to teach them that even the best scientists and researchers had a bit of downtime – even Einstein! Teaching them to find a balance between work and relaxation, and how to spot if they are overworking themselves or having unrealistic standards, will help them lots later in life. 

Play Games 

In order to work hard, one must also play hard. Old or young, there are a variety of video games for your child to get invested in. Many puzzle video games have a techy appeal, and most of them call upon some serious problem-solving skills in order to get to the next level. A far cry from mindless action games, some puzzle games can not only put your problem-solving skills to the test (and your child’s), but they can also tap into their more creative side and prompt lateral thinking. This is a definite boon in the industry and can really help your kid stand out from the crowd and be the best they can be while coming up with innovative solutions to new problems.  

New technologies such as virtual reality can really help a child become truly immersed into different settings, e.g. a virtual laboratory or computer repair shop, helping them to get to grips with hands-on concepts while sparing your wallet from traveling costs. You could even find some cheap computer parts and assemble a computer together – a handy skill to have in general, and a good way to teach them about the workings of circuit boards and how everything is linked together inside a computer – a device which many of us take for granted. 

Share and Connect with Them 

Finally, it’s really important that your child finds likeminded peers to share and learn from. Reading by oneself is good, but having your ideas challenged and developed in good-faithed debates is even better. Going to talks and debates with other individuals who are also highly interested is a good way to promote argumentative and oratory skills, while also ensuring that your child learns more things that could help them in the future. Plus, finding a group of likeminded people could potentially result in friends – and research partners – for life. And, who knows, your kid might be the next big thing in the tech world! 

Nevertheless, you should also try and connect with your child, as a mentor, as a parent, and as a friend. Ask questions, be inquisitive, and ultimately be supportive of whatever it is that they choose to pursue. Whether it’s a STEM-based career, or something a bit more creative eventually, there is a place for all of us in the world and it’s important that, as a parent, you do all you can in order for them to grow up and develop into a well-adjusted member of society, whatever their calling might be. 

Overall, there are many ways to prepare your children for our STEM-focused world of tomorrow. Doing hands-on experiments with them at home can be a great idea to boost your child’s confidence in their own skills and engage with their natural sense of curiosity, and perhaps even bolster it further. Visiting science museums and conventions can also help them to get to grips with how the modern world of science actually functions past the experiments and the theories, allowing them to be one step ahead of their peers. Of course, encouraging their passion by guiding them towards education and career opportunities will also help – nevertheless, finding education in more entertaining media such as video games or virtual reality can also really help their interest, especially if they are on the younger side. And finally, and most importantly, you should help them to connect with other likeminded peers and, ultimately, accept them for who they are and what they really want from life!