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.
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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.
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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.
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5. Career Snapshot
This is the best cross-curricular activity for career exploration. This activity allows for writing and reading. Students can research the biggest career, best career, or anything they are interested in learning more about. They can find facts and complete each section.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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12. Career QR Code Activity
This is definitely a writing project! It gets students thinking, but also include research. The career template is an outline that can be used to create their own version of a person in that career. The QR code can link to a writing assignment or digital presentation created by the student. This is the perfect close to an elementary career unit.
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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.
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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!
Learn more: Planbook
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.
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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.
Learn more: Counselor Keri
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