Every year more than 37 million Americans participate in Take Your Kids to Work Day. This springtime event brings a breath of fresh air and youth into many offices, but can quickly become a boring drag for little tikes with wandering attention spans.
I remember very vividly, an eight-year-old version of myself staring at the back of my dad’s head as he carefully analyzed an excel spreadsheet for hours. Booooring. But with the right tools, activities and resources you can help inspire your employee’s kiddos by letting them watch their heroes in action! Here are some tips to get you started:
Cater to All Ages
If your event planning committee is working to host activities for all participants, try and think of ideas that will engage all age groups. For those younger than ten, consider creating a scavenger hunt that will familiarize them with the different departments and operations of your company. For the feisty middle schoolers, allow them to sign up and shadow the job function in which they're most interested.
Encourage Teamwork
Let the kids get a taste of what makes your workplace so special – collaboration and teamwork! Assign each child to a group where they will work together to solve puzzles, riddles or even brainstorm a new product idea. These kinds of activities will help keep the day structured, but will also inspire your employee’s children to work together with their peers to achieve a goal.
Let them Watch
For a brief segment of the day, allow the kids to watch their parents in action! This is a great opportunity to see them in their element outside of “mom and dad mode.” If possible, allow them to get hands-on experience by handling your products or something as simple as learning to use the copier. Make time for your senior management team or even the CEO if he’s available, to answer questions from the kids.
If all goes well during your Take Your Kids to Work Day event, your employees’ kids will leave with a greater amount of respect for what their parents do and maybe even an extra role model or two! (Sorry for that Dr. Seuss rhyming moment.)
Does your organization host an amazing event for employee’s children? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Abby moved to the great state of Michigan and joined the Baudville team as the Digital Marketing Coordinator in 2016. An admitted social media fanatic and grammar-lover, she's excited to play to her strengths by contributing to Baudville's blog, social media channels and e-marketing efforts.