Last Updated on June 25, 2026 by Status.net Editorial Team
Table of Contents
- When Is Bring Your Child to Work Day Part 1
- Planning the Day Part 2
- Incorporating Educational Elements Part 3
- Office Activities and Games Part 4
- Involving the Company Part 5
- Guidelines for Parents and Children Part 6
- Bring Your Child to Work Day Around the World Part 7
To make the most of Bring Your Child to Work Day, it’s helpful to have a clear agenda. You might want to include a mix of activities that are both informative and engaging for your child. For example, you could schedule a tour of your office, arrange for them to meet with colleagues, or involve them in simple tasks. Establishing a good balance between learning and play will keep your child interested and excited throughout the day.
For your child to get a real sense of the workplace, it’s important for them to understand the rules and expectations. Before arriving, discuss with them how they should behave in a professional setting. Dressing appropriately, using polite language, and following instructions are all key parts of making the day successful. Teaching your child these aspects can make Bring Your Child to Work Day not just a fun outing, but a valuable life lesson in workplace etiquette.
Bring Your Child to Work Day is an exciting opportunity for parents to give their kids a glimpse into the professional world. This special day is designated for children to explore the workplace, learn about different careers, and see what their parents do during the day.
It’s important to plan this day well to ensure both you and your child have a rewarding experience. With a little preparation, you can create a memorable day that is both fun and educational for your child.
Part 1When Is Bring Your Child to Work Day
Parents often want to pin down the exact date before requesting time off, arranging school absences, or asking a manager for approval. Understanding where this tradition came from helps explain why the date can shift depending on where you work.
How the Tradition Started
The Ms. Foundation for Women launched “Take Our Daughters to Work Day” in 1993 to give girls direct exposure to careers and workplace culture that they might not otherwise see.
In 2003, the program was expanded and renamed “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” so that boys could take part alongside their sisters and friends.
Since then, employers, schools, and media outlets have used a variety of names for essentially the same tradition, including Bring Your Child to Work Day, Take Your Child to Work Day, and Bring Your Kids to Work Day. If you see one of these terms used at your company, it almost certainly refers to the same underlying event.
Bring Your Child to Work Day 2025 and 2026 Dates
In the United States, the observance is traditionally held on the fourth Thursday of April.
- 2025: April 24, based on the traditional fourth-Thursday-of-April schedule.
- 2026: April 23, based on the same schedule.
This date is a longstanding tradition rather than a fixed rule, so it helps to confirm the exact plan with your employer. Bring Your Child to Work Day is not a federally recognized holiday, and participation is entirely up to each company. Some organizations hold their event on a Friday for easier scheduling, tie it to a school break, or pick a date that better suits their busiest and quietest periods. Checking with your manager or HR team before making arrangements can save you from planning around the wrong day.
Part 2Planning the Day
Setting Expectations
Before the big day arrives, have a chat with your child about what to expect.
You should discuss the kind of behavior that’s appropriate at your workplace and give them a sense of the schedule for the day.
It’s important to emphasize that they may need to be patient or sit quietly during certain times.
If your child has schoolwork they’ll miss, plan for how they’ll make up this work.
For younger children, talk to them about the age limit at your office and ensure they understand they’ll be in an adult environment.
Scheduling Activities
Creating a schedule that keeps your child intrigued is key.
Aim to balance observational activities, like sitting in on meetings, with interactive elements, such as simple projects or tasks they can assist with.
Consider age-appropriate activities: younger children might enjoy a craft related to your work, while older ones may appreciate a more hands-on experience tailored to their interests.
If possible, incorporate a group event or a tour to give them a broader picture of what happens in a typical workday.
Related: 10 Ideas for Arts and Crafts Station for Take Your Child to Work Day
Preparing Your Child
Preparing your child for this event means covering practical details, like what they should wear and what they’ll eat throughout the day.
Explain the importance of dressing neatly or adhering to a dress code if your workplace has one.
Pack snacks and a lunch, considering there may not be suitable options available on-site or enough time to leave for a meal.
And finally, remind your child that this is a unique opportunity to learn and that they should be ready to ask questions and engage with the new experiences the day will offer.
Part 3Incorporating Educational Elements
Interactive Tours
Taking your child on an interactive tour of the workplace allows them to see different jobs in action.
During the tour, you can show them how various teams contribute to the company.
For example, if your company is an engineering firm, you can demonstrate how a project progresses from conception to completion.
To make it engaging for the children:
- Start with a welcome kit including the company logo, a name tag, and worksheets related to the tour.
- At each station, have employees show a simple task they do, like drafting a design or coding a small piece of software.
- Encourage children to ask questions and participate in simple, safe activities.
Career-Focused Presentations
You can create presentations tailored to the children’s age group that foster a better understanding of different roles within the company.
This portion of the day could resemble a mini job fair where professionals speak about their careers, the skills required, and the pathways they followed.
Here are some tips to ensure the presentations are impactful:
- Use visuals like graphs and videos to illustrate what the job entails.
- Tie the career to common children’s interests. If you’re talking about a role in marketing, you could explain how storytelling in advertisements can persuade people to buy a product.
- Include a quick hands-on activity that encapsulates a key aspect of the job, such as a mini service project for a community manager role.
Part 4Office Activities and Games
Scavenger Hunts and Bingo
Organizing a Scavenger Hunt is a great way to get kids exploring the office.
You can create a list of items for them to find, which could include office supplies, toys, and picture books.
Make sure the items are age-appropriate and safe for kids to handle.
For instance, a scavenger hunt for younger children might involve finding different colored markers, while older kids might look for items that represent different departments of the company.
Bingo can be played in a similar exploratory spirit.
Prepare bingo cards with pictures or names of common office objects and have the children walk around to spot these items.
When they find an item, they can mark it off on their card.
It’s a fun way to introduce them to various aspects of the workplace while keeping the game simple and interactive.
Arts and Crafts
You can set up an Arts and Crafts station as a quieter but equally creative activity.
A cookie decorating station allows children to express their artistic talents and enjoy a tasty treat at the same time.
Supplies could include plain cookies, different colors of icing, and various toppings for decoration.
For something a little less edible but just as fun, consider a painting class.
Provide washable paints, brushes, and canvases.
Encourage the children to paint a picture of what they think their parent does at work or let them draw something related to the company, like the logo or a product.
This not only keeps the kids engaged but also allows you to hold a mini-exhibition of their artwork to celebrate their efforts.
Activity Ideas by Age Group
The right activity depends heavily on how old your child is and how long their attention span holds up in a new environment. A single itinerary rarely works for a six-year-old and a fifteen-year-old, so it helps to have a few options ready for different age brackets.
- Ages 4-6:
- Sensory bins or simple sorting tasks using office supplies like paper clips, sticky notes, or colored folders.
- Coloring sheets themed around the company logo, mascot, or product.
- Short shadowing periods of 10 to 15 minutes at your desk before switching to a break or snack.
- Ages 7-10:
- Scavenger hunts, bingo, and simple craft stations that get them moving around the office.
- Mini “job stations” where they try a small task borrowed from a few different roles.
- A short list of interview questions they can ask a coworker, with space to write down the answers.
- Ages 11-13:
- Job-shadow rotations through two or three departments over the course of the day.
- Small group projects, such as designing a mock product, poster, or slogan.
- Sitting in on part of a real meeting, followed by a short explanation of what happened and why.
- Ages 14 and older:
- Informational interviews with professionals in fields they’re curious about, even outside your own department.
- Resume basics or elevator-pitch practice with a mentor from your team.
- Contributing to a real, low-stakes task alongside a team, such as proofreading, data entry, or organizing files.
Before settling on activities, check your workplace’s minimum age policy. Some employers set a stricter age limit for safety reasons, particularly in environments with labs, machinery, or a factory floor, so an activity that works well in one office may not be appropriate in another.
Printable Worksheets and Activity Sheets
Printable materials give kids something tangible to work through during quieter stretches of the day, and they double as a keepsake to take home afterward.
Useful options include:
- A department “passport” sheet where a stamp or sticker is added each time they visit a new area of the office.
- An “interview your parent” question sheet with prompts like “What is your favorite part of your job?” or “What did you want to be when you were my age?”
- Coloring pages featuring the company logo, mascot, or a simplified version of a product.
- Bingo card templates that match the objects found around your specific workplace.
- A short career exploration worksheet where they jot down one new thing they learned about a role they hadn’t heard of before.
Many HR teams put together their own branded version of these sheets each year. If your company does not have one yet, a simple template can be built in under an hour and reused for future events.
Part 5Involving the Company
Meeting the Team
You should coordinate with your manager to set up a time for your child to meet with various team members.
This could be during a team meeting, where they can see how coworkers collaborate on projects, or it could be a more casual meet and greet.
For instance, if there’s a weekly round-table discussion, that’s a perfect opportunity for your child to learn about the importance of teamwork and communication.
If the CEO or other executives can spare a few minutes, it can be inspiring for your child to see leadership up close.
Experiencing Different Roles
Taking your child through different departments allows them to see the diversity of roles within your company.
Start with a simple explanation of each department’s function.
In research, for example, they can learn how ideas get tested before becoming products.
A quick watch of a sales pitch might give them insight into how your company meets client needs.
Or, if possible, let them sit in on a focus group to see how feedback shapes the business.
Each exposure offers a glimpse into the variety of skills and tasks that make a company function.
Part 6Guidelines for Parents and Children
Appropriate Attire
Firstly, you want to ensure your child’s dress is comfortable and suitable for the workplace environment.
If you work in a more formal office, consider outfitting your child similarly to how you would dress for a regular workday.
For instance, a nice shirt or blouse paired with slacks or a modest skirt can be appropriate.
On the other hand, if your workplace is casual, still avoid overly relaxed clothing like tank tops or flip-flops.
Teenagers especially might wish to express their style, so guide them towards smart-casual choices that won’t feel out of place among your colleagues.
- For formal settings:
- Collared shirts, blouses, slacks, or skirts.
- Closed-toed shoes.
- For casual settings:
- Polos, dress shirts without a tie, smart jeans.
- Sneakers (clean and in good condition).
Behavior Expectations
It’s important for your child to understand the goals of the day, which include learning about your work and respecting the work environment.
Encourage them to observe quietly and ask questions at appropriate times.
Explain that the workplace is a shared environment, so they need to be considerate of your colleagues’ space and work.
Children should be informed about:
- The need for quiet during meetings or focused work times.
- Respecting company property and not disturbing workstations.
- Appropriate times to ask questions or interact with others.
Teenagers can benefit from understanding the professional context of behavioral expectations, so discuss this in advance to prepare them for interactions they may observe or be part of.
Age Limits and Grade-Level Considerations
The original Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day program was designed with children roughly in grades 4 through 9 in mind, which typically covers ages 8 to 14. Many companies still use a similar range as a starting point, though the actual policy varies quite a bit from one employer to the next.
A few factors that shape the age limit at a given workplace:
- Safety considerations, especially in environments with manufacturing equipment, laboratories, construction sites, or restricted areas.
- Insurance or visitor policies that set a minimum age for anyone entering the building who isn’t an employee.
- The nature of the planned activities. A workplace built around desk work may comfortably welcome younger children, while one with more physical or technical work may set the bar higher.
Some employers also ask parents to sign a simple permission or visitor form before the child arrives, so it’s worth asking your manager or HR contact ahead of time whether any paperwork is needed. If your child falls just outside the recommended age range, ask whether a shortened visit or a modified set of activities might still be possible.
Including Grandchildren and Extended Family
Family structures vary, and plenty of employees raise children alongside a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other guardian rather than, or in addition to, a parent. Many workplaces have adapted their programs to reflect this.
If you’re wondering whether a grandchild, niece, nephew, or another young relative can take part instead of your own child, ask your HR team directly. Some companies welcome any child under the care of an employee, while others limit participation to an employee’s own children.
It’s also worth asking whether your workplace supports a broader “bring your family to work” style event, where siblings or other family members can join for part of the day, rather than a program strictly limited to one child per employee.
Part 7Bring Your Child to Work Day Around the World
The tradition began in the United States, but plenty of employers outside the US run a version of their own, often with less standardization around the actual date.
- United States: Most companies that follow the original tradition schedule their event on the fourth Thursday of April, though this is a longstanding custom rather than a mandatory rule.
- United Kingdom: There is no single unified national date for “Take Your Child to Work Day” in the UK. Individual employers and schools often set their own date, frequently choosing a day that fits around a school half-term or their own business calendar.
- Multinational companies: Some organizations with offices in several countries coordinate a single shared date across every location, while others let regional offices choose a date that works with local school schedules and public holidays.
If you work for a company with offices in more than one country, or if your child’s school is in a different country from your workplace, it’s worth confirming the specific date with your own employer rather than assuming a single calendar date applies everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I effectively plan a ‘Take Your Child to Work Day’?
Begin by informing your manager and coworkers about the date you plan to bring your child.
This will allow everyone to prepare or schedule appropriate activities.
It’s important to structure the day with a planned itinerary, which includes both educational moments and opportunities for breaks, catering to your child’s attention span.
Are there age restrictions for children participating in ‘Take Your Child to Work Day’?
Most companies recommend that children be at least 8 years old to participate in ‘Take Your Child to Work Day’.
However, you should check with your workplace’s policies, as some may vary and allow for different age ranges to accommodate the nature of the work environment and planned activities.
What are some engaging activities for kids during ‘Bring Your Child to Work Day’?
You could coordinate with your coworkers to set up interactive workshops or career exploration games.
For example, if you work in a science-related field, a simple experiment can be highly engaging.
A mock meeting can give them a feel for office dynamics.
It’s important to select activities that are age-appropriate and stimulate curiosity about the workplace.
How can I create an inviting ‘Bring Your Child to Work Day’ invitation?
A good invitation is clear and engaging.
It should include the event’s date, start and end times, and any necessary items the child should bring.
Utilize colorful images or themes that might appeal to children, like a cartoon character who’s portrayed as ready for work, to make the invitation more appealing.
What are some ideas for a virtual ‘Bring Your Child to Work Day’?
Virtual ‘Bring Your Child to Work Day’ can include activities like virtual tours of the office, online puzzles relating to your job, and video calls with different team members explaining their roles.
These activities can make the experience interactive and educational even when your child is not physically present at the workplace.
What is the main goal of hosting a ‘Bring Your Child to Work Day’ at a company?
The main goal of this day is to educate children about the working world. It also aims to inspire future career interests and provide an understanding of what their parents do during the day.
It allows kids to see the relevance of academic subjects to real-world jobs. It also encourages family discussions about workforce issues and opportunities.
When is Bring Your Child to Work Day?
In the United States, it’s traditionally observed on the fourth Thursday of April, which falls on April 24 in 2025 and April 23 in 2026 based on that schedule. This date is a long-standing custom rather than a fixed requirement, so it’s worth confirming the exact plan with your employer, since some companies choose a different day that better fits their calendar.
What is the difference between Take Your Child to Work Day and Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day?
They refer to the same underlying tradition. The program started in 1993 as “Take Our Daughters to Work Day” and was expanded in 2003 to “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” to include boys. Over time, many companies have adopted more general names such as Bring Your Child to Work Day, Take Your Child to Work Day, or Bring Your Kids to Work Day, all of which describe the same type of event.
Is Bring Your Child to Work Day still observed today?
Yes, many companies continue to run some version of this event each year, though participation and the exact format vary widely by employer. Some organizations hold a full day of structured activities, while others offer a shorter visit or a scaled-back version built around remote or hybrid work.
Is there a UK version of Bring Your Child to Work Day?
Some UK employers run their own version of the event, though there is no single fixed national date the way there is in the United States. Companies in the UK often choose a date that fits around a school half-term or their own internal calendar, so it’s best to check directly with your employer for the specific date and format.
Can grandparents or other relatives bring a child to work?
It depends on the company. Many workplaces now welcome grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or other children under an employee’s care, reflecting the fact that not every child is raised by a parent who works at that company. Ask your HR team whether the program is limited to an employee’s own children or open to a wider range of family relationships.
How can remote or hybrid employees take part in Bring Your Child to Work Day?
Remote and hybrid employees can often recreate much of the experience through video calls, virtual office tours, and short online activities tied to their job. A video call with a few coworkers explaining their roles, paired with a simple at-home craft or worksheet, can give a child a similar sense of what a workday involves even without an office visit.
Are there printable activity sheets for Bring Your Child to Work Day?
Yes, many parents and HR teams create simple printable materials such as department “passport” sheets, bingo cards, coloring pages, and short interview question sheets. These give children something to do during quieter moments and something to bring home afterward as a keepsake of the day.