Each April, children from across the US tag along with their parents for “freebie” day off from the stresses of daily school life. For one fleeting day, assessment tests and homework take a backseat to a day at work with mom or dad. While not every company embraces this tradition, I am fortunate enough to work for a company that values both family and education.

Creating a “lesson plan” with meaning for varied ages of Pre-K and elementary schoolers can be a challenge, so I draw from my younger years as a preschool teacher and mom of four. This year, we selected an Earth Day theme and incorporated some STEM activities. Each activity helped personalize some of the aspects of Asset Management.

We started off the morning with a scavenger hunt for assets around the nearby Town Park. Knowing what a storm drain looks like and does would come into play a bit later on in our day. It’s important to include some outdoor time (especially after a breakfast of juice and donuts!) to get some of the wiggles out before heading back into the office to learn about important things.

Collecting assets is a big part of what the DTS Mobile Asset Collection does. One type of asset collected and managed within VUEWorks are bridges. Sounds like an excuse for an educational video on bridge building… time for some STEM activities! After learning about the different types of bridges, the little engineers put their new knowledge to work with some craft sticks and play-doh.

Triangle Truss bridges proved to be the most sturdy, with the available building supplies. Since our bridges were constructed on a man-made body of “water”, it was important to go over the water cycle, storm water, and how it impacts our environment. A fun water themed snack and a short video from Freddy the Fish led to the creation of our very own ecosystem terrariums.

Since horticulture can be a tricky business for little green thumbs, we used succulents, which are famously low-maintenance. A layered foundation of sand, various sizes of rocks, moss, and potting soil recreates a natural drainage system for the minimal watering that is required (about once per month). And because no kids craft is complete without some form of dragon or fairy, we added a few for good measure.

Following lunch with the parents, the kids presented their projects and some of the things we had learned. Then, we settled in for an afternoon showing of Wall-E and some popcorn. While taking our kids to work doesn’t bring in a million-dollar deal, it felt like a million-dollar day. Friends were made, laughs were had, food was enjoyed and knowledge was shared. Kind of a “win-win”, if you ask me!

Thanks to our DTS management team that continues to support the event, and to our awesome staff for sharing their super cool kids!