Why Futures Literacy Could Benefit Primary School Children

 

When we think about what children in primary school should learn, we often focus on reading, writing, numbers, and social skills. These are the cornerstones of education, yet the world they are growing into is far more complex and unpredictable than what previous generations faced. This is where the idea of futures literacy becomes important, even for children as young as those in primary school. Futures literacy is the ability to imagine, explore, and prepare for different possible futures. It is not about predicting what will happen, but about helping young minds stretch their imagination and creativity so that they can handle uncertainty with confidence.

For young students, the seeds of futures literacy can be planted through simple classroom activities. When a teacher asks children to imagine what their town might look like in 20 years, or what kind of transport they would like to see in the future, it not only sparks creativity but also allows them to think about change, cause and effect, and possibility. Children already do this naturally when they dream about becoming astronauts, inventors, or explorers. By framing these natural tendencies as a learning skill, teachers can nurture their ability to think ahead in ways that matter.

Futures literacy for children is also about helping them understand choices. A simple lesson on recycling, for example, can be turned into a conversation about how today’s small actions create tomorrow’s outcomes. If they recycle their plastic bottle, what kind of world might they help build? If they don’t, what could happen instead? This sense of agency builds both responsibility and imagination. It teaches them that their decisions, however small, shape the kind of future they and others will live in.

Another powerful way to embed futures thinking at an early age is through storytelling. Children love stories, and stories are essentially explorations of different futures. When a class listens to a story about a city powered by renewable energy, or about a community solving problems together, they are engaging with alternative futures. They are learning that the future is not fixed, but can be shaped by human creativity and choices. This helps them develop empathy, because imagining futures often requires seeing the world through someone else’s eyes, whether it is a character in a story or even an animal or environment affected by human decisions.

Introducing futures literacy early also builds resilience. Life will not always go as expected, and if children are used to exploring different “what ifs,” they are less likely to be overwhelmed by change or disappointment. Instead of fearing the unknown, they can see it as a space of possibility. This kind of mindset can be particularly important as they grow older and face challenges like climate change, technological disruption, or shifts in the job market. It prepares them not with fixed answers but with flexible thinking.

Of course, the aim is not to burden children with adult worries. Futures literacy at the primary school level should be playful, creative, and filled with curiosity. Activities like drawing the “school of the future,” imagining new inventions, or designing a game that helps people in need all build futures thinking without making it heavy. The point is to cultivate openness, imagination, and confidence in facing the unknown.

If we want the next generation to thrive in a world of rapid change, it makes sense to start developing futures literacy in the earliest years of schooling. Primary school students may not yet grasp the complexities of economics or global politics, but they are natural visionaries, storytellers, and dreamers. By gently guiding that imagination toward understanding the power of choices, consequences, and alternative futures, we give them one of the most valuable skills they can carry into their adult lives: the ability to shape the future, rather than merely adapt to it.