Purpose: This paper has three objectives. The first is to determine the level of primary school students' career development, the second is to test Super's childhood years career development model, and the third is to determine the level of Turkish children's career development. Design/methodology/approach: Employing qualitative research models, 145 primary school students participated in structured essay questionnaires. A descriptional and content analysis, as well as a qualitative analysis, were performed on the data collected. Findings: The study established that the primary school students possessed the nine concepts that Super developed for childhood years. It was also determined that there were no differences in the students' level of career development in terms of gender and grades. Research limitations/implications: This study has two limitations. First, the study was carried out on a limited sample. Second, the data were gathered from the primary school students in a written form. Career development levels of students from different countries should be studied with qualitative and quantitative research, and then compared with each other. Practical implications: Career education programs in the Turkish education system should start at the primary school years. Additionally, classroom teachers and school counsellors should promote experiences to support the students' career development, and parents should provide more conscientious support for their children. Originality/value: This study provides support for Super's childhood years career development model in Turkey. (Contains 1 table.)