Helping kids improve presentation skills can build their confidence and self-esteem. Parents and caregivers can create a healthy environment where kids can explore their presentation styles and become fearless public speakers!
I was a shy and reserved kid and avoided presentations. The fear of public speaking haunted me into my adult years. Many kids go through similar experiences and as parents we can help them shrug this fear off in their foundation years. Planet Spark has a great article on why we should encourage children to develop public speaking skills.
Here are some simple ways you can encourage children to become better presenters:
Keep it simple
Simplicity in presentations is key (even for grown-ups). Give kids a simple structure for their presentations e.g. what did I love, what did I not like so much, etc.
Open-ended Questions
Asking children open-ended questions helps them think and articulate their answers better. For example, if you asked "How was your day?" the typical answer you can expect is "Good". Change the question around to "What was good about your day today?". You'll be surprised with the details you can get out. Check out this list of open-ended questions complied by Conversation Starters World.
Presentation Design Tools
Tools like Canva are fantastic and easy for young kids to use. Get them started early and allow them time to experiment and find their design style. Check out this simple example of how you can use Canva to elevate a simple poster for a school Show and Tell project.
Create Occasions for Presentations
Help kids build up their confidence with small presentations at home. For example, you can ask them to 'present' what they enjoyed about a book or movie they saw. It can also be about a meal that they enjoyed a lot. EmergingEdTech has some great suggestions here for fun and interactive games to help build presentation skills.
Be a Role Model
Show your kids how it is to be done. Pick a topic of your interest and run a small presentation. Empower them even to give you feedback. You'll be surprised how kids can pick from your presentation style.
Don't Be Critical
Kids need positive affirmation and your feedback can help them be more fearless when it comes to public speaking. Avoid being over-critical on presentation styles and syntax. Allow for them to bring in their unique creativity.
Simple Rewards
Set up a simple system where you can reward kids for their presentation skills. It could be as simple as getting to pick their favorite restaurant or even accumulating points towards a new toy.
Vocabulary
Kids love to learn new words and improve their vocabulary. While there are many apps out there, a good discipline is to buy a dictionary and pick a new word (maybe at random) to learn every day. A vocabulary journal can also be a great addition here.
Mentors
Mentors can have a very positive influence on kids. They can be school teachers, grandparents, or a celebrity. Michelle Obama, for example, is a great speaker and I have huge respect for how she effortlessly engaged kids in the Healthy Eating initiative. Other role models include Dwayne Johnson, Malala Yousafzai, and Greta Thunberg.
Breathing and Managing Stress
Presentations can be stressful, even for the little ones. Help them manage their anxiety and stress through effective breathing, exercise, and making the process fun. I have written a post on how to manage stress & anxiety in the past and this has some very helpful tips.
Public Speaking Classes for kids
There are a host of public speaking classes for kids that can be hugely beneficial. Toastmasters Youth Leadership program is great for kids under 18 years. You can also check Planet Spark for 1:1 coaching sessions on public speaking.
I hope you found these tips helpful. Do feel free to share your experience or any other tips you feel can be beneficial for other parents and caregivers.
Happy Presenting!
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