Public speaking is an essential skill that every kid should learn from a young age. It helps them to put their points across effectively and also to prove their leadership skills. However, at times, kids hesitate to speak up in front of others either due to a lack of confidence or their shy nature. However, if you want your kids to open up and speak up confidently in front of others, follow these five tips to develop their public speaking skills.
1. Teach Them To Breathe First
Breathing is the first and foremost technique to teach your kids. Whenever they are tensed, their heart rate increases, leading to sweating and being on the verge of an anxiety attack. To avoid this situation, teach your kids to take a few deep breaths before going on stage so that they can stay calm and relaxed. You can even practice different breathing techniques at home together to remain composed. Meditation is also beneficial since breathwork is one of the first things you are taught.
2. Encourage School Participation
It doesn’t matter if your kids get one line in their school play or have to narrate a whole story by themselves. Always encourage your kids to participate in school activities to improve their public speaking skills. The more they participate in debates, etc., the more they will open up and get comfortable in front of a crowd.
3. Practice, Practice and Practice
Make your kids practice at home to help them develop their public speaking skills. Ask them to talk about the topics they are interested in and express themselves as much as possible. Once done, give them constructive feedback on how they can improve further. Show them various methods of engaging the audience with their topics, with the help of graphs, statistics, Q&A sessions, etc. You can even show videos of renowned speakers or take them to seminars to help them learn public speaking techniques. Even if they can’t grasp the topic, they can learn invaluable public speaking lessons from them.
4. Discuss Everyday
No, it does not necessarily have to be a 2 hour or a round table discussion. Just have a general conversation about day-to-day topics. When reading a newspaper, ask your kid about their viewpoint on a particular headline, or when you are watching the news, ask what they think about that specific topic. Discuss things that your kids are interested in. Be it sports, politics, movies, or even cartoons, engage in discussion whenever you can to build up their speaking and reasoning skills as they go hand-in-hand.
5. Enroll in Public Speaking Classes or Workshops
Do not hesitate to enroll your kids in public speaking courses, classes, or workshops, as they offer more structured interactions to improve your kid’s public speaking skills. Many community centers, educational institutions, and even private organizations offer programs designed to help your kids become confident and effective public speakers.
Public speaking skills are essential for your kid’s growth, whether cracking interviews or handling teams. So be patient, motivate your kids, and practice consistently. Your kids will develop public speaking skills in no time.
