Public Speaking in School Doesn’t Have to Be Scary

No matter your age, public speaking can be an overwhelming or even scary thought.

It is because of this that one of our main goals at Drama Kids International is to help children improve their speaking and public speaking skills through improved confidence and useful drama activities.

Why Public Speaking Skills Are Important for Kids

There is no way around it: Public speaking will always play a vital role in helping our children develop and build up much-needed life skills. These skills can include being able to analyze a topic, thinking logically, creating meaningful sentences and presenting thoughts in a clear manner when in front of an audience.

Yes, confidence and public speaking are closely related. The more comfortable children become with public speaking, the more you will begin to see their self-confidence build up—this directly impacts how capable they are when facing challenges in the future.

Some Practical Public Speaking Tips

There is a plethora of ways your child’s public speaking skills can be aided and bolstered. Remember, it is understood that most are afraid of public speaking because they are not prepared.

Here are 20 of our favorite public speaking tips for kids:

Make sure goals are being set up for the presentation.
Decide what is interesting and what isn’t.
Have some passion for the subject or topic.
Do not read the entire speech or spiel from a paper.
Do have a cheat sheet/notes to help you stick to the key points.
Always practice a speech or presentation before giving it.
Film yourself and review the video, looking for things that were done well and those that need improvement.
Accept that nerves may always be an underlying aspect of public speaking.
Tell stories that can help catch the attention of your audience and bolster the main message.
Come up with your own public speaking style.
Avoid filler words like “basically,” “well” and “um.”
Use your tone, volume and speaking speed to help keep the audience engaged and interested.
Never underestimate the power of laughter as an icebreaker.
Practice in front of family and ask for their feedback.
Remember that no presentation will be perfect, no matter who is giving it.
Keep your main points and ideas memorable.
Volunteer to speak in front of the class or others for some valuable practice.
Study up on others’ public speaking styles.
Talk to someone about your public speaking fears.
Smile to help convey warmth and make others more receptive to you.

There are many more opportunities for personal growth for children involved with Drama Kids International besides those listed here. Interested in learning about what our programming can offer your child? Feel free to contact us to learn more!